Dallas Wings On SI

Paige Bueckers leads WNBA response after Minneapolis church shooting

Paige Bueckers was blunt when asked about the tragedies that took place in Minnesota earlier this week.

Zain Bando

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) stands on the court Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever, 81-80.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) stands on the court Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever, 81-80. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dallas Wings rookie guard Paige Bueckers, like every athlete, has a human side to her. Originally hailing from Minnesota, Bueckers was asked by reporters about the tragic shooting at Annunciation Church that killed two children and injured 17 other people in her home state.

Bueckers, who seems well on her way to winning the WNBA Rookie of the Year, took a moment to express her thoughts and gratitude toward the victims who lost their lives and sent a critical message to law enforcement to prevent these types of acts from transpiring.

“I’ve been sending prayers … It’s just really unfortunate,” Bueckers told reporters. “I hope there are stricter gun laws put in place so parents don’t have to worry about sending their kids to school, people don’t have to worry about attending church, and all these places are safe. It’s just really unfortunate that gun violence continues to be an issue.”

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How This Incident Hits Close For Paige Bueckers, as Well as Other Minnesotans

Bueckers was born in Edina, Minnesota, before attending Hopkins High School in Minnetonka. She became a nationwide star in high school, passing the 2,000 career-point mark as a junior, one the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year in 2020, was the first high school women's basketball player to be featured on the cover of SLAM magazine. and was also the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award, among many others.

Her high school was only about 15 minutes away from Annunciation Church and School, so this had to hit close to home for Bueckers, as it did for a lot of Minnesota natives. Wide Receiver Adam Thielen made a similar point after he was traded back to the Minnesota Vikings, and he plans to do what he can once he and his family are settled again.

It wouldn't be surprising to see Bueckers do the same, especially with the WNBA season nearing an end and the Dallas Wings already eliminated from the playoffs. There are only five games left for the Wings, including Friday's game against the Atlanta Dream.

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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.

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