WNBA Made Paige Bueckers Announcement After Game Against Sun originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Dallas Wings bested the Connecticut Sun 86-83, bagging their second consecutive win. The matchup featured 12 lead changes and 10 ties, a tight battle throughout.

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Dallas’ rookie star Paige Bueckers was the main force behind Friday’s performance with a team-high 21 points and seven assists.

Though held to just 36% shooting in the second half, Bueckers’ first-half work and overall composure closed the deal for Dallas, which improved to 3-11 on the season. After the game, the WNBA announced her as the top performer of the game.

“Paige Bueckers was phenomenal once AGAIN! 21 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL…her 4th 20+ point game and second straight 20-piece! Led the Wings to their first consecutive victories of the season 💫”

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives the ball against Connecticut Sun.© David Butler II-Imagn Images

Bueckers received the first technical foul of her WNBA career late in the second quarter after making a baseline jumper and then clapping toward the official while calling out, “And one!”

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The referee, Charles Watson, flagged her for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I clapped twice and I said, ‘And one!’ And he said I clapped in his face. So, that’s all.” Bueckers acknowledged afterward.

She remains a favorite of the Connecticut crowd because of her collegiate alliance with the UConn Huskies basketball team. Bueckers spent four years there and Friday night’s matchup was her second time returning.

“Fun coming back here every single time,” Bueckers said. “They’ve always shown so much love to me, and it’s been a state that’s done a lot for me.

“And so it’s always amazing to come back and to get another win here, continue to keep building on what we’ve been doing as a team, and keep striving for better.”

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Paige Bueckers gets first tech in WNBA with Geno Auriemma courtside

Dallas Wings star rookie Paige Bueckers earned her first WNBA technical foul on Friday night against the Connecticut Sun with her UConn coach Geno Auriemma sitting courtside

Paige Bueckers was once again the top scorer for the Dallas Wings (Image: Getty Images )

2025 first-overall pick Paige Bueckers is typically one not get into a spat with referees. However, with her old coach Geno Auriemma from UConn in attendance on Friday night in Connecticut, the Dallas Wings guard earned her first technical foul of the year.

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With the score level at 32 late in the second quarter against the Sun, Bueckers calmly sank a midrange jumper on the baseline despite being heavily contested. She quickly turned to the trailing referee to look for a foul that was never going to come.

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Bueckers, on a hot streak of late, then voraciously clapped in his face and swiftly earned the technical foul. She didn’t harp on the incident, instead jogging over to the Wings bench while clapping to herself.

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The infraction wouldn’t prove to make a difference: Dallas prevailed 86-83 to win consecutive games for the first time all season. Bueckers herself is rounding into top form.

In her 37 minutes, the rookie nailed seven of 16 shots for 21 points to go along with seven assists. After failing to top 20 points in any of her first four games of the season, Bueckers has scored 20 or more in four of her last six.

The rest of the rookie class has four 20-point games combined. Bueckers, who seemed behind players like Sonia Citron of the Washington Mystics in the Rookie of the Year voting, has likely vaulted to the top of the ladder.

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paige bueckers first tech pic.twitter.com/eVZuXredTH — gi (@pbueckers5) June 21, 2025

Other coaches from around the league are taking notice. “She’s got incredible poise and maturity,” Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon told ESPN.

“She looks like she’s been playing this game for like, ever,” Hammon said. “She plays the right way is what jumps out to me, every time. … When you play the right way, everybody can still eat. She gets 35 [points] and she’s still passing the ball like crazy. … She’s beyond her years.”

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After the team’s recent win over the Golden State Valkyries, her own coach Chris Koclanes lauded her growth. “Just to continue to lead on and off the floor and to manage the game,” he said of his star.

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“So as her and I continue to grow with our relationship, her just getting more and more confident and comfortable taking command out there on the floor and getting the ball where it needs to go. Getting us into the actions we need to get into, and then, as well, holding each other accountable to all these little things.”

Dallas will hope to build on the team’s recent momentum with a star-studded rookie showdown on the road against the Mystics on Sunday.

Stephanie White to miss more time with Fever for personal reasons after previous absence

Fever coach Stephanie White will miss Thursday’s game vs. Valkyries for personal reasons — assistant Austin Kelly will serve as acting head coach

Stephanie White rejoined the Fever as head coach in 2024 after stints during the 2015 and 2016 seasons (Image: Getty )

The Indiana Fever have announced that head coach Stephanie White will sit out Thursday night’s matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, citing personal reasons after previously missing the June 7 game versus the Chicago Sky due to a similar issue.

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White’s absence is the second occasion this season she has stepped away from coaching duties. Earlier this month, she was not present for the Fever’s dominant 79–52 victory at Chicago, where assistant coach Austin Kelly took the helm. Thursday’s contest will again see Kelly stepping into the acting head coach role, supporting a team that sits at 6–5 overall and riding a strong 4‑1 surge in their last five games, with veteran Sophie Cunningham notably coming to Caitlin Clark’s defense during a recent on-court scrum.

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The context behind White’s initial absence is deeply personal. Stephanie White is in a long-term relationship with ABC/ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters. Salters was noticeably absent from Game 2 of the NBA Finals as she cared for her mother, whose serious health condition required her attention. ESPN’s lead announcer Mike Breen shared on air that “Lisa Salters’ mom has been dealing with some serious health issues for a while now,” lending insight into the situation.

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Because of their close partnership and shared family — the couple and their four children live together — the family emergency led White to previously step away from the Fever’s road trip to Chicago. She and Salters are raising four sons (White’s three children and Salters’ adopted son), making the matter all the more pressing.

White addressed her first absence with the media upon returning for the team’s June 9 game against the Atlanta Dream

“You know, I’m doing all right. It’s helpful that we have such a great group, pouring into me and helping give me strength… You know, our family is working through a hard time right now. And no matter what, I’m gonna be where my feet are, but I’m really thankful for this group.”

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This comes amid a breakout season for the Fever, largely propelled by Clark’s ascent as a basketball phenomenon.

Clark recently returned from a quadriceps injury to deliver a historic 32‑point performance against the New York Liberty and keep the Fever in postseason contention.

The team’s resilience has also been tested by injuries to other key players — Cunningham and Sydney Colson were both sidelined in late May — but managed to secure an emergency hardship signing of guard Aari McDonald to maintain depth.

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In spite of these challenges, White’s leadership — though absent at times— has been central to a pivotal season that has seen the franchise rebound from a 20‑20 record in 2024 and earn the honor of hosting the 2025 WNBA All‑Star Game in Indianapolis.

On the hardwood, Indiana’s momentum remains strong: the Fever notched wins over the Liberty (102‑88) and the Connecticut Sun (88‑71), the latter earning them a berth in the Commissioner’s Cup final.

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The team now travels west to face the Valkyries, who currently hold a 5–6 record and have also surged with three wins in their last four.

Looking ahead, the Fever schedule remains rigorous. Beyond Thursday’s clash in San Francisco, Indiana will face the Las Vegas Aces, Seattle Storm, and Los Angeles Sparks.

The hope is that White’s return will coincide with the team entering a stretch of high-stakes competition, especially as they look ahead to the All-Star Game weekend in July.

WNBA admits to mistake in handling of brutal foul on Caitlin Clark after officiating backlash

The WNBA has made several adjustments to the punishments handed out in Tuesday’s game between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun, during which tensions boiled over several times

Caitlin Clark was hit in the face during a tense moment in Tuesday’s game between the Fever and Sun (Image: Getty Images )

The WNBA has owned up to its officiating mistakes in Tuesday’s heated game between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun.

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As the clock ticked down in the Fever’s dominant 88-71 win on Tuesday, Sophie Cunningham’s aggressive foul on Jacy Sheldon sparked a heated altercation involving players from both squads.

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The game had already seen its share of tension when Caitlin Clark and Sheldon exchanged verbal blows before the latter hit the former on the head — prompting Fever head coach Stephanie White to call out the WNBA’s referees for their handling of the game.

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Post-game, Clark steered clear of commenting on the skirmishes but was eager to praise the impressive crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

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With just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Clark was swatted in the face by Sheldon, who was promptly shoved back by the 23-year-old. In response, Marina Mabrey forcefully bumped the Fever phenom and sent her crashing to the hardwood.

Immediately following the tense moment, officials issued Clark and Mabrey technical fouls, while Sheldon was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul. But one day later, the WNBA informed ESPN that Mabrey’s tech has been upgraded to a Flagrant 2, which comes with a standard fine.

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In an apparent retaliatory move, Cunningham wrapped up Sheldon and dragged her to the floor as the 24-year-old drove hard to the basket during the fourth quarter. She was swiftly tossed from the game and has reportedly also been fined separately.

Speaking to reporters during a postgame press conference, White conveyed her vexation toward WNBA referees for letting the game slip away. “I think it was pretty obvious that stuff was brewing, right?” she said.

Marina Mabrey sent Caitlin Clark crashing to the hardwood in Tuesday’s game (Image: Getty Images )

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“When the officials don’t get control of the ballgame, when they allow that stuff to happen — and it’s been happening all season long, all season long, it’s not just this game, it’s been happening all season long — this is what happens, right? This is what happens.

“You’ve got competitive women who are the best in the world at what they do, right? And when you allow them to play physical, and you allow these things to happen, they’re gonna compete, and they’re gonna have their teammates’ backs.

“It’s exactly what you expect out of fierce competition,” White continued.

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“So I started talking to the officials in the first quarter, and we knew this was gonna happen. You could tell it was gonna happen. So they gotta get control of it, they gotta be better. They gotta be better.”

Sun center Olivia Nelson-Ododa expressed a similar sentiment, adding: “Obviously it was a physical game tonight. I think when things aren’t managed well to begin with, it tends to get out of hand, and that’s what happened. That’s what was shown tonight.

“I think it goes with managing both teams on the court, managing calls and fouls. Making sure that things aren’t just added fuel to the fire throughout the game to where we have situations like this happen.”

Geno Auriemma finds new UConn leader after Paige Bueckers left

Paige Bueckers has left big shoes to fill at UConn, and head coach Geno Auriemma has already highlighted one star ready to step up amid their national championship title defense next season

Paige Bueckers left UConn after winning the national championship under Geno Auriemma’s coaching (Image: Getty )

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma is adjusting to life with superstar Paige Bueckers, and senior Caroline Ducharme is stepping up as a leader in the locker room this offseason.

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The Huskies won a 12th national championship in Auriemma’s 40th season in charge, with Bueckers their star as they defeated the then-defending champion, Dawn Staley’s South Carolina, in the final. It also happened to be Bueckers’ last game at the collegiate level, as she then headed to the WNBA, where she was drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings.

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Auriemma, 71, is now faced with the familiar task of preparing his Huskies to defend their crown in the 2025/26 season, and he has already identified senior Ducharme as a key player on his roster in the absence of leader Bueckers. Star returners Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, as well as Ducharme, will be key to the Huskies’ success in the upcoming campaign.

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Ducharme is also on the road to recovery after suffering from concussion symptoms for the last two years. “Carol looks really, really good,” Auriemma said.

“I mean, it’s not like, all of a sudden, she’s going to go out there and be able to play 30 minutes, you know, she’s not there yet… It’s great having her on the team, too, because her voice is the loudest voice on the team. So, I’m really, really happy for her, and I wish nothing but success for her this year.”

Fudd was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, and Auriemma made sure to recognize the guard’s contributions.

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“I’ve never seen Azzi this aggressive, this engaged in wanting to do a lot, and that’s probably stood out more than anything,” Auriemma said.

Bueckers was drafted first overall by the Wings (Image: Getty )

“I think what happened in the Final Four, I think may have changed her. I hope it has anyway. Between her and Sarah, I mean, the two of them, they’ve had some great battles on the court. It’s been really fun to watch.”

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Energy has been high in the Huskies’ off-season camp. However, they started their preparations with a defeat to UConn’s men’s basketball program.

Auriemma wasn’t shy to admit that his champions were beaten badly. “They beat our a–!” Auriemma said of the competition.

Caroline Ducharme has been described as a leader by Auriemma (Image: Getty )

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“They were better prepared, they were better teammates to each other. They celebrated better when they won their trophy. It was like a national championship celebration.

“And I think our guys were, like, cocky little suckers. They thought, ‘Oh yeah, we’re going to win.’

“And they got their a– beat. So, I want to see if, when we play again whether there’s any change, because they got their ass beat by the guys next door.”