‘It’s Never About Her’: Dwyane Wade Explains Why Paige Bueckers Is One Of His Favorite Players

ARLINGTON, Texas — Paige Bueckers has been on Dwyane Wade’s watch list for a while.

Wade named the Dallas Wings guard among the WNBA players he likes to watch during a live taping of “Post Moves,” the podcast hosted by Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston. The episode went up on YouTube on Saturday, the day of the All-Star Game.

“Paige Bueckers is one of my favorite players,” Wade said. “She has been for a very long time, and it’s outside of just the game. I look at the human, the person, and I just love the way that she personally carries herself.”

Through 25 games this season, Bueckers is averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. She is shooting 51.3% from the field, 39.7% from three-point range, and 85.7% from the line. She has scored at least 20 points in 16 of those 25 appearances.

Wade kept going on the subject.

“How it’s never about her, it’s always about others,” Wade said. “It’s about taking this moment that she has and uplifting so many others. I love Paige.”

Wade played 16 NBA seasons and won three championships with the Miami Heat. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

The Rest Of Dwyane Wade’s List

Wade started with the Las Vegas Aces guard.

“When I look at Jackie Young, that’s the kind of style of player that I love,” Wade said.

Young made her fifth consecutive All-Star team this month. In her eighth season, she is averaging 16.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds, with the assist and rebound figures both career highs. Her 6.6 assists rank third in the WNBA.

Bueckers has felt that style firsthand. During her rookie season, she was asked about her welcome-to-the-WNBA moment and pointed to a preseason collision with Young.

Wade moved to the four-time MVP next.

“A’ja Wilson — I look at her footwork. I look at her base,” Wade said.

Wilson is averaging 26.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. She scored 38 points in Las Vegas’ 100-99 loss at Washington on July 22.

Wade did not rank the three.

“I just root for the game of basketball,” he said.

Where Paige Bueckers Sits Coming Out Of The Break

Bueckers captained Team Coop on Saturday night and finished with 12 points and 7 assists in a 129-122 loss to Team Spoon at United Center. It was her second straight All-Star start. Announced attendance was 19,783, the largest in the history of the game.

Two other Wings were in Chicago. Jessica Shepard earned her first All-Star selection and started for Team Spoon. Rookie Azzi Fudd won the 3-Point Contest on Friday.

Bueckers won Rookie of the Year last season and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team. Over 61 career games, she is averaging 19.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds.

What’s Next

Dallas is 18-9 and fourth in the Western Conference in its first season under Wings coach José Fernández. The Wings are scoring 90.2 points per game, fourth in the league.

Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Dream is Back to School night at College Park Center, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT. The teams have already met twice this season, at College Park Center on May 12 and in Atlanta on May 22. Dallas hosts the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. CT.