Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers was named the Associated Press Rookie of the Year on Friday after a record-setting first season in the WNBA.
Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick out of UConn, averaged 19.2 points and 5.4 assists over 36 games. She also had the league’s highest single-game scoring performance this year with 44 points — becoming the first player in WNBA history to score 40 or more while shooting at least 80% from the field.
The Wings said Bueckers finished with 692 points and 194 assists, the third-most by a rookie in league history. Her 30 straight double-digit scoring games to open her career rank as the third-longest streak by a rookie, behind only A’ja Wilson and Candace Parker. She also tied for fifth all-time with 17 20-point games in her debut season.
Bueckers was a unanimous pick for the AP All-Rookie Team and earned a spot on the AP All-WNBA Second Team. The Wings said she was the only WNBA player this season to rank in the top 10 in scoring, assists and steals, and her 20.3 efficiency rating was the highest among guards.
The AP also named Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson its Player of the Year for the second straight season and Golden State’s Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year. Bueckers was joined on the All-Rookie Team by Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen of Washington, Leila Lacan of Connecticut, Janelle Salaun of Golden State and Dominique Malonga of Seattle.