It’s no surprise that the WNBA is turning heads these days. With an electrifying blend of seasoned stalwarts and fresh dynamism, the league is basking in a well-deserved spotlight. Household names like A’ja Wilson and Nneka Ogwumike are masterfully orchestrating the old guard, while the emergence of young prodigies such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and the inimitable Paige Bueckers ensures the league’s allure only grows stronger each day.
Having joined the professional ranks as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers has made an indelible mark on the Dallas Wings—and she’s only just begun. In what can only be described as an extraordinary rookie season, this vivacious guard is averaging a staggering 19.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Her rapid ascent to earn her first WNBA All-Star selection has been nothing less than meteoric, placing her right at the forefront of the Rookie of the Year conversation.
But what’s a rising star without a monumental performance to etch into the annals of history? In Los Angeles against the formidable Sparks, Bueckers lit up the court with a scorching 44-point game. This isn’t just any run-of-the-mill scoring spree—it was a spectacle replete with jaw-dropping 17-of-21 shooting accuracy. The threes? Perfect, all four of them. Free throws? As cool as can be, with a flawless 6-for-6 show. By the time she retreated into halftime respite, Bueckers had already contributed 16 points to her team’s tally. Her personal feat tied the rookie scoring record set in 1997 by the legendary Cynthia Cooper and also crowned her performance with the highest single-game point total for the current season.
Bueckers is not just riding this wave; she is relentlessly forging it. Her streak of 29 consecutive games scoring in double figures has her closing in on Wilson’s rookie record of 33. Even as Dallas fell in a rematch to the Sparks, Bueckers didn’t falter, notching a solid 29 points to her name, showcasing a measure of consistency that intrigues fans and bewildered opponents alike. Earlier this year, in a June encounter with Phoenix, she dazzled with a 35-point display, finding the net with remarkable precision—13-of-19 from the field and a vibrant five threes.
The buzz around Bueckers extends beyond the court and into the passionate world of hobby collecting. The trading card marketplace, ever-attuned to sporting sensations, listens closely. WNBA cards have experienced a steady uptick in activity on the secondary market. With A’ja Wilson steadfast on Beckett’s Hot List and other notables like Sabrina Ionescu and Sophie Cunningham climbing the collectible ranks, it is Paige Bueckers’ cards that are netting unprecedented interest and value.
On a balmy August afternoon, her 2023-24 Bowman’s Best University Buckets Die Cuts Autograph, a piece of parchment that reads like gold, fetched an impressive $629.99. That was merely the curtain-raiser. An intriguing 2023 Bowman Chrome University Aqua Refractor, graded PSA 9, commanded $99.99, proving accessibility still enjoys a slice of the Bueckers buzz. But the highlight of the collection occurred the previous day, August 20, when a 2023-24 Bowman’s Best University Greatness Awaits Autographs Gold Geometric Refractor soared to an eye-popping $1,350.
The combination of her stellar play and burgeoning card phenomena has set Bueckers firmly in the league’s crosshairs, as well as those of car collecting enthusiasts. Her trajectory from promising college athlete to WNBA superstar and card market darling operates at a velocity that even the physics-savvy would envy. As she continues to mesmerize audiences with her craft on the court, she concurrently incites a fervor off it, stimulating not just the fans of the game but creating new devotees in the world of collectibles.
Paige Bueckers is a name resonating far and wide, emblematic of a fresh era for the WNBA. Her incredible ride has only just begun, and there seems to be no end in sight for the excitement she brings to the league and its enriched community of enthusiasts.
