Wings guard Paige Bueckers tagged the Sparks for 44 points Wednesday night, tying the league's rookie scoring mark as her team fell just short in an 81–80 loss to Los Angeles. Sparks guard Kelsey Plum's buzzer-beating floater was the difference.

LOS ANGELES — Former Hopkins High School standout Paige Bueckers scored 44 points Wednesday night to tie the WNBA record for most points in a single game by a rookie.

Top pick Paige Bueckers went off against the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night, breaking the WNBA rookie single-game scoring record.

Rookie Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has been a high point for Dallas this season. Despite the team struggling, she has averaged 18.8 points, 5.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds this season in 28 games.

Paige Bueckers could not be any more thankful for the support she's been getting even when the Wings are losing games despite her brilliance.

Paige Bueckers put together not just one of the best shooting performances by a WNBA rookie, but one of the best performances ever by any player. The top pick in this year's draft scored 44 points in the Dallas Wings' 81-80 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night,

WNBA fans hoping to see Angel Reese or Paige Bueckers in the playoffs will have to wait for at least one more season.