Regardless of Paige Bueckers scoring a historic 44 factors in Wednesday night time’s Dallas Wings recreation, the staff nonetheless misplaced on a buzzer-beater towards the LA Sparks. Consequently, each the Wings and the Chicago Sky had been mathematically eradicated from the WNBA Playoffs. Bueckers scored 44 of the Wings’ 80 whole factors, shot 17-21 from the sector, and have become solely the third rookie to ever rating 40+ factors, and the primary participant in WNBA historical past to attain 40+ on 80% taking pictures.
Nonetheless, in a recreation that got here right down to the wire, a late-game make by Kelsey Plum secured the Sparks a one-point victory, 81-80, over Dallas. The Wings and Sky are the second and third groups to be mathematically eradicated from the playoffs, after the 7-27 Connecticut Solar had been eradicated final week. This was anticipated to occur quickly for each Dallas and Chicago, as each groups had rocky begins to the season, racking up losses from the leap. Neither staff discovered a circulation of their offense this season, and a number of long-term and season-ending accidents prompted them to be depleted. But, the Wings nonetheless appear to be in a barely higher place than the Sky when trying in direction of the longer term.
The apparent first purpose is having Bueckers locked in. She has been crushing rookie information this season, profitable Rookie of the Month for June and July, and this 44-point recreation in all probability locked her in for August as effectively. Her basketball IQ is off the charts, she is already doubtlessly the most effective mid-range shooter within the league, and her ability is phenomenal for her stage of expertise and age. The Wings simply must concentrate on constructing round her, which will likely be easy when you concentrate on them getting a excessive first-round choose within the 2026 draft, the opposite draft property they’ve picked up in trades this season, and the free company attraction of coming to play with Bueckers. They’ll be okay.
The Sky, then again, have been dealt a tough hand. Not solely will they not make the playoffs this season, however they don’t even personal their first-round choose for 2026. That comes after they traded away their No. 3 draft choose in 2025, a choose that ended up changing into Sonia Citron for the Mystics. Citron is well the favourite for Rookie of the Yr runner-up, and she or he might doubtless get some votes for the award herself. Buying and selling that away for Ariel Atkins, who is a superb participant, however nonetheless older and never in keeping with the younger duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese the Sky are constructing round. Citron, because the third piece to the Cardoso/Reese trio, might have been an ideal future Huge-3.
Now, the choose Chicago receives for not making the playoffs this season will go to the Minnesota Lynx. That’s proper, the No. 1 staff within the league, the Championship favorites, can even obtain a top-5 choose within the WNBA Draft in 2026. There’s an opportunity it’s the No. 1 choose as effectively.
So in context, the Wings’ state of affairs is slightly simpler to digest when in comparison with Chicago’s. Wouldn’t it have been good to see Bueckers get the W alongside along with her 44 factors towards the Sparks? Very a lot so. Is it going to be okay in the long term? Positive. The Wings have an essential offseason forward of them, and the way forward for this staff will likely be made clear by their strikes this winter. The place Chicago goes from right here is way tougher to foretell.
