"ROY": Paige Bueckers' 44 points hypes up DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith and $725,952 Wings' teammate

Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers put on a show on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The rookie erupted for a career and WNBA season high 44 points in her team’s 81-80 loss to the LA Sparks. Bueckers’ historic night promptly earned the reactions of some fellow players.

Wings teammate Arike Ogunbowale, who signed a three-year, $725,952 deal in 2022, wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“ROY”

Bueckers’ former Dallas teammate DiJonai Carrington chimed in:

“40 ball P!!!!??”

NaLyssa Smith, another former Wings teammate, joined the fray:

“nah P5 goin bonkers.”

Paige Bueckers' 44-point explosion was the most by a rookie in WNBA history. Bueckers' output was the first 40-point game this season and is tied for 10th in all-time single-game scoring marks.

The former UConn superstar did not put up an empty tally in the loss to the Sparks. She scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to nearly drag her team to the finish line. Bueckers' final point, a free throw, pushed the Dallas Wings to an 80-79 advantage.

However, Kelsey Plum ruined Bueckers' historic night with a floater at the buzzer to allow the Sparks to escape with the win.

Paige Bueckers' Wings suffer another heartbreaking loss to LA Sparks

Five nights before Wednesday's matchup, Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings hosted the LA Sparks. In that earlier game, Kelsey Plum and the Sparks led 80-68 entering the final quarter before the home team rallied late.

Guard JJ Quinerly drained a 3-pointer to inch the Wings to within 97-96 with 15.1 seconds remaining. After Plum missed two free throws and committed a turnover, Bueckers had a chance to play the hero. However, the rookie missed a 27-footer to allow the visitors to walk away with the win.

Bueckers finished with 29 points, five assists and four rebounds. Without Arike Ogunbowale, she nearly led her team to an upset of the Sparks.

On Wednesday, Paige Bueckers lost another chance to help her team beat LA for the first time this season. Bueckers' crucial free throw was overshadowed by Plum's game-winning floater. The Wings fell to 0-3 against the Sparks following another tightly contested showdown.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero