Is Paige Bueckers playing tonight? Latest on Dallas Wings star rookie's availability against Phoenix Mercury (June 11)

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers is available to play against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. Bueckers has missed Dallas’ last four games, first due to the concussion protocol and then an illness. On Tuesday, she returned to full team practice and is now ready to make her return.

Paige Bueckers last participated in the Wings-Sky game on May 29. She recorded 15 points, eight assists, five rebounds, three steals and three blocks, but Chicago pulled away late to win 97-92.

Dallas’ only win this season was following a magnificent outing by the UConn alum. They beat the Connecticut Sun on May 27, thanks to Bueckers' 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. She had a stellar shooting night, going 8-for-10.

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Paige Bueckers’ transition to the WNBA has been going well, averaging 14.7 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals in six games, shooting 43.7% (33.3% from 3-point range). But despite her solid performances, the Wings have struggled and are last in the league, with one win in 10 games.

Despite Paige Bueckers’ return, the Dallas Wings could be stretched thin due to an international tournament

Paige Bueckers is expected to be back against the Phoenix Mercury, but the Dallas Wings could soon find themselves short-handed, as the 2025 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket tournament is around the corner.

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Teaira McCowan has already left the Wings to join the Turkish women’s national team. Luisa Geiselsoder is also expected to take her leave after the Wings take on the Las Vegas Aces on June 13. The tournament is expected to run from June 18 to 29, so Dallas could find themselves short-handed throughout June.

To exacerbate matters, Tyasha Harris has been ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on her left knee. This is the worst-case scenario for the new Wings coach Chris Koclanes, who's off to a terrible start.

The rest of Dallas' season may well be defined by what adjustments Koclanes makes over the coming week. The Wings take on the Las Vegas Aces, Golden State Valkyries, Connecticut Sun, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever in June.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Bhargav