Dallas Wings Star Paige Bueckers Speaks On Playing With Unrivaled MVP Chelsea Gray

Ahead of her Senior National Team Debut with Team USA, Paige Bueckers is excited to play with Chelsea Gray.

Jun 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) drives past Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) in the second quarter of their game at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers is getting prepared for her Senior National Team debut with Team USA ahead of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, which will start on Wednesday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This is going to give Bueckers a unique experience, as she'll be playing and winning with players that she has been competing against since high school, but also admiring for a long time. One such player is Chelsea Gray.

Bueckers and Gray just went head-to-head in the Unrivaled League, with both players finishing as First Team selections after phenomenal seasons. Gray won league MVP over Bueckers, but Bueckers got the last laugh in the playoffs, knocking Gray's Rose BC out in the opening round. Bueckers' Breeze BC would fall in the next round to the eventual champion Mist, blowing a big lead, but Bueckers still had an outstanding season.

And now, just a week removed from those playoff games, Bueckers and Gray will be teammates for Team USA. Bueckers spoke about playing with Gray ahead of her debut.

"I’ve grown up watching Chelsea Gray and been playing against her the past year,” Bueckers said. “I’m really glad to be on her team and in the same uniform this time... Just how competitive we are. Even today, we don’t have practice guys here, so we’re going against each other. The fire, the intensity and the passion that we have for the game — you can see it. So today we’re competing against each other, but once we suit up and play on the same team and we’re going against somebody else, I think it’ll be very exciting.”

Dec 7, 2025; New York, New York, USA; WNBA players Paige Bueckers (l) and Angel Reese (r) sit courtside during the game between the Orlando Magic and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

How to Watch: Paige Bueckers' Team USA Debut

Paige Bueckers will be one of many players making their senior team debuts, which includes Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Here's how you can watch the first game, which will be against Senegal at 5 p.m. EST on TruTV/HBO Max.

Team USA is already qualified for the FIBA World Cup after winning the AmeriCup last year, but this will be the best chance for the players to gain chemistry and familiarity playing with each other, as the World Cup will come near the end of the WNBA season, assuming there is one. They won't have many other opportunities to get this kind of experience.

After this game, Team USA will play Puerto Rico on Thursday, Italy on Saturday, New Zealand on Sunday, and Spain next Tuesday.