Oh, the shot clock was ticking fast for Dallas. Luckily for Paige Bueckers, she grew up watching a magician, and today, she pulled some of those tricks with her idol just feet away. Fever vs. Wings was already a high-stakes showdown. But for Bueckers, the pressure felt even bigger because her season-long wish had finally come true. “I would like to see Kyrie at a game for sure,” she said before the season began. And on this night, inside a sold-out American Airlines Center, Kyrie Irving cheered with each one of her clutch moments as she welcomed him with a mid-game hug and a handshake.
And Paige deserved every bit of that spotlight. Despite the Wings falling short by 8, she stood tall with 27 statement-making points. It was the second-highest total of the night, trailing only Kelsey Mitchell’s 32. After all, Bueckers has patterned her game after one of the best, Kyrie Irving. Her Twitter 2016-17 timeline is filled with statements like: “People so sleep on Kyrie… what a shame,” “Best point guard in the league point blank period.” And all of it is true. Kyrie’s iconic 50-40-90 season put him alongside the likes of Larry Bird and Steve Nash.
However, one clutch moment that literally had Irving looking like a startled cat for a second echoed a different legend. One who downplayed her game once. “She’s okay. I haven’t seen her play in the women’s NBA,” said Luka Doncic, choosing Caitlin Clark as his favorite instead. Well, maybe he’ll start watching now. Because Paige Bueckers just made a shot straight out of Luka’s own highlight reel. It made Kyrie Irving jump out of his seat as a calm, proud look took over his face. He was even about to wave the Bueckers jersey he was holding, but got distracted as the arena roared to life.
Well, his reaction was understandable. As the commentator went “bang bang” as Bueckers buried a step-back three with 6:19 left in the fourth that trimmed the gap to just two with Indiana at 79, Dallas 77. Bueckers logged in for 36 whole minutes. She finished with a FG of 9-of-18, including 2 of 3 from deep. Moreover, she was flawless at the line and made all 7 of her free throws. Beyond the scoring, she chipped in 6 assists, doing a bit of everything, just like the stars she grew up watching. And it was not just Irving who had to leave his seat – the entire arena erupted into a roar and again, as the commentator said, “Paige Bueckers is alive and in the building she has entered the Chat”. Honestly, though, she has been in the chat for a long time now.
Even though Indiana secured the win, Stephanie White is still in her coach’s suit, trying to think of ways to just stall the Wings star before the next game comes around. Stall is the word because White knows she cannot stop Bueckers. “It’s try and make everything as difficult as possible,” White said about Bueckers, per an X post from Joey Mistretta. “Let her see multiple bodies, different kinds of matchups, Just make her really work for everything that she’s gonna get….I mean, when you’re playing against great players, you’re not gonna stop them, right? You just have to try to make life as difficult as possible, and make them beat you with tough ones”.
So, tonight’s performance made Kyrie Irving’s warm welcome to Paige Bueckers feel completely justified. When Paige Bueckers was drafted, Kyrie Irving had sent her a heartfelt video message that began: “I just wanted to take the time out to congratulate you on being drafted, especially to the Dallas Wings. I’m so excited for your journey ahead… So happy and proud of you…” Watching her bring that promise to life on the court tonight, he had every reason to be proud. And if she keeps this up, Dallas fans can take comfort knowing that even their toughest losses might still come wrapped in clutch performances from their favorite star.
Paige Bueckers’ old wish comes true…
The stars were out in full force at the American Airlines Center, and each moment lived up to the high stakes of the night. The crowd included big names like Cooper Flagg, Micah Parsons, and Cade Cunningham. And, of course, the one person Paige Bueckers had dreamed of meeting courtside her entire life, Kyrie Irving. Irving and his newest teammate, Cooper Flagg, had their first official introduction.
However, it was Bueckers who stole the spotlight with the most anticipated moment of the evening. Earlier, about their first meeting, she had said, “I think it’ll happen organically, but I really hope to meet him at some point.” And finally, it did. Irving walked away with her jersey draped over his shoulder postgame, while his daughter proudly wore Bueckers’ No. 5. She didn’t get a chance to talk to Kyrie before tip-off, but she managed to sneak in a quick fist bump with the Mavericks star during a brief halftime break. Fans could’ve easily missed the split-second exchange. After the game, people spotted them chatting in the tunnel. Kyrie Irving was still holding the jersey that Bueckers later signed. The moment felt like fate.
This match, hence, still delivered a lot even though people had lost interest after Caitlin Clark’s injury announcement. Now, all eyes turn to July 13 longingly, when the two #1 draft picks might go head-to-head for the first time in the pros.
