Dallas Wings Teases Major Locker Room Update 6 Hours Before Historic Paige Bueckers vs Angel Reese Face-Off

There seems to be a plague going around Cathy Engelbert’s league, and it looks like nobody’s safe! The name of the plague? Injury. We’ve been seeing stars get injured left, right, and center. Caitlin Clark tweaked her quadriceps, Hailey Van-Lith rolled her ankle, and Tyasha Harris? Well, Paige Bueckers’ newest teammate succumbed to the plague as much as anyone else, injuring her ankle as per recent reports. Her injury was especially unfortunate for the Dallas Wings because they had big plans for her!

This season’s been rough for the WNBA, with injuries hitting teams hard and sparking all sorts of chatter about player health. Beyond Caitlin Clark, Hailey Van Lith, and Tyasha Harris, other big names like A’ja Wilson have been sidelined too, raising questions about the toll of a packed schedule. For the Wings, it’s been a real test of their depth, but their medical team’s been working overtime, and Harris’s recent shootaround appearance has fans hopeful she might suit up soon.

Harris, coming off a career year in Connecticut averaging 10 points, 3 assists, and a steal per game, was supposed to add a great amount of depth to the Dallas rotation. She is a premier 3&D guard, who shoots the ball at a very high clip, making her absolutely perfect to complement the Wings’ newest star Paige Bueckers. Unfortunately, her ankle injury has labelled her as questionable for a very important matchup for Dallas.

In just a few hours, Paige Bueckers will be going up against the Chicago Sky. More importantly, she will be going up against Angel Reese, creating a show-down that we can’t wait to see! Luckily for Dallas, according to the most recent updates, their depth might not be in complete danger! Dallas-based reporter Grant Afseth confirmed that Tyasha Harris was seen participating in the pre-game shootaround at Wintrust Arena.

If all remains well, Harris will be on the floor for a matchup to remember! To see Paige Bueckers go up against Reese is a dream come true for college basketball fans. The two never got to play each other in the NCAA Tournament thanks to Bueckers’ knee injury, and to see them compete professionally is quite a sight that we’re excited to witness.

Aside from the injury, there are a lot of things going in Paige Bueckers’ favor heading into the game against Chicago. The Dallas Wings star dropped 21 points and 7 assists on 80% shooting against the Connecticut Sun, announcing to the world that she’s not here to mess around! With her performances on the steady uptick, we start to realise just why exactly some WNBA legends praise the young guard so much. Particularly, fellow UConn alum Diana Taurasi is a big fan of Bueckers! Let’s find out what she said about the budding superstar.

“Excited to watch her play,”: WNBA legend Diana Taurasi showers praise on Paige Bueckers playmaking

After playing 20 seasons in the WNBA, an MVP, and three championships, there’s no doubt that Diana Taurasi knows ball. When she speaks, we listen, and she has a lot to say about a fellow UConn alum, Paige Bueckers. She has not been shy in her praise of the young guard, but she has taken it a step further after Bueckers has made her way to the pros, and is looking to compete at the highest level!

One of her most recent and boldest predictions was that the six-foot-tall guard will someday become “the best player in the league, for sure.” Taurasi said this in an interview with The Athletic, and as always had many good reasons behind such a prediction. She pointed out Bueckers’ playmaking and leadership abilities as one of the major reasons behind her success, and we can definitely see it!

via Imago

In her first five games, Bueckers is averaging around 14 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals a game, showing exactly why she was drafted first overall. Her impact on the Dallas Wings has been immediate, even though they have been quite unlucky with their results recently. But according to Taurasi, there’s no reason to hit the panic stations just yet! “I’ve been around her long enough to know that once they get the right group around her, things will change because of her skill set and her ability to distribute and score.” The WNBA legend said. “Paige just has tremendous talent, and once it’s unlocked, I’m going to be really excited to watch her play.”

It will be interesting to see how Paige Bueckers develops in the WNBA. She has just gone through a major shift in level and pace, and is still exhibiting the greatness we know and love! There’s no doubt about her work ethic and competitive spirit, and we feel as though a breakout might be on the horizon for the young Dallas Wings guard.