On August 2, 2025, Paige Bueckers continued her impressive rookie season by surpassing several of Caitlin Clark’s early career milestones, yet the Dallas Wings remain mired in losses. Bueckers, the Wings’ standout guard, has been making significant strides statistically compared to Clark’s rookie season, but her team’s overall lackluster performance has impeded winning outcomes amid ongoing challenges.
Clark, currently sidelined with a persistent groin injury, missed her second match against Bueckers this year. The Indiana Fever guard had previously bested Bueckers in their first professional meeting, delivering a dominant 14-point, 13-assist performance alongside a career-high five steals. Nevertheless, Bueckers’s own season numbers have sparked comparisons to Clark’s acclaimed rookie campaign, stirring debate over who holds the edge in their early <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/wnba/”>WNBA journeys.
Comparing Rookie Seasons: Bueckers Gains Ground on Clark’s Records
Bueckers has made a strong statement in her first 23 games, recording twelve 20-point contests—surpassing Clark’s mark of eight during the same span in her rookie year. The Wings guard is averaging 18.5 points, 3.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, the highest steals count among this year’s rookies. Clark, meanwhile, posted 16.6 points and an impressive 7.6 assists per game in her initial 23 outings.
In a recent showdown at the American Airlines Center, Bueckers led the Wings with 22 points, four assists, four rebounds, and two steals, her third consecutive game with over 20 points. Despite her efforts, the Wings fell 88-78 to the Clark-less Fever, illustrating that Bueckers’s scoring has often been a solitary bright spot amid the team’s struggles.
Clark set the rookie season bar exceptionally high, closing her first campaign with 19 20-point games, averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game across a longer schedule and more challenging conditions. Still, WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has already hailed Bueckers as a potential future best player in the league, underscoring expectations for Bueckers to elevate her game similarly as her rookie season progresses.
Wings’ Rebuilding Efforts and Team Inexperience Highlight Ongoing Issues
The Dallas Wings’ record has remained troubling, sitting at 8-21 after 29 games, despite Bueckers’s standout performances. The franchise underwent a significant offseason rebuild, releasing nearly all core players except veteran Arike Ogunbowale, leaving a youthful and inexperienced roster. The Wings have only managed two consecutive wins this season, ranking 11th in the league.
Bueckers acknowledged the rookie-heavy lineup’s growing pains, stating,
“This is a new experience for a lot of us, playing together and growing together.”
Coach Chris Koclanes, unwilling to soften the reality, emphasized the need for immediate change, bluntly telling his team, “You have to win games,” and added,
“We understand that. We have to sit in this, and it’s not going to feel good.”
Amidst the rotations, rookies like JJ Quinnerly and Aziaha James have seen increased roles as the Wings experiment with lineups beyond just Bueckers’s leadership. While this youth provides promise, the lack of veteran stability and consistency has contributed to their inability to secure reliable victories.
Front Office Signals Shift Toward Youth and Future Building
With playoff contention slipping beyond reach, the Wings appear to be focusing on long-term development, centering their future around Bueckers and other promising talents. Maddy Siegrist, despite a recent injury, is expected to gain vital experience in the season’s closing stretch. Meanwhile, speculation emerges about potential roster moves involving veterans like Ogunbowale and DiJonai Carrington as the franchise contemplates a new direction.
Wings CEO Gregg Bibb captured the hopeful outlook in May, declaring,
“I think Paige will be additive for us just like Caitlin was additive for Indiana.”
This comparison emphasizes the striking parallels between the two No. 1 draft picks’ trajectories and the rebuilding phases of their respective teams.
Looking Ahead: Bueckers’s Path Mirrors Clark’s but Challenges Remain
Bueckers’s rookie season comparison to Caitlin Clark continues to fuel intense discussion among fans and analysts. Both players experienced injuries and growth periods early on, with their teams struggling to translate individual brilliance into collective success. Bueckers’s scoring prowess sets her apart statistically this season, but Clark’s superior assist numbers and overall experience reflect different strengths.
The Wings’ rebuilding status means Bueckers must carry much of the burden while her teammates develop. How the team addresses its inconsistent play alongside nurturing its young stars will be critical to future success. For now, Clark’s rookie-year accomplishments remain the benchmark, but Bueckers is rapidly closing the gap as she navigates her difficult but promising entry into the WNBA.
“I think Paige will be additive for us just like Caitlin was additive for Indiana.”
— Gregg Bibb, Wings CEO
“This is a new experience for a lot of us, playing together and growing together.”
— Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings guard
“You have to win games. We understand that. We have to sit in this, and it’s not going to feel good.”
— Chris Koclanes, Dallas Wings head coach
Is Paige Bueckers already surpassing Caitlin Clark’s rookie achievements, or is it too soon to tell?