"ROY": DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith and $725,952 Wings guard hyped by Paige Bueckers' 44-point explosion

Dallas Wings point guard Paige Bueckers put on a show on Wednesday in Los Angeles. The rookie erupted for a career-high 44 points in her team’s 81-80 loss to the LA Sparks. Bueckers’ historic night drew plenty of praise from her fellow players.

Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale, who signed a three-year, $725,952 deal in 2022, wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“ROY”

Bueckers’ former Dallas teammate DiJonai Carrington chimed in:

“40 ball P!!!!??”

NaLyssa Smith, another former Wings teammate, joined the fray:

“nah P5 goin bonkers.”

Paige Bueckers' 44-point explosion was the most by a rookie in WNBA history. It was the first 40-point game this season and is tied for 10th in all-time single-game scoring marks.

The former UConn superstar scored 13 points in the fourth quarter to nearly drag her team to the finish line. Bueckers' final point, a free throw, pushed the Dallas Wings to an 80-79 advantage.

However, Kelsey Plum ruined Bueckers' historic night with a floater at the buzzer to help the Sparks escape with the win.

Paige Bueckers' Wings suffer another heartbreaking loss to LA Sparks

Five nights earlier, the Dallas Wings hosted the LA Sparks. The Sparks led 80-68 entering the final quarter before the home team rallied.

Dallas guard JJ Quinerly drained a 3-pointer to reduce the deficit to a single point (97-96) with 15.1 seconds remaining. After Kelsey Plum missed two free throws and committed a turnover, Bueckers had a chance to seal the win for Dallas. However, the rookie missed a 27-footer.

Bueckers finished with 29 points, five assists and four rebounds, nearly leading her team to an upset win in Ogunbowale's absence.

On Wednesday, Bueckers once again came close to helping her team beat LA. However, Plum's floater sealed the win for the Sparks as LA improved to 3-0 against Dallas this season.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero