It was a usual February night for everyone else but not for Dallas. For them, it was heartbreak. Luka Doncic, their guy, their basketball lifeline, was traded to Lakers. And suddenly, the city felt… quiet. Empty. Luka told them to move on but how do you move on from the one who made you believe? Well, just when the lights dimmed, hope came knocking, wearing Huskies blue and carrying a natty. Paige Bueckers. 

The dream pairing of Luka and Paige might be off the table, but Dallas fans are grateful that they’ve got her. The no. 1 pick. The walking bucket. The one who’s already changed women’s basketball once and might just do it again in the W.

With the Mavericks falling out of the NBA spotlight, the Wings can fill that void and draw fans to the arena during Bueckers’ rookie season. But seems like Buekcers is still figuring it all out.  When asked if she was excited about being in Dallas or doing anything new in the city, she didn’t hold back.

“Honestly, move in, so I’m kind of not looking forward to that,” she admitted, before softening the blow. “But definitely getting settled and trying new food.” So, she’s not exactly calling Dallas her second home just yet. But can you blame her? Connecticut was her second home for five years. That’s not just time, it’s memories, it’s growth, it’s sisterhood.

She had Coach Geno Auriemma in her corner, a bond that was more thant just coach-player. She had teammates who were ride-or-die. And she had fans who lived and breathed every second of her game. Leaving all that behind stings. Especially when you’re moving across time zones (yes, Eastern to Central), shifting from cozy college town vibes to the big energy of Dallas.

But, obviously, it’s bound to be her third home and it might just become the one that sticks. And even if she’s hesitant, the city isn’t. Dallas is ready to open its arms, ready to heal, ready to love again. And Paige is not here to fill it with nostalgia, she’s here to create something brand new. When asked what kind of impact she hopes to bring to a city still aching from Luka’s departure, she said, “Just something new to this entire draft class, the entire organization… just playing an exciting level of basketball.”

She added, “Women’s sports, and women’s basketball is on the rise…I think just to continue off the momentum from the college season to the W season now and just building and just representing. wearing that jersey with pride and going as a team.” So, she’s not here to replace a legend but to become one.

And actually if we look at it, this surely isn’t a copy-paste comeback. But it is a familiar rhythm. The same elite playmaking, three-level scoring, basketball IQ and leadership. Now, just like Caitlin Clark in Indiana, Paige has the potential to become the face of her franchise. Wings GM Curt Miller is already all in. At her presser, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“The excitement that the Wings have right now—we can’t wait to build on that momentum and build it with the fanbase in the DFW area. Catch the wave, catch the momentum! It’s coming,” he said.  Sounds like someone who knows he’s holding a generational talent.

We’ll see her in action for the first time on May 16 against her home state team, the Minnesota Lynx. And while she is preparing for an anticipated W debut, one of her former teammates just received a bad news. 

Paige Buekcers’ UConn sister faces a detour

Remember how Paige went viral during the draft for hyping up her girls Kaitlyn Chen and Aubrey Griffin? She made sure they were seen. Chen went to the Golden State Valkyries at No. 30, and Griffin landed with the Lynx at No. 37. This was special because Griffin didn’t expect to hear her name called during WNBA Draft. Why?

If we look back, her college journey was anything but smooth. Six long years at UConn, constantly battling injuries that kept knocking her down. She came back midway through the 2024–25 season after that brutal ACL tear last January, but she never quite looked like her old self. Aubrey is the first-ever player to spend six years under Geno. She got an extra year thanks to the pandemic and another because of a medical redshirt after sitting out her entire junior year with a back injury.

And just when you thought she was back, that ACL struck again, cutting into both last season and this one. But she didn’t go out quietly. Griffin wrapped up her college run helping UConn take down South Carolina. She closed her chapter with 986 points, 680 boards, 135 dimes, 161 steals and 73 blocks. 

Despite doubts, Lynx too a chance. She was supposed to reunite with her old UConn buddy, Dorka Juhász. The two shared the court during the 2022–23 season and were basically staples in the Huskies’ starting five.  But here comes the sad part. Griffin won’t be suiting up this season.

When the Lynx dropped their training camp roster, her name wasn’t on it. Per Hartford Courant, the Lynx will hold on to her rights for a year as an unsigned draftee, meaning she can try again next year. It’s a bummer. Griffin’s coming off a natty win, and her stats after coming from injury were 7.8 points, 5.4 boards.

But this is a Lynx team that just made the Finals. Roster cuts were inevitable, and with only 12 spots to give, they had to make tough calls. Still, it stings. Especially when you know the work Griffin’s put in. She’s not out of the game, not by a long shot. But for now, she’ll have to wait.