Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers.
Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News
When Paige Bueckers strolled into the Dallas Wings‘ training camp after an offseason full of excursions, it was clear she’d also made time for the weight room ahead of her sophomore year in the WNBA.
The guard, historically slight, gained 15 pounds of muscle on a regimen that included three-hour lifting sessions five to six days a week and a new diet.
She no longer looked like the fresh-faced rookie from the year prior, but someone built to take on the physicality of a league that she’s already become a face of.
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“Unfortunately, a lot of times throughout college I was always rehabbing something in the summer,” Bueckers told The Dallas Morning News. “This was my first long offseason where I really got to hone in.”
Added time in the gym has seemingly paid off for Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick and WNBA Rookie of the Year. She’s averaging 19.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the new-look Wings, who finished 10–34 overall in 2025 and are currently 11–8 near the midpoint of the 2026 season.
Related: Paige Bueckers playing better than ever this year, moving up WNBA record books
The 24-year-old ranks top 10 in the league in points and assists, and recently achieved 1,000 career points. Bueckers became the fourth-fastest player in history to reach 1,000 points and the fastest to reach 1,000 points and 250 assists, but these feats can’t all be attributed to work in the gym.
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Though physically more built, Bueckers has also strengthened her mind.
“I believe in the power of positive thinking. I’m probably delusionally positive,” Bueckers said. “Situations could be 99 percent negative and I’ll try to find that 1 percent.”
That mindset has made Bueckers a beloved teammate. It’s also helped her navigate the weight of responsibility and the pressure of being in the public eye. She’s one of the most prominent figures in women’s basketball, with a large sponsorship portfolio and an army of fans to show for it, but it took Bueckers time to grow into the leader she is today.
Related: Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers opens up about challenges of being in the public eye
And she’s still learning how to fight against the perfectionism that comes with that role. Time in the gym made her even more elite on the court, but life in the spotlight has taught Bueckers being a leader doesn’t negate her own humanity.
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“Role models don’t have to be perfect. You can make mistakes. You can come up short in life,” Bueckers said. “I believe in God’s grace. I believe in forgiving. I believe in responding to mistakes and letting them help you become a better human being.”
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (left) huddles with teammates including guard Azzi Fudd (35) and forward Jessica Shepard (32) before during a WNBA basketball game against the Las Vegas Aces at College Park Center on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
Humble teammate, leader
A big sister to three siblings, Bueckers has long been a connector.
“I was always loud, goofy, building relationships, having a good time,” she said.
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That warmth is part of what’s made Bueckers a household name in the sport, though she often deflects the spotlight away from herself and on to her teammates.
While she can take over a game, she has more of a pass-first mindset. When Bueckers has a great performance, she’ll credit a teammate for creating space. You won’t see her placing blame on anyone.
Related: Wings’ Paige Bueckers, Jessica Shepard crack top 10 in WNBA All-Star fan vote
“I ride for my teammates. Good, bad, ugly, win, loss, whatever,” Bueckers said. “Everybody’s important. No person’s bigger than the other.”
During her time at UConn, where she became one of the top NIL earners in women’s college sports, she often included her teammates in NIL deals and used her influence to create pathways for minority content creators and advertisers.
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Bueckers also left additional money on the table.
“At the beginning of that NIL thing, I remember saying to her … ‘Alright, listen, we’re going to sit down and talk about how much money we’re going to give you,’” longtime UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said during a recent media availability. “And she’s like, ‘I don’t want it.’”
When Auriemma pushed her on it, Bueckers’ answer remained the same.
“She said, ‘No, give it to some of these other guys because they need it,’” Auriemma said. “She was making so much money off the court with all the deals that she had.”
And she spread the wealth. Auriemma noted how whenever Bueckers signed a new deal, she’d give out goodies, like Crocs or Bose headphones, to UConn players and staff.
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Related: Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers ushering in star-studded era for Dallas Wings and WNBA
“Above and beyond the assists on the court, how she is as a human being off the court allows her to then inspire them to follow [her]. She didn’t want to do that as a young player, freshman year, sophomore year. Even junior year sometimes. She just expected it to happen,” Auriemma said. “But I think since then, she’s taken on that [mindset of] I’m responsible for not just myself, but for the rest of the team.”
Bueckers credits the 12-time champion coach, along with high school coaches and veteran players, for much of her growth in that area.
“Holding people accountable and calling people out is really just calling people up,” Bueckers said. “It’s really a respect thing. If you think your teammate is capable of better and you think we can be better as a team — that’s what leadership is.”
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (center) dances with guard Aziaha James as the team take the court for the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
A heavy crown
In a tight 93-92 win over the Chicago Sky earlier this month, Bueckers struggled to find her shot early. But she fought through the slump, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
“I don’t have to say much to her,” Wings coach Jose Fernandez said postgame on Bueckers’ slow start. “She’s one of the best players on the planet, in the world. She knows the standard that she holds herself to.”
The pursuit of excellence has made Bueckers an aspirational figure, but it’s also placed her on a pedestal she didn’t exactly ask to be on.
Bueckers admits she didn’t initially realize being a basketball star would carry so much responsibility — or that it would mean surrendering privacy to the public.
“It’s kind of insane to think about how every single move is analyzed,” Bueckers said. “Everything is under a microscope.”
It’s made perfectionism tough to combat.
Related: Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers embracing point guard role in second WNBA season
Bueckers often leans on her faith to cope with the pressure she feels to not make mistakes as a team leader and role model to kids. She’s learned to separate her identity from her performance and focus her energy on helping others.
“Where you fall short, that’s where God steps in,” Bueckers said. “Jesus Christ lived his life for others and that’s how I want to approach life. …. Giving without expecting anything in return.”
Bueckers has built her career exactly on this foundation, humbling herself in an era where athletes are more visible than ever before. And it only adds to her mystique.
The Wings have ascended alongside Bueckers so far this season, having already surpassed their win total from last year. But she’d probably be the last person to take credit for the new era.