One moment can change someone’s life in a massive way, and Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers recently reflected on one year ago.
Back in college with the Connecticut Huskies, Bueckers suffered a torn ACL in 2022 and missed the entire season. She redshirted and gained a year of eligibility.
Bueckers would go on to play two more seasons in college before entering the WNBA Draft. She became the number one overall pick of the Wings, and the rest is history, but that injury had a profound effect on her play.
Paige Bueckers Discussed ACL Injury That Changed Things for Her
Photo by Elsa/Getty ImagesFormer UConn guard and current Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers talked about the ACL injury she suffered in college.
While making a recent appearance on WNBA legend Sue Bird’s podcast, “Bird’s Eye View,” Bird asked Bueckers about whether she thinks she’s the same player since the injury. Bueckers was honest and knew things were different.
“I don’t,” Bueckers said. “And it’s funny cause people get mad because I don’t attack the rim as often. And part of that is like kind of trauma of like playing in crowded areas, having to land on one leg, but it helped me really learn how to get to my spots efficiently and like work smarter and not harder.”
After that, Bueckers became an elite scorer and solidified herself as one of the nation’s best college players. Her final two seasons at UConn put her in the spotlight entering the WNBA.
Over the last two years playing professionally, Bueckers has been a two-time All-Star. This season with the Wings, she is averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game in 25 appearances.
Paige Bueckers Has Become a Refined Superstar Since Injury at UConn
GettyARLINGTON, TEXAS – JUNE 27: Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings reacts to an officials call during the second half of a game against the Indiana Fever at American Airlines Center on June 27, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
There’s no denying the kind of talent that Bueckers has been for all she does on the court. She can do it all, from scoring to passing to playing strong defense on the perimeter.
Dallas went from being one of the worst teams in the league over the last two years to now being one of the best. The Wings currently sit in fourth place in the WNBA standings with an 18-9 record.
Entering the second half of the season, the Wings will continue to lean on Bueckers to be the main focal point of the offense. With her ability to do it all, they rely on her to take this franchise to the next level. That step will have ot be Dallas making the playoffs for the first time in her career and then winning it all for the first time since moving to the Metroplex area.
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