Dallas Wings HC Breaks Silence on Paige Bueckers’ Absence Before Team Took Court Against Chicago Sky

It’s a Dallas vs Chicago rematch. Both teams sitting with one W each, both desperate for win No. 2. And if you remember the last time they met just two days ago, it was chaos. The Sky pulled off the upset, and we finally got the long-awaited Angel Reese vs Paige Bueckers face-off. You know, it’s crazy how we waited four whole years for these two stars to meet on the court, and now we were supposed to get it again, back-to-back. But unfortunately, that’s not happening anymore.

Another no. 1 pick is out. The Dallas Wings rookie has been placed in the WNBA’s concussion protocol and will miss at least two games, including Sunday’s rematch against the Sky and Tuesday’s matchup against the Storm. What makes it even wilder is she actually played all 36 minutes of Thursday’s game. Looked totally fine at the final buzzer. So when the news broke, it left fans both surprised and seriously concerned.

Because, anytime a head injury is involved, it brings a whole different level of fear. This isn’t just a sprain or a sore ankle, this is about the brain. And it’s been a rough stretch for W players lately. The early season has seen a bunch of stars dealing with head and face injuries. Rickea Jackson, Tiffany Hayes, Te-Hina Paopao, and Shakira Austin have all missed time. Even Jewell Loyd has had to suit up in a mask after a facial injury during the Aces’ opener. It’s been one thing after another.

Now, sadly, it’s the UConn former’s turn.

Chris Koclanes on Paige Bueckers concussion

"She didn’t really say anything…yesterday after the game, she said she had a headache…that was the first of it. Once that was said (they placed her in concussion protocol)…"

— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) May 31, 2025

In case you’re new to this, the WNBA first rolled out its concussion policy back in 2012 and updates it every so often “in order to keep it current and consistent with the evolving science of concussion management,” per the collective bargaining agreement.  That said, the league doesn’t mess around when it comes to this stuff and neither do the Wings.

Wings head coach Chris Koclanes gave some insight on May 31 during media availability. “You know, she didn’t really say anything. And then yesterday, after the game, she said she was feeling like she had a headache,” Koclanes said.  “And then [Bueckers] said a couple things about ‘I was hit this time, that time.’ And so that was the first of it. So once that was said, they went right to the doctor and [placed her in concussion protocol].”

So we still don’t know exactly when it happened or how severe it is. Some fans think if it was a collision with Courtney Vandersloot that did it. But either way, the Wings clearly aren’t taking any chances with their No. 1 pick. Because honestly, that makes sense.  Dallas may be off to a slow start, but Bueckers has been electric. She’s averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 assists per game, fifth-best in the league.

But does this also make you wonder – did that collision with Sloot cause it? What really went down in that moment?

Vandersloot clash leaves Paige Bueckers sidelined?

A head-to-head point guard battle with the Chicago Sky’s Courtney Vandersloot on Thursday may have turned literally head-to-head. A potential cranial collision between the two might be what landed Wings rookie Paige Bueckers in the WNBA’s concussion protocol.

The words “may have” are doing a lot of work here because nothing looked too out of place in real time. But the contact did happen. Bueckers had just grabbed an offensive board and was heading downhill with Vandersloot trying to stay in front. And somewhere during that drive, their heads may have collided.

Right after the foul was called on Vandersloot, Bueckers stayed on the floor for a moment with her hands over her face. But then she popped back up and continued to play. So maybe no one realized just how hard that hit really was. Especially because she played a whopping 36 minutes that night, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds, eight assists, three steals, and three blocks. 

But it wasn’t enough. The Sky grabbed a 97-92 win at home, holding off a scrappy second-half push from Dallas. It was a back-and-forth kind of night. Chicago came out blazing, dropping 29 in the opening quarter while the Wings stumbled early. But they rallied.  By halftime, the gap was cut to just six. In the third, Arike Ogunbowale tied things up with a smooth driving hook, and a few minutes later, a Bueckers-to-Ogunbowale connection gave Dallas its first lead. Still, the Sky held strong. 

May 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) and Dallas Wings head coach Chris Koclanes talk against the Minnesota Lynx during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Now, PB might be out but the hunger for revenge is still very much in play. After Thursday’s loss, head coach Chris Koclanes didn’t mince words and made it clear that they will look to take revenge in the next game. “The good thing is we get to see them again very quickly, so now we get to see how we can watch and what adjustments that we can make and see how we can respond,” he said.

And this team still has weapons and their captain Arike Ogunbowale. So, armed with film from the last game and the advantage of playing at home this time around, the Wings will be itching to flip the script. Still, we have admit that without Paige Bueckers, Sunday got tougher and we could see it as by halftime, Wings trailed 43-46. 

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