Dallas Wings On SI

Paige Bueckers praised by Cooper Flagg after support at recent Mavericks games

The two most recent first overall picks of the WNBA and NBA have been supportive of each other.

Austin Veazey

Nov 19, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers watches the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers watches the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has been BUSY this offseason. She still has over a month before her debut in the Unrivaled League, so she's making the most of her time while she can.

Bueckers was sitting courtside at two recent Dallas Mavericks games, against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, and Friday's NBA Cup action against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Mavericks have a recent first overall pick of their own in Cooper Flagg, making it the first time that the same city has had the first overall pick in the same year's NBA and WNBA Drafts.

After Friday's game, Cooper Flagg was asked about having Bueckers courtside for two games, and he thought it was pretty exciting.

"She obviously had an incredible rookie season, and she’s gonna do amazing things with her career," Flagg said of Bueckers. "So it’s kinda cool to see, for her to show up, and I was able to go to one of her games right after the draft, when I got down here. It’s cool to see the support and show up and be there for each other. I think that’s pretty cool. And hopefully, we'll keep it going forward."

Bueckers was also courtside for the Mavericks' preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Fort Worth, and Flagg made it to a Wings game soon after being drafted. The Wings were facing the Indiana Fever in the American Airlines Center in anticipation of a big crowd for Caitlin Clark, who ended up missing the game due to injury.

Bueckers also gave Flagg some advice once it was official that the Mavericks landed the first pick. "Just to take it in stride," Bueckers said. "Don't try to appease people or try to live up to the expectations that other people set for yourself. Just be who you are. He's a winner, and he's a competitor. He just wants to contribute to winning, and that's all he cares about. So stay true to who he is and what has gotten him to be the No. 1 pick."

READ MORE: How to Watch 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery as Dallas Wings aim for back-to-back first picks

Cooper Flagg Hoping to Follow in Paige Bueckers' Footsteps

Cooper Flagg would like to win more than Bueckers' Dallas Wings did this year, as they went just 10-34. But it's hard to top Bueckers' personal success, as she won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star starter, and made All-WNBA second team.

It'll be nearly impossible for Flagg to replicate that kind of success, especially because the NBA is just a deeper and more talented league. Even winning Rookie of the Year will have a lot of competition, as Charlotte's Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia's VJ Edgecombe have been off to great starters.

READ MORE: Paige Bueckers keeps up busy schedule with courtside appearance at major NBA game

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Austin Veazey
AUSTIN VEAZEY

Austin Veazey joined NoleGameday as the Lead Basketball Writer in 2019, while contributing as a football writer, and started as editor for MavericksGameday in 2024. Veazey was a Florida State Men’s Basketball Manager from 2016-2019. Follow Austin on Twitter at @EasyVeazeyNG

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