‘I Learned A Lot About Myself’: Paige Bueckers Details Year 2 Goals In Her Game And Leadership

ARLINGTON, Texas — Paige Bueckers entered Year 2 of her WNBA career with a specific set of on-court priorities and a clearer sense of how she wants to lead the Dallas Wings to a much-improved season from the 10-34 record the team posted in her rookie campaign.

The second-year guard spoke with the media after Day 1 of training camp Sunday in Arlington, laying out what she plans to add to her game under first-year head coach Jose Fernandez and where she wants her leadership to grow.

Paige Bueckers Details On-Court Goals

Bueckers, who averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 36 games as a rookie in 2025 en route to winning Rookie of the Year and earning her first WNBA All-Star selection, said she wants to expand her shot profile and become more aggressive attacking the rim in Year 2. She shot 47.7% from the field, 33.1% from three on 3.3 attempts per game, and 88.8% from the free-throw line.

“I want to get up more threes, get to the paint more, live at the rim more, and get to the free-throw line more,” Bueckers told Dallas Hoops Journal. “Just getting out in transition and making plays.”

Fernandez’s expectations align with the shot profile Bueckers laid out for herself.

“Continue to be great in leadership. I like the way she creates for others. We know about her mid-range, but she’s going to have to stretch the floor more, take more transition threes and half-court threes,” Fernandez told Dallas Hoops Journal. “That’s something we’ve talked about.”

On Day 1 of camp, it was apparent that Bueckers added noticeable muscle in the offseason, setting her up physically for the increased rim pressure and transition workload she described. It was a priority she mentioned before the end of the 2025 season, and the goal was certainly accomplished.

She also tied her individual goals directly to team success.

“My number one goal is to be the best teammate I can be, make everyone around me better, and contribute to winning basketball for the Dallas Wings,” Bueckers told Dallas Hoops Journal. “We all have that mentality of sacrificing and doing whatever the team needs.”

Bueckers pointed to her three-on-three work with Unrivaled as a direct contributor to the spacing and attacking concepts she wants to sharpen in Year 2.

“Three-on-three basketball also teaches you how to move in isolation, in space, offensively and defensively. I learned a lot about myself,” Bueckers told Dallas Hoops Journal.

A Leadership Shift in Year 2

While Bueckers did not lack confidence as a rookie, she arrives at training camp this year with an even greater sense of ownership as a leader. She detailed how her approach to the locker room has shifted significantly since her first season.

“As a rookie, I wanted to gain respect, gel with the team, and not step on toes. Now it’s about taking ownership of who I want to be and what we want this team to be,” Bueckers said. “Coach Jose has emphasized how we want to perform, how we show up, taking every possession and practice seriously, and growing together. Being able to set that tone and be confident in it, I’ve grown a lot in that.”

Bueckers credited her USA Basketball experience with helping her develop her voice in a room full of veterans, something she plans to carry into her expanded leadership role in Dallas.

“With USA Basketball, it was the same, being in a room with so many greats, Hall of Famers, people I grew up watching, and still being confident and using my voice while they respected it, that meant a lot,” Bueckers said.

Jose Fernandez’s Coaching Style Adds Confidence

The culture that Fernandez is setting is built on accountability for every player on the roster, regardless of how talented they are. For Bueckers, Fernandez emphasized telling the truth while being intentional about putting her in the right positions to be successful.

“Great players want to be told the truth,” Fernandez said. “My job is to put her in the best situations possible, for her to be successful in the open floor, in the half court with the ball, and playing off the ball.”

Bueckers shared how that honesty has reinforced the accountability she’s trying to embody. As a result, there is added confidence among the group.

“It gives you confidence. Everyone knows their role and what it’s going to take. If someone steps outside the culture, he holds us accountable,” Bueckers said. “It helps you hold yourself accountable, too. That clarity builds confidence across the team.”

In terms of leadership, Bueckers emphasized communication at central to how she supports a roster featuring new faces and returning teammates as they adjust to a new system.

“Being over-communicative. Even for returning players, everything is new, offense, terminology, defensive concepts. Communication is how you fix mistakes,” Bueckers said. “You’re not going to be perfect. Everyone is going to make mistakes. It’s about how you respond and how you communicate through it.”

Bueckers will get her first chance to apply these goals against external competition in the Wings’ preseason opener against the Indiana Fever on April 30 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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