Paige Bueckers remains optimistic after the Dallas Wings' rough start to the 2026 WNBA season, with a record of 1-2 following two close losses. She emphasized the importance of learning from close games and maintaining confidence within the team.
Paige Bueckers sends strong message after Wings’ rough start to 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The early part of the 2026 WNBA season has already tested Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, but the second-year star is not letting a pair of close losses shake the team’s confidence. Dallas dropped its second straight game Thursday night, falling 90-86 to the Minnesota Lynx after another fourth-quarter battle. The Wings are now 1-2 on the season, but Bueckers made it clear afterward that panic is not entering the conversation inside the locker room.
“We’ve had actually, like, three pretty close ones to start,” Bueckers said after the loss. “We won the first one, and it’s like, that’s what this league is all about. Close games, learning how to finish.”
That perspective says a lot about where Dallas is mentally right now. The Wings are still trying to build chemistry with a reshaped roster, and despite the record, they have been competitive in every game they have played.
Paige Bueckers emphasized the importance of not panicking and learning from close games despite the Dallas Wings' 1-2 record.
The Dallas Wings have a record of 1-2, with two close losses, including a recent 90-86 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx.
The Dallas Wings are working to build chemistry with a reshaped roster while remaining competitive in every game despite their record.
Bueckers stated that close games are a crucial part of the league, highlighting the need to learn how to finish them successfully.
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Even in defeat, Bueckers looked every bit like one of the league’s rising stars. The former UConn standout finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, and three assists while shooting 7-for-13 from the field and knocking down three of her four attempts from beyond the arc. Through three games, Bueckers is averaging 20.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per contest.
For Dallas, the bigger concern is learning how to close games consistently against experienced contenders. Minnesota showed why it remains one of the WNBA’s toughest teams late in games. Five Lynx players scored in double figures, while Natasha Howard led the way with 26 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.
Still, Bueckers believes the Wings are building toward something rather than falling apart early.
“Obviously, we’re a new team,” she said. “It’s going to take time and reps, and it’s only our third game of the season. We don’t want to panic, but we also want to hold ourselves accountable to the standard that we want to set.”
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That message may matter as much as the stat line. The Wings entered the season with significant expectations surrounding Bueckers and fellow young talent like Azzi Fudd, but the opening stretch has shown just how difficult consistency can be in the WNBA. Dallas has been competitive enough to win each game, yet small mistakes late have made the difference.
Even so, Bueckers already sounds like the type of player capable of steadying a team through adversity. Rather than overreacting to a 1-2 start, she is focused on growth, accountability, and learning how to finish games when the margins tighten.
For a young roster still figuring itself out, that mindset could end up mattering just as much as the points she puts on the board.