Paige Bueckers has Luka Doncic's major shoes to fill for Dallas Wings

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers has a tall task ahead of her.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 30, 2025

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers walks off the court after the game against the New York Liberty. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings rookie point guard Paige Bueckers came to the Lone Star State earlier this year with the ability to be the best player in franchise history.

Bueckers is slowly getting her groove in the WNBA and that is helping her fulfill the duty she has for the city of Dallas.

Bleacher Report writer Lee Escobedo believes Bueckers is helping fill the void left by Luka Doncic, who left the Dallas Mavericks for the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade back in February.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Bueckers is Dallas' new superstar

"Being a No. 1 overall pick in Dallas carries the responsibility of leading a city still aching from losing its last basketball demigod," .

"And this year, the fanbase got two of them.

"Bueckers for the Wings. Cooper Flagg for the Mavericks. Two white players projected to be generational talents. Two young stars asked to replace Dallas icon Luka Dončić as the city's basketball lifeblood before they've even played a full season.

"And that’s the double bind: Bueckers isn't just tasked with running the offense. She’s the savior, the superstar, the soft reset. Never mind that she's just a rookie."

It's a tough task for Bueckers, but she has felt pressure before when she was at UConn. Playing in the spotlight at Connecticut, she is used to the attention and the pressure.

"Before Bueckers ever took the floor in a Wings jersey, she'd already lived through five college seasons of pressure that would've cracked most stars. At UConn, her brilliance was often matched by misfortune: the pandemic season, the knee fractures, the ACL tear that stole her junior year. She missed more games than she played in a two-year stretch, and still, she came back to cut down the nets her final season," Escobedo wrote.

As the WNBA continues to grow, Bueckers' pressure will rise. However, she is taking things one day at a time in hopes of eventually winning a WNBA championship to go with her collegiate one.

Stick with WingsGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Wings throughout the 2025 Season.

More Dallas Wings News

Paige Bueckers smashes WNBA record held by Caitlin Clark

Paige Bueckers shuts down reporter regarding Caitlin Clark question

Future face of WNBA? Paige Bueckers earning big praise from players

Paige Bueckers says there's a 'long way to go' with WNBA CBA negotiations

Published Jul 30, 2025|Modified Jul 30, 2025

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.