Paige Bueckers cemented herself because the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Yr on Wednesday night time with a historic 44-point efficiency, however her Dallas Wings had been shocked on the buzzer by Kelsey Plum, who lifted the Los Angeles Sparks to an 81-80 victory that stored their playoff hopes alive.
Bueckers’ 44 factors tied Cynthia Cooper-Dyke for the highest-scoring sport by a rookie in league historical past. Nevertheless, it should be famous that Cooper-Dyke’s effort got here within the league’s inaugural 1997 season when she was 34 years outdated and had already performed professionally abroad. The earlier report by a real rookie was 40 factors by Candace Parker in 2008.
Along with tying Cooper-Dyke’s rookie scoring report, Bueckers completed the next feats on Wednesday:
- Highest-scoring sport by a participant this season
- First participant in WNBA historical past to attain 40-plus factors whereas capturing no less than 80%
- Most factors in a regulation loss in WNBA historical past
- Tied Deanna Nolan for the third-highest scoring sport in Wings franchise historical past
Bueckers, who shot an unbelievable 17 of 21 from the sector, put the Wings forward on a technical free throw with simply over a minute to play. That seemed prefer it was going to be the successful level till Plum saved the Sparks on the ultimate possession. She weaved across the protection till she discovered a gap within the lane and banked house a runner that despatched Crypto.com Enviornment into hysterics.
Plum shot simply 9 of 23 from the sector, however stepped up when it mattered to get the Sparks an enormous win.
With this victory, Los Angeles improved to 17-18 and pulled inside a half-game of the eighth-place Seattle Storm, who presently occupy the ultimate playoff spot. The Sparks bought off to a 6-14 begin this season, however have since gone 11-4 to surge into the playoff race thanks largely to Plum. The four-time All-Star is third within the league in scoring at 20.4 factors per sport and fourth in assists with 6.1.
The 9-27 Wings, alternatively, had been formally eradicated from playoff rivalry with Wednesday’s defeat, although they’ve lengthy identified their destiny.
Bueckers, the No. 1 total decide within the 2025 Draft, has been one of many few vivid spots in one other disappointing season for Dallas. After a superb collegiate profession at UConn, which she capped with a nationwide championship this spring, Bueckers has spent the summer time proving why she was thought to be the most effective prospects to enter the league in latest reminiscence.
Together with her record-setting efficiency towards the Sparks, Bueckers is averaging 19.7 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 steals per sport on 47.4/33.7/88.6 capturing splits. She leads all rookies in scoring and assists, and is sixth and ninth, respectively, within the league in these two classes.
