Paige Bueckers Embraces Leadership and Sets New Standards for the Dallas Wings
Surrounded by new talent and guided by a disciplined system, Bueckers is shaping her game and the Dallas Wings identity.
There’s an evident transformation around Paige Bueckers in the Dallas Wings training camp, as the first week concludes. It’s reflected in the way she carries herself as a leader of the team, while changing the identity of a franchise that is desperately looking to become a winning organization. A season ago, Bueckers was learning how to adapt, carefully trying to fit in a locker room and a league that was new to her, while not stepping on anyone’s toes in the process. One year later, Bueckers is leading the locker room. The All-WNBA guard is stepping into a leadership role with a stronger voice and a well defined presence that carries her around the gym. Bueckers takes ownership in who she wants to be as a player, what she wants the Wings to be as a team and how first-year head coach Jose Fernandez wants the team to perform.
Entering her second season in the WNBA, Bueckers is energized by the direction of the Wings. Her excitement comes from more than just new players and coaches, it’s the way the team fits, the accountability instilled and the competitive atmosphere. She believes the team can compete on both ends of the floor and embraces the process of building a core with surrounding depth in Dallas.
“I’m super excited. We got a lot of great pieces in free agency. We got Azzi (Fudd) too through the draft, and then we have training camp pickups. It’s just been really fun to compete… I think we have a lot of different pieces too in terms of versatility offensively, defensively. We got shooting, we got length, we got aggressive mentalities on the defensive end. I mean, we have a defensive player of the year (Alanna Smith), and we have Jess Shepard as one of the best playmakers in the league at the four position. So, um, and then to bring back Rike (Arike Ogunbowale), just to have the core pieces and then so many great pieces around it, it’s really exciting.”
The growth since her rookie year isn’t just on the court, it’s in her voice and mentality to turn around the team’s history of losing.
“I think just whatever the team needs to win on any given night. We have a new roster, a new offensive system, new defensive system, so just trying to find who I am in that and who I wanna be as a leader, as a teammate, and making everybody around me better. Everything for me and for this team is geared towards winning, so whatever role that is, it might be different on any given night. But to be more aggressive, to be more assertive, to be more of a leader, more vocal, is something that we talk about.”
With an improved roster and new system in place, Bueckers isn’t focused on fitting into a fixed role like last year, yet evolving and adapting to whatever gives the Wings the best chance to win on a given night. That flexibility speaks to her all-in investment into the franchise but also emphasizes her will to be more aggressive, assertive and vocal. Those three attributes are shaping the organization to follow Bueckers’ lead. She isn’t just reacting to the team anymore, she’s learning how to manage the responsibility of leading it, while prioritizing the one thing that defines her: winning.
When asked how she’s evolved since her first training camp a year ago, Bueckers didn’t hesitate to respond.
“I think my confidence and my voice, being able to lead. I know I came as a rookie, I wanted to gain everybody’s respect. Wanted to just gel with the team, not step on any toes, but try, like, taking ownership of who I wanna be and who I want this team to be, who we all want this team to be, and what coach Jose is pouring into me, pouring into the team, and how we want to perform, how we want to show up at training camp and take every possession seriously. Take every practice seriously, growing and getting better together. So to be able to set that tone and be confident in that and finding my voice, I think I’ve grown a lot.”
The confidence is seen throughout training camp in her approach to the role of leading the Wings franchise. She’s no longer trying to fit into a team’s identity, she’s shaping it. Bueckers is seen leading huddles, directing teammates where to go, setting the offense up, competing on defense and motivating teammates. There’s a clear sense of ownership as Bueckers embraces the new focus on accountability under Fernandez, a standard she is familiar with as she compared his style to UCONN under her college coach Geno Auriemma.
“He does remind me a lot of Coach Geno. In terms of discipline, structure, the culture that he wants to build, and the no BS mentality where he doesn’t let anything slide. He’s very detail-oriented, but he also communicates well with the players and me and how we want to run things. He takes player feedback, and I mean, it starts as a coach-led team and how he sets the standard of the culture, but it’s up to the players to lead that as well. So he’s just done a really good job on day one, just setting the tone for what we want to look like.”
Bueckers said the structure and standards by the new coaching staff gives confidence, with everyone understanding their role and what is required of them each night. She emphasized the job the Fernandez and his staff have done installing a culture of accountability, led by the coach but also reinforced by players. Teammates hold each other to a consistent standard while pushing to meet it.
That confidence also feeds into her responsibility as a leader, implementing a defensive-minded mentality within the team, something that the Wings aren’t known for. Leveling up her defensive approach was a point of emphasis in the offseason for Bueckers and it started with her playing in Unrivaled. Bueckers credits her time in Unrivaled with the extra attention to defense, as there is no possessions off with only three players on the court. The mentality has carried over into the Dallas Wings training camp.
“Yeah it’s just competing. I think it started honestly, in Unrivaled. Guarding in isolation three-on-three, you’re never not in a play, you’re never not guarding, you’re never resting on defense, and never compartmentalizing your energy. It’s just all out, for the entire game, and it comes with conditioning. Learning the defense, and learning the schemes, and just a ‘want to’ and a will. I know that I have to set the tone and we have to set the tone as a team, that defense comes first. That’s our mentality here, so we’re just trying to grow and get better at that every day.”
Bueckers embraces the accountability displayed throughout the first week in camp and how that will be a foundation block of the team’s new identity. It’s a standard she enforces internally before expecting teammates to do the same. Bueckers highlights the dividends paid already with her teammates in the mutual respect, honest communication and being able to challenge each other.
“I think for me, I’ve always looked in the mirror first and never ask something of somebody else that I don’t do myself. So I hold myself to the highest standard. I’m really my toughest critic. So to be able to know that and know how high I hold my standard to, that’s how we want to be in the Dallas Wings and that’s how we wanna hold each other accountable. If I’m telling somebody to box out and not give up an offensive rebound, I expect my teammates to get on me about giving that up. So to be able to have that mutual respect and those relationships where you can do that, I think is crucial. So to build those relationships, be able to have tough conversations, look in the mirror first before you do anything else and looking at others, I think that’s the key.”
Bueckers admitted she is her own toughest critic, and when reflecting on areas for improvement, the focus is foundational traits that will push her game to another tier.
“Just the little things. I think taking no possessions off, being in better shape so I can do that. I think obviously coming off the college season, going straight into the W, season was tough. But to get my legs back under me, my wind back under me, be prepared for the long haul of the season. I think as a leader of the team and as somebody that has been here before, being a returner, it’s the little things that matter. It’s the boxing out, it’s the talking, it’s getting in passing lanes. Running the floor extremely hard, getting to the corners, being selfless. It’s like those things set the tone for the big things and your teammates trusting you in those big moments. So to set the tone with that and have that be the standard, those are the little things that I look in the mirror about.”
Those “little things” often separate elite players from champions and MVPs, Bueckers is clearly chasing the latter. She has experienced that at the college level, but now the margin for it is smaller and more demanding in the WNBA. Buckers has goals in addition to her focus areas in improving. She wants to take more threes this season, attack the paint more, getting to the free-throw line and creating in transition as the offense will have more pace. Bueckers said her number one goal into every season is to be the best teammate she can be and make everyone around her better and contribute to winning basketball for the Wings, with shared team mindset centered on sacrifice.
Her impact isn’t limited to her own perspective. Alanna Smith offered insight into what stands out when sharing the floor with Bueckers that she didn’t see as an opposing player.
“Paige is an elite scorer from three levels but her ability to distribute as well as seeing the floor I think is underrated and when we start building that trust I’m gonna benefit a lot from it.”
That three-level scoring ability and creating for others makes Bueckers such a difficult player to defend and such a valuable piece in the new system under Fernandez. The Wings coach shared it’s great to see Bueckers’ growth and experience.
“To coach a player like Paige. It was unbelievable to see. I got really fortunate to spend two-and-a-half weeks with USA Basketball and talk. She just does the right things. She leads, she connects, she wants to be coached, she wants to take ownership. Been a pleasure to coach. That’s why she is who she is.”
The work behind it all is visible.
At the Dallas Wings training camp, one consistent thing is seen: Bueckers, alongside fellow No. 1 overall pick Azzi Fudd, is the last player on the court. Long after practice ends, they are still getting shots up, refining rhythm and setting a tone that extend beyond words.
Fudd, who has been teammates with Bueckers before and during college, shared her thoughts on how well Bueckers adjusted to the league and dealt with a losing season.
“I think that’s something special about Paige, is that her mindset is phenomenal. The way she goes about things, she always takes it as a challenge, as an opportunity to grow. So last year, she’s not used to losing, but how can she, you know, take those losses, continue to grow, continue to be a great leader, make everyone around her better? So if I can adopt anythings from her, that’s definitely one thing I want to use for myself.”
Statistically, Bueckers is already producing at an elite level. She averaged 19.2 points on 47.7% shooting, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals as a rookie despite the constant lineup changes due to injuries on the team or traded players. Stability, structured coaching and improved talent around her can only elevate her game.
With a healthy and more complete roster featuring Fudd, Ogunbowale, Smith, and Shepard, the team offers more spacing, versatility and an uptempo offense allowing Bueckers to thrive. She’ll also spend a little time off the ball alongside veteran Odyssey Sims, adding another layer to her game.
The depth doesn’t stop there. Contributors like Awak Kuier, Maddy Siegrist, Aziaha James, Li Yueru and Alysha Clark give Dallas a level of experience that can lead the team on a path more wins.
Ogunbowale, Shepard, Kuier have yet to arrive to training camp with overseas obligations, but Bueckers believes their absence won’t be a challenge
“I know our coaching staff has done a great job of getting film, getting stuff on tape, getting our plays written out so the guys overseas can learn them. So, when they come, they can hit the ground right away and they can get into the system. Just a balance of everything, staying in communication with them, wishing them well overseas, and then when they join, we’ll be ready to go.”
Bueckers had a special rookie season to remember, earning Rookie of the Year, All-Star and All-WNBA honors in her first season while adjusting to the league, a coach who was let go after one season and inconsistent lineups filled with rookies. But year two isn’t about proving she belongs.
It’s about defining how far she can take it.
With a stronger voice and a team built to complement her strengths, Bueckers is stepping into control of a team that expects to win now. With a coach who instills accountability, Bueckers is getting coached hard. With a league where every possession matters and the little things are magnified, Bueckers has the approach and skills needed to turn the Dallas Wings into a winning franchise.