Wings star Paige Bueckers is candid about aspect she is 'still learning to do'

Paige Bueckers didn't hesitate when discussing how she has dealt with the mental aspect of being an athlete while also being reminded of her childhood.
Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during the second half against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) looks on during the second half against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Soon-to-be second-year Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers recently opened up on the balance between being a star WNBA athlete and a regular, everyday adult.

It's something she told the “What Drives Winning” podcast host Brett Ledbetter in various interviews that were compiled into one, long-form episode released Monday.

“It’s hard because the things that I mean I’ve changed my perspective from things happening to me to things happening for me," Bueckers said. "And I’m proud of all the things that I’ve been through. And you don’t want to talk bad about other people because of situations that happened to you, but you realize how important it was to shaping who you are."

Bueckers opted not to expand further, but did admit she learned a lot from those experiences in her rise to stardom.

Paige Bueckers Wants To Champion Mental Health

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrates after the game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center.
Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrates after the game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

"I wouldn’t trade it for the world," Bueckers said. "I know there’s some things people look back on and regret, but everything happened for a reason. And I’m extremely grateful for that. And to be able to show like moments of weakness or times of struggle or in times of adversity and how much it grows you to be strong."

Bueckers said she is still learning about how to stay true to herself and be unafraid of backlash for things that she believes, both personally and professionally.

"I think that’s something that you should be proud of, and to speak your truth in that is something I’m still learning to do," Bueckers said.

Bueckers appears to be really happy with everything she's doing. She's busier than ever while continuing to explore Dallas and the community it has to offer. She's being featured in advertisement campaigns, commercials, visiting her alma mater, and continuing to improve her skill set on the court, amongst some of the best players in the world.

Bueckers has a chance to keep improving both personally and professionally. It's clear she realizes that she needs to continue to be a better version of herself as she gets older, and she understands that with a lot of eyes on her, she needs to be careful about the moves she makes and the things she says so her reputation can stay grounded.

It seems apparent that she's doing the best she can with the resources she has. While she may have a lot to work through still, she recognizes that she's going to grow and develop over time as she gets older and understands that she has a long career ahead of her and a long life to live. So maximizing it is her biggest priority.

We will see if she can keep this up, as this is one of the most vulnerable moments that she's had publicly during her career so far.

READ MORE: Former Dallas Wings head coach teams up with Angel Reese for 2026 WNBA season

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer & columnist for Gameday Media's MMA Knockout, expanding his portfolio as a Staff Writer for Dallas Wings On SI with previous in-network contributions around the echosystem. Outside of covering fights, Bando's background includes Big Ten football and men's basketball with leans toward Illinois and Northwestern with a broader league view for bylines including The Sporting News, FanSided, Men's Journal and others since 2019. Bando can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.com or via his social media accounts @zainbando99.