Paige Bueckers injury update: Timeline for concussion recovery revealed

On Friday, the Dallas Wings announced that rookie Paige Bueckers will miss a minimum of two games in concussion protocol. Bueckers was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and has been off to a hot start in her debut campaign.

Bueckers suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Wings’ 97-92 loss to the Chicago Sky on Thursday. Bueckers fell to the floor after colliding with Courtney Vandersloot when she attempted to drive.

She finished the game and played in 36 total minutes, stuffing the stat sheet with 15 points, five rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. She shot an efficient 6-11 (54.5%) from the field in the narrow loss.

The excellent performance was nothing new for Bueckers, who is averaging 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game through her first six WNBA outings. Although the Wings are just 1-5 this season, Dallas head coach Chris Koclanes is encouraged by what he’s seeing from his team.

“I thought you saw good rhythm, good chemistry,” Koclanes said after the Wings’ loss on Thursday. “Especially that starting guard group, I thought you saw them really just kind of vibing out there and feeling it out with each other. I thought the ball moved, lots of assists again tonight. Encouraged by our play today on that side of the ball.”

Koclanes isn’t the only one who hasn’t lost faith in the team. Wings leading scorer Arike Ogunbowale remained optimistic about the team’s future after the loss.

“It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s still early,” Ogunbowale said. “Both of our potential playing together is great, but we need everybody playing well, the whole starting five, the whole bench. Just building chemistry all throughout, 1 through 12.”

There’s no shortage of pressure on Bueckers to succeed. With her individual success early in the season, Bueckers is already being compared to WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark. Earlier this month, Paige Bueckers revealed how she’s handling the lofty comparisons.

“Yeah, I think, running my own race, not running a race in comparison,” Bueckers told ClutchPoints. “Because in all honesty, I don’t think me and Caitlin play at all alike. But I understand growing up in the same class, the same generation, both guards.

“I don’t know, but I don’t think we play alike. But also, too, it’s just not worrying about that and like I said, running my own race and staying present every single day. Those comparisons are just media driven, narrative driven. And they’re good for the game in terms of getting people to talk about it and it being a talking point.”