Paige Bueckers is officially out for the Dallas Wings’ Monday night game against the Liberty, a gut punch after her scary collision with Nneka Ogwumike left everyone holding their breath. The good news, though, is that post-game evaluations cleared her of a concussion, so she isn’t in the League’s protocol. Still, it’s a huge moment, especially with an All-Star Game appearance slated for this weekend.
The Collision That Stunned Everyone
The Dallas Wings grabbed their sixth straight win Sunday, taking down the Sparks 90-82. But the victory felt secondary after the brutal play. Bueckers was absolutely cooking, putting up 25 points, four rebounds, and five assists, before it all went down. With 3:33 left in the fourth and Los Angeles trailing by just four, Bueckers tried to draw a charge on Ogwumike. Wings guard Azzi Fudd tripped and fouled Ogwumike, and that sent the Sparks legend crashing right into Bueckers’ knee. Paige hit her head hard on the court. Both players were down for what felt like forever. They eventually got up, embraced, and Ogwumike even returned to the game. Bueckers, though, was done for the night. Coach Jose Fernandez later joked that Bueckers was “upset at Azzi” for taking away her charge, which is a sliver of good news about her spirits.
A League-Wide Issue Flares Up Again
This isn’t just about one play, though. Bueckers is missing the Liberty game because of soreness, and her status for Wednesday’s game against Portland and Saturday’s All-Star Game is still up in the air. This incident screams louder about the WNBA’s ongoing issue with physicality and officiating. Players and coaches have been vocal all season about refs letting too much contact go. Sure, Caitlin Clark has been at the center of a lot of those talks, but it’s clearly a league-wide problem. This collision, with two stars involved, just puts a spotlight back on whether the league can find that line between tough defense and plain old excessive fouling before more players get hurt.
This week is massive for Bueckers and the Wings. We’re all hoping for quick updates on her status for Portland on Wednesday and especially for the All-Star game this weekend. The league needs to figure out this physicality thing, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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