Former UConn standout and No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers, has been placed in concussion protocol and will miss at least the next two games for the Dallas Wings, the team confirmed Friday.
The injury occurred during Dallas’s 97–92 loss to the Chicago Sky on Thursday night. Bueckers collided heads with Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot late in the second quarter while driving to the basket. Though she remained in the game and even sank both ensuing free throws, she reported a headache to the team after the contest. Despite playing through the incident, finishing with 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in 36 minutes, she was later evaluated and diagnosed under the league’s concussion protocol.
Wings head coach Chris Koclanes said Bueckers didn’t mention any symptoms during the game but approached the team postgame to report how she was feeling. “She didn’t say much initially, but afterward she mentioned the headache and recalled a couple of hits,” Koclanes explained. “Once that came up, she was immediately sent to the doctor to be cautious.”
The 22-year-old guard has been off to a strong start in her rookie campaign, averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, along with two steals and a block per game. Her top performance came just days earlier in a 109–87 win over the Connecticut Sun, where she scored 21 points on 80% shooting and added seven assists, five boards, and two steals in front of a home-state crowd.
Bueckers missed Saturday’s home rematch against Chicago and will also be sidelined for Tuesday’s road game against the Seattle Storm. She’ll be reevaluated prior to Friday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks in Dallas. Koclanes emphasized the need for adaptability in the league, saying, “It’s a next-woman-up mentality. With so many games, you have to be ready every day.”
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