Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers has had an impressive calendar year. From winning a national championship to being selected first overall in the WNBA Draft to winning Rookie of the Year and everything in between, she has been on a tear. <\/p>\n
She was center stage on Friday night, as the Unrivaled League left its normal confines in Miami to host games in Philadelphia, and the turnout was amazing. A record-setting 21,490 people were in attendance for the two games, the largest for any women’s professional event, and it was the most attended event in XFinity Mobile Arena’s history, which hosts the 76ers and a ton of concerts. <\/p>\n
Afterwards, WNBA legend Candace Parker, who hasn’t always been the most complimentary of Paige Bueckers, could not have spoken more highly of the rising phenom. <\/p>\n
“I must say, as an old head or a vet, I think that Paige Bueckers \u2014 there’s no better player to be an ambassador of the game. I think that just showing grace for what came before you, the process that it took to get to this point, to now being here and wanting to lay a better foundation for the next generation,” Parker started. <\/p>\n
“I think women’s basketball was under-invested in for a very long time, and now we’re seeing what the results are when people actually invest and give women’s basketball a chance. You’re gonna see people that are in their jerseys with posterboards. You’re gonna see individuals and fans want to be like these players. <\/p>\n
“And so, to be able to inspire an entire generation, I just think Paige is more impressive every time I see her. Just the way she carries herself, her poise, and the way she speaks about the game.” <\/p>\n
“There’s no better player to be an ambassador of the game [than Paige Bueckers].” \u2764\ufe0f@Candace_Parker<\/a> with nothing but appreciation for the way Bueckers continues to shine on and off the court \ud83d\ude4c pic.twitter.com\/hQ9obPvpX1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE: Dallas Wings Star Paige Bueckers Gets Real About WNBA, Unrivaled WBB Impact<\/a><\/p>\n Women’s basketball is in a fantastic spot because of players like Paige Bueckers. She’s marketable, she’s a great player, but she also gives so much credit to the players that came before her. She’s a huge fan of players like Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, and Maya Moore, all UConn legends, but all players she took little pieces of their game from. <\/p>\n This weekend in Philadelphia has been proof of the growth women’s basketball is seeing. Napheesa Collier teased that more destinations could be coming next year, and that makes sense given this showing. <\/p>\n Paige Bueckers and her Unrivaled team, Breeze BC, will be back in action on Sunday at 8:45 p.m. EST in need of a big win against Rose. <\/p>\n READ MORE: Paige Bueckers Leads Furious Rally, But Breeze BC Falls to Phantom in Philadelphia<\/a><\/p>\n Stick with\u00a0WingsGameday\u00a0for more\u00a0FREE coverage of the Dallas Wings<\/a>\u00a0throughout the offseason.<\/p>\n