Paige Bueckers grew up simply outdoors of Minneapolis, the place she shined at basketball and admired the Minnesota Lynx.
Now, Bueckers is about to make her WNBA debut towards the group she grew up watching. The Dallas Wings chosen her with the No. 1 total choose on this 12 months’s draft, and he or she is keen to start out her profession Friday evening when the groups tip off in Arlington, Texas.
“It is tremendous ironic,” Bueckers mentioned. “Life actually comes full circle, and God works in mysterious methods. However simply to be right here in Dallas embracing a brand new group, a brand new metropolis, a brand new group, after which the opening sport being towards the dynasty that I regarded as much as a lot rising up, (it is a) actually full-circle second for positive.”
Dallas is hopeful that Bueckers can present a jolt to a group that went 9-31 final season. She joins a backcourt that includes Arike Ogunbowale, who ranked second within the WNBA final 12 months with 22.2 factors per sport.
In the meantime, Minnesota is trying to construct upon a stellar marketing campaign wherein it went 30-10 throughout the common season and reached the WNBA Finals, the place it misplaced in 5 video games towards the New York Liberty.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned final season’s success wouldn’t promise to hold over into this season. She advised her gamers that they must earn it in the event that they need to have one other shot at a championship.
“That is precisely what we talked in regards to the first day (of coaching camp),” Reeve mentioned. “Every iteration of the Lynx is completely different. Issues change. Life hits individuals. There are quite a lot of the reason why issues aren’t precisely the identical. So it’s important to determine what this group is.”
Few would debate Minnesota’s expertise. Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 20.4 factors and 9.7 rebounds final season and was runner-up for league MVP. She is again to steer a group that options depth and expertise.
“There may be stress (this season),” Collier mentioned. “The stress is from figuring out what we’re able to. However I’ve all the time mentioned I like stress. I feel it helps you carry out to your greatest self.”
Bueckers would possibly really feel stress to dwell as much as her standing because the No. 1 total choose, however she could have help on the Wings. Some new faces embody DiJonai Carrington — whom the Connecticut Solar traded to Dallas after she averaged 12.7 factors and 5.0 rebounds and received WNBA Most Improved Participant — and Myisha Hines-Allen, who averaged 7.8 factors and 4.7 rebounds final season with the Washington Mystics and the Lynx.
–Subject Stage Media
