Dallas Wings standout Paige Bueckers has had an eventful WNBA offseason. While the league negotiates a new collective bargaining agreement with the Players Association, Bueckers and many other WNBA athletes have kept the spirit of women’s basketball alive by competing in Miami, Florida’s Unrivaled League.
On January 19th, Bueckers and her team, the Buccaneers, secured $50,000 by winning Unrivaled’s inaugural free throw contest, where she led all participants in free throw accuracy over the season’s first five games. Despite her impressive win, the former UConn Huskies star chose to donate the prize money to the Hopkins Educational Foundation.
Bueckers’ team, Breeze Basketball Club, returned to action on Friday night, where she contributed 23 points and six assists in a narrow 71-68 loss to the Phantom Basketball Club. During the game broadcast, she spoke with TNT’s Unrivaled crew, including former WNBA star Renee Montgomery, who applauded Bueckers’ philanthropic gesture and inquired about her efforts to draw more fouls and get to the free-throw line.
“I’m hoping to get stronger during the offseason so I can invite more contact,” Bueckers explained. “I’ve been focusing on using my shoulder to create space, getting fouled when shooting mid-range shots, and driving closer to the paint and free-throw line.”
Following her big free throw win, Bueckers revealed that teammates have given her a new nickname. “Now everyone calls me the free-throw merchant,” she said with a smile. “You have to take the wins with the losses.”
Montgomery noted that this new nickname is actually high praise, comparing it to “MVP terminology” like that of NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who shares a similar nickname. Bueckers accepted the compliment graciously.
The Buccaneers and Breeze now stand at 4-4 after Friday’s defeat, with their next game scheduled for Sunday against the reigning Unrivaled Champions, Rose Basketball Club.
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This story originally ran on Athlon Sports on January 31, 2026, in the WNBA section.
Fan Take: Paige Bueckers’ continued excellence and generosity highlight the growing impact of WNBA stars both on and off the court. Her presence in leagues like Unrivaled keeps fans engaged during the offseason and helps elevate the profile of women’s basketball worldwide.
