Regardless of Paige Bueckers scoring a historic 44 factors in Wednesday evening’s Dallas Wings recreation, the group 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% capturing.
Nonetheless, in a recreation that got here all the way 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 group discovered a stream of their offense this season, and a number of long-term and season-ending accidents brought on them to be depleted. But, the Wings nonetheless appear to be in a barely higher place than the Sky when wanting in direction of the long run.
The apparent first purpose is having Bueckers locked in. She has been crushing rookie data 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 nicely. Her basketball IQ is off the charts, she is already probably the very best mid-range shooter within the league, and her ability is phenomenal for her degree of expertise and age. The Wings simply must concentrate on constructing round her, which might be easy when you consider them getting a excessive first-round decide 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, however, 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 decide for 2026. That comes after they traded away their No. 3 draft decide in 2025, a decide that ended up turning into Sonia Citron for the Mystics. Citron is definitely the favourite for Rookie of the 12 months runner-up, and she or he might probably 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 step 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 important future Large-3.
Now, the decide Chicago receives for not making the playoffs this season will go to the Minnesota Lynx. That’s proper, the No. 1 group within the league, the Championship favorites, can even obtain a top-5 decide within the WNBA Draft in 2026. There’s an opportunity it’s the No. 1 decide as nicely.
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 vital offseason forward of them, and the way forward for this group might be made clear by their strikes this winter. The place Chicago goes from right here is far more durable to foretell.
