Paige Bueckers lifts lid on Napheesa Collier chat before Wings' lost to Lynx
Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers had a friendly catch-up with fellow former UConn star Napheesa Collier after her WNBA debut against the Minnesota Lynx on Friday
Paige Bueckers has revealed what former UConn star Napheesa Collier told her on her Dallas Wings WNBA debut as they fell to a 99-84 defeat to the Minnesota Lynx.
Bueckers, 23, was drafted first overall by the Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft, a move considered potentially franchise-changing. The guard headed to Dallas as a national champion, having led the Huskies to a 12th title under Geno Auriemma.
Bueckers scored 10 points, two assists, and seven rebounds despite the defeat to the Lynx, and she enjoyed chatting with fellow former Huskies star Collier. "Just a good 'ol UConn friendly chat," Bueckers revealed in her post-match presser after the game.
Collier, who is five years Bueckers' senior, also won a natty with the Huskies in 2016 and has gone on to carve out a legendary career in the WNBA with several individual and team accolades, including two Olympic gold medals with Team USA. The forward revealed her text exchange with Bueckers before their showdown.
"I'm really happy for Paige," Collier said. "I really, really like Paige, her family, the way she plays. Like, she's just a great person and player, so I'm really happy for her. I texted her, 'Good luck tonight. Don't do too much against us. Wait till your next game.' But yeah, I'm excited for her."
"First of all, her work ethic," Collier added. "And then I think just the way she is already a three-way player. Mid-range is probably the hardest to master, and she's really good in the mid-range.
"But especially as a point guard, being able to score at all levels and then her vision. Really impressive for someone who hasn't played professionally yet."
Despite the loss, Bueckers seemed to focus on the positives and is looking forward to continuing her development as a pro. "You've got to have a starting point, so you've got to have a foundation to build on," she said.
"So we don't want to overreact to the loss, but we also know there's a lot of things you have to clean up and get better at. So just starting it off, starting this journey, and then continue to build on it the next day we practice."
Bueckers also earmarked the game as one of the hardest she's played in.
"Not to say that it won't get harder, but just being able to have a starting point, like I said, and then continue to build off that," she said.
"And then there's no more questions about, 'What is it going to be like for your first WNBA game?' Now you can move on past that," she later joked.
Bueckers will be back in action on Monday. The Wings will host the Seattle Storm.