The Dallas Wings suffered a painful defeat, 102-72, by the Phoenix Mercury on July 7 but that was not the worst part. Even though the game had a big importance for the Wings’ aspirations, the real worry and concern after the game was not the score.
All the eyes and words were about rookie Paige Bueckers, who got hit hard in the head during the first part of the game. Thankfully, her coach Chris Koclanes arrived with good news later at the press conference, saying Paige was “feeling okay” after the scary impact.
The clash happened when Bueckers was going to the basket and met Mercury’s big player, Kalani Brown. Her elbow seemed to hit Bueckers near her head. No foul was called, but videos and fan clips online clearly showed what happened.
Bueckers looked upset, touching her head and ear as she played on. She stayed in for a bit but was taken out after playing only 24 minutes and making 11 points, much less than her usual.
This was a big deal since Bueckers had just come back from resting four games because of another head hit earlier in the season during a game against the Chicago Sky.
Coach Koclanes: “She’s Feeling Okay”
After the game, Coach Koclanes said:
“Yup. We talked to her here, she’s feeling okay,” he noted.
Though the team has not shared more health news, the coach’s words seemed to mean that Bueckers did not get another concussion, a relief for her and the team.
Bad luck for the Wings and the WNBA
The Wings are really short on players currently. Main players like Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, and Maddy Siegrist are out due of injuries, leaving the squad with just eight available players for the next macthes.
Bueckers has been a key player in a tough season all year round, scoring over 21 points a game in her last seven games before playing Phoenix.
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