Paige Bueckers Sidelined in Concussion Protocol After Wings’ Loss to Sky

The Dallas Wings are hitting a rough patch early in the WNBA season, and now they’re facing a major setback. Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, has been placed in concussion protocol following a 97-92 loss to Angel Reese’s Chicago Sky on Thursday. The defeat marked the Sky’s first win of the season, but for Dallas, it came at a steep cost.

Bueckers, fresh off a stellar college career at UConn, won’t be suiting up for at least two games—Saturday’s rematch against the Sky and Tuesday’s clash with the Seattle Storm. The team hasn’t shared specifics on what led to her concussion protocol status, leaving fans wondering what happened after her solid performance of 15 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in Thursday’s game.

The Wings are already struggling, dropping five of their first six games. Bueckers has been a bright spot, leading the team with 6.7 assists per game and averaging 14.7 points and 2.0 steals while logging heavy minutes. Her absence could make things even tougher for a squad trying to find its rhythm.

Bueckers’ journey to the WNBA was no surprise. At UConn, she smashed records, averaging 19.8 points per game—the most in school history—and racking up the third-most career points in women’s March Madness. Despite missing the 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL, she capped her college career with a national title in April, UConn’s first in nine years.

Her re-evaluation after Tuesday’s game will be critical for Dallas as they look to turn their season around. For now, the Wings and their fans are left hoping their star rookie can bounce back quickly.