Paige Bueckers’ Head Injury Sidelines Dallas Wings Star Ahead of All-Star Break

During the Dallas Wings’ July 19 matchup with the Los Angeles Sparks, guard Paige Bueckers collided with Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike. Bueckers hit the floor hard, striking the back of her head, and left the game in the fourth quarter. An extensive post-game medical evaluation cleared her of a concussion, and the league’s concussion protocol was not activated. Nevertheless, the Wings announced she would miss the following game against the New York Liberty because of lingering soreness.

ComplexWNBA Injury Update: Dallas Wings Announce Unfortunate Paige Bueckers Decision Paige Bueckers Sits Out OT Dallas Wings Loss After Head Injury Scare Heavy

Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, is in her second season and has become the team’s offensive engine, averaging 20.9 points, 6.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and shooting 51.8 % from the field. The Wings entered the season with a 17-9 record, the fourth-best league standing at the time of the injury. This marks the second game she has missed this season; she previously sat out the June 13 contest against the Portland Fire due to an ankle injury.

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• Season averages: 20.9 pts, 6.2 ast, 4.2 reb, 0.7 stl per game (24 appearances).

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• Shooting efficiency: 51.8 % field-goal percentage.

WNBA Injury Update: Dallas Wings Announce Unfortunate Paige Bueckers Decision

• Team record: 17-9 (fourth in the league).

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• Result of the game she missed: 99-98 overtime loss to New York, ending a six-game winning streak.

Paige Bueckers Sits Out OT Dallas Wings Loss After Head Injury Scare

The team added that she would sit out the next game “while dealing with soreness.” Head coach Jose Fernandez praised Bueckers’ leadership, noting that she “cares about the team’s success” and that she remained engaged with teammates even when not on the court.

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• “Paige cares about the team’s success,” — Jose Fernandez, first-year head coach

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The Wings have one more regular-season game before the All-Star break, facing the Portland Fire. The team has not announced a timeline for Bueckers’ return, leaving her availability for that contest uncertain. Her health will also determine whether she can participate in the upcoming WNBA All-Star Game, where she was selected to start.

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