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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wings Things: Paige Bueckers is on a tear and she wants her whistle
Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings handles the ball during the game against the Connecticut Sun on June 20, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. | Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images Fresh off her first Texas Rangers baseball game, when she threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Rangers fell 6-3 against the Royals on Wednesday, star Dallas Wings (3-11) rookie Paige Bueckers scored 21 points on Friday to lead the Wings to their second straight win, 86-83, at the Connecticut Sun (2-11). Bueckers has scored 35, 20 and now 21 in her last three games, just the eighth, ninth and 10th games in her WNBA career. She came into Friday's game at Mohegan Sun Arena sitting in sixth place in WNBA All-Star voting, but after performances like these last three, she can only move up in the coming days. If her current stat lines hold up across her rookie campaign, she will become the only player in league history to average 15 points, five assists and two steals or more per game in their rookie season. Advertisement Bueckers shot 7-of-16 from the field and dished seven assists in the win. She was also whistled for a technical foul after campaigning for a whistle after canning a baseline jumper off Li Yueru's offensive board with 3:14 left in the second quarter. She clapped her hands in the direction of the official on her way back down the floor on defense and chuckled to herself after picking up the first technical foul of her pro career. Bueckers effectively fought through a blitzing Sun defense when she brought the ball up the floor, she's always on the move without the ball and she's no slouch on the defensive end, either. Her second steal of the game came on a Sun inbound pass and led to a leak out and layup by fellow rookie Azaiah James, who the Wings took with the 12th overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, on the other end. She's patient with the ball and is absolutely lethal in the mid-range. And even at this early stage of her pro career, Bueckers wants her whistle as opposing defenses hound her with the ball. She came into the game against the Sun leading the league in scoring this month, at better than 23 points per game in June. NaLyssa Smith picked up two early fouls but was the closest thing to instant offense the Wings could muster in the first quarter. Wings head coach Chris Koclanes stayed with her despite those two fouls to some impressive early returns on the offensive end. Smith hit four of her five looks from the mid-range to pace Dallas with eight points in the opening frame. Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings shoots the ball during the game against the Connecticut Sun on June 20, 2025 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Bueckers rose up through the double-team of Bria Hartley and Lindsay Allen late in the shot clock on Dallas' final possession of the first quarter for a running jumper and a 3-point play to put the Wings up 21-15 after one. Then she ran a little Allen Iverson cut and pulled up three feet behind the 3-point line on the Wings' first possession of the second for her first long ball of the game to put Dallas up 24-15. Advertisement Turnovers have been the thorn in the Wings' side all year, though, and four consecutive giveaways early in the third fed a little 10-0 Sun run to take a 25-24 lead after Bueckers found her rhythm. Dallas turned the ball over 10 times in the first 14 minutes of the game, but held onto the ball a little better for the final six minutes of the first half. James earned the second start of her WNBA career in the win over the Sun, starting the last two wins in place of DiJonai Carrington, who until Tuesday was a fixture in the first five for the Wings. The WNBA's Most Improved Player from 2024 has made a habit of turning the ball over in recent games and came into the matchup in Connecticut leading the Wings with 2.8 giveaways per game. James, for her part, is finding her way as an up-and-coming playmaker for the Wings. She scored 10 of her 17 points (a new career high mark) in the third quarter and dished five assists in Friday's win. James finished a fast break off Smith's steal midway through the third with a behind-the-back find for a Smith, who was trailing the play, to give Dallas a 58-50 lead. James and Bueckers combined to hit 13-of-15 from the free throw line in the win over the Sun. 'We're a bunch of dogs on this team,' James said in her televised postgame interview. 'And I'm just ready when my number is called.' Advertisement Dallas scored a season high 109 points in the team's first trip to Connecticut this season, beating the Sun by 22 on May 27. Bueckers had a team-high 21 points in that win as well. Arike Ogunbowale was a non-factor for Dallas in the win, scoring just five points on 2-of-8 shooting in the win, until she hit a big shot late in the fourth. Bueckers passed out of a double-team at the top of the key to find Ogunbowale open for three along the left wing to put Dallas up 79-73 with less than three minutes to play. Tina Charles, the WNBA's second all-time leading scorer, led Connecticut with 26 points and six rebounds in the loss. Yueru contributed 11 points and nine boards off the bench for Dallas in her Wings' debut. More from
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Makes Alyssa Thomas Announcement on Wednesday
WNBA Makes Alyssa Thomas Announcement on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There was just one game on the docket on Wednesday night, and it featured the Connecticut Sun hosting the Phoenix Mercury at Mohegan Sun Arena. Advertisement It was a hard-fought contest, but the Mercury ultimately secured the road win, 83-75. This was thanks in large part to another strong performance from five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas, who marked her return to her former stomping ground with a massive effort. Thomas, who the Sun traded to the Mercury in the offseason, went off for 14 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists and a steal in 31 minutes of action. The three-time All-WNBA forward had played her entire 11-year career with Connecticut before the team shipped her off in February, and Thomas made sure to remind them what they were missing. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas dribbles the ball against the Connecticut Canha-Imagn Images After the final buzzer, the WNBA took to social media to congratulate Thomas on her attention-grabbing performance. The league also announced her as the Top Performer of the game. Advertisement "Alyssa Thomas made her Connecticut return unforgettable.... 14 PTS, 8 REB, 11 AST in the Mercury's 83-75 victory!" the league posted on Instagram. View the original article to see embedded media. Thomas has been a force for the Mercury in her first season with her new team. In eight games played thus far, the 33-year-old has put up averages of 14.4 points on 52.2% shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 9.3 assists and 1.8 steals per contest. It wasn't just Thomas who balled out against the Sun on Wednesday, though. She also got a lot of help from the likes of Satou Sabally (12 points, 15 rebounds), Kahleah Copper (13 points) and Alexa Held off the bench (14 points), to name a few. Advertisement With the win, Phoenix has improved to 9-4 on the season. They currently occupy the No. 3 spot in the WNBA. Related: Fans in Disbelief After WNBA Team Gets Unfortunate News on Wednesday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
WNBA Star Reflects on First Game Against Former Team
WNBA Star Reflects on First Game Against Former Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas faced her former team, the Connecticut Sun, on Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena. It was her first game against the Sun since she was traded in February. Thomas had one of the best games of the 2025 WNBA season. Advertisement With a team effort, the Mercury handed the Sun their 10th loss of the year with an 83-75 victory. Thomas led the team in scoring with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field. The five-time All-Star also had 11 assists and eight rebounds, displaying an all-around game. Kahleah Copper, who played her second game of the year, finished with 13 points and two assists. Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas dribbles the ball against the Connecticut Canha-Imagn Images Having spent 11 seasons playing in Connecticut, Thomas admitted that it was an emotional game. She spoke to reporters following the win, reflecting on her first game facing the Sun. "Definitely emotional, I think I gave this organization everything I have and the fanbase was always behind me, supporting whether we were winning or losing," Thomas said. "Just super grateful for them and definitely come out here and enjoy their support." Before the game, Thomas caught up with her former teammate, Marina Mabrey. The veteran guard played with Thomas last season after the Chicago Sky traded her. Advertisement "Welcome back @athomas_25" the Sun posted on X. The fans didn't forget Thomas' contributions to the franchise. During the game, the crowd gave her a standing ovation, and a video tribute was presented on the Jumbotron. The veteran player was emotional and tried to hold back her tears as she was honored. Thomas averaged 12.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists during her tenure in Connecticut. Related: 2x WNBA Champion Speaks on Playing Alongside Satou Sabally This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alyssa Thomas Hits Career Milestone in First Game Against Former Team
Alyssa Thomas Hits Career Milestone in First Game Against Former Team originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Connecticut Sun star Alyssa Thomas made her return to Mohegan Sun Arena Wednesday, as her new team, the Phoenix Mercury, cruised to an 83-75 win. Advertisement Thomas hit a major career milestone during the game, picking up her 4,000th career point, becoming the 51st player in WNBA history to reach that mark. Thomas was drafted out of Maryland by the New York Liberty in 2014 and immediately shipped to Connecticut, where she spent the next 11 seasons with the Sun. Thomas is the Sun's career leader in points, rebounds, assists and steals. After her time in Connecticut, Thomas was sent to Phoenix earlier this year, in a massive four-team trade that sent WNBA All-Star Satou Sabally to the Mercury as well. In return for Thomas, the Sun received Jacy Sheldon, Rebecca Allen, Natasha Cloud and the 8th overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, which the Sun used on Saniya Rivers. Thomas played well in her return to Connecticut, posting a double-double with 14 points and 11 assists and flirted with triple triple-double, adding eight rebounds as well. The game marks Thomas' fourth outing in a row with double-digit assists, averaging 12.3 assists per game over that stretch. Advertisement Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper and Lexi Held added double-digit points, and Sabally added 15 rebounds to drive the Mercury to victory. Before the game, the Sun honored Thomas and her time in Connecticut with a tribute video. Fans applauded, and the moment was not lost on Thomas, who was seen giving an emotional reaction to the video. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Alyssa Thomas and Lexi Held score 14 apiece to lead Mercury past Sun 83-75
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds against her former team, Satou Sabally added 12 points and a season-high 15 rebounds as the Phoenix Mercury beat the Connecticut Sun 83-75 Wednesday night. Phoenix (9-4) has won three in a row for the first time this season. Lexi Held added 14 points, Kahleah Copper 13 and Kitija Laksa 11 for the Mercury. Connecticut (2-10) is off to its worst start in franchise history. The Sun have lost four straight games and five of six. Rookie Aneesa Morrow scored a season-high 16 points for the Sun. Jacy Sheldon hit three 3s and finished with 13 points. Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 10 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and a season-best three blocks. The Mercury snapped a four-game skid against Connecticut and a six-game losing streak at Mohegan Sun Arena. Phoenix scored the game's first 10 points as Connecticut started 0 for 5 from the field and committed four turnovers before finishing 4-of-19 shooting in the first quarter. Sheldon had 11 points, including three 3s, as Connecticut used a 16-4 run to trim its deficit to 39-35. Sheldon capped the run with the reverse layup. Thomas had two layups and an assist as the Sun scored nine of the last 11 first-half points to take a 48-36 lead into the break. Thomas, who helped the Sun reach the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022 and was traded to Phoenix in the offseason, returned from a five-game absence due to a calf injury. Up next The Mercury play the third of a four-game trip Thursday against New York. The Sun host Dallas on Sunday. ___ AP WNBA:
