Paige Bueckers is doing things in fourth quarters that barely seem possible for a second-year pro. And her own teammate is sitting there watching it happen like the rest of us.
Alysha Clark didn’t mince words when talking about Bueckers’ takeover ability late in games. The veteran Dallas Wings forward told Melissa Triebwasser of The IX Basketball that she had a recent conversation with Bueckers about it, and the whole thing still kind of blows her mind.
“I was having a conversation with her the other day, I won’t go into specifics, but just kind of talking about that. I’m like, ‘sometimes I forget this is only your second year.’ Just the stuff that she’s able to do on the floor,” Clark said. “That’s what greatness is. They have that little something that you can’t really identify, but you know it when you see it. And it’s in their DNA.”
Clark kept going. She explained what it’s like watching Bueckers evolve in real time, specifically when the game is on the line.
“For her, it’s been really fun to watch, just the way that she’s been able to take over fourth quarters, and just evolving in those fourth quarters … she’s figuring this ish out. It’s going to be dangerous as she continues on this path.”
The numbers back up every word. Bueckers leads the entire WNBA in fourth-quarter scoring with 138 points through 23 games this season. That’s about 6.0 points per fourth quarter. She’s not just getting hers in the opening minutes. She’s dialing it up when the pressure is highest.
Bueckers is carrying the Wings up the standings
Dallas is on a five-game win streak right now. They sit in fourth place in the league at 16-8. That’s a serious step forward for a team that’s been trying to find its identity, and Bueckers is a huge reason why.
Overall she’s averaging 20.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Her shooting splits are a ridiculous 51.6 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line. For a guard who’s still technically a rookie in terms of pro experience, that’s borderline absurd.
Clark was named an All-Star starter for the second straight season, and rightfully so. But listening to her talk about Bueckers, it’s clear she sees something special in real time. Not the kind of player who just puts up numbers. The kind who takes over games in the final stretch and makes everyone around her believe it’s inevitable.
That’s the scary part for the rest of the league. Bueckers is only getting started. And if fourth quarters are already her territory, imagine what another year or two of this looks like.
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