Paige Bueckers has rough WNBA preseason debut as LV Aces defeat Dallas Wings.

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers injured herself as she rammed into the middle of the Las Vegas Aces defense during the first quarter of her WNBA preseason debut. Launching from the left side, Bueckers connected on a left-handed floater from 5 feet, and then fell hard to the baseline.

It was a welcome-to-the-league moment that might leave a bruise.

Bueckers, the No. 1 overall selection in the WNBA draft after leading UConn to a national title a month ago, scored 10 points in 23 minutes on Notre Dame's home floor as the rebuilding Wings lost 112-78 to the perennially title-contending Aces.

Bueckers is hoping to turn around a franchise that went 9-31 in 2024. The playmaking guard averaged 24.8 points in the women's NCAA Tournament for UConn, finally delivering the title that she'd been chasing since her sensational freshman season.

Now she's trying to reset after grinding her way through a 40-game college season that ended a month ago.