WNBA star Paige Bueckers led the Dallas Wings to a 90-82 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, recording 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting, along with four rebounds and five assists. However, she was not able to finish the game due to an injury.
With 3:33 left in the fourth quarter, Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike accidentally tripped on Azzi Fudd's right foot while dribbling the ball. Ogwumike then crashed into Bueckers, and the two fell to the floor.
With Bueckers unable to brace for impact, she fell on her back, with her head hitting the court hard. The Wings guard winced in pain as she held her head.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
Bueckers was able to stand and walk under her own power, even sharing a hug with Ogwumike and smiling after the incident. Nonetheless, she headed to the locker room and did not return, sparking concerns about her status.
A slow-motion video of the moment only further highlighted how dangerous the collision was.
No Update for Paige Bueckers' Injury
In his postgame press conference, Wings head coach Jose Fernandez didn't have an update on Bueckers. It appears Dallas was still getting her checked at the time, although more information about her status should be available soon.
Nonetheless, Fernandez did indicate that Bueckers was in good spirits despite the situation. He revealed that the two-time All-Star even joked with Fudd, hilariously blaming her for the incident.
"She's upset at Azzi because she said Azzi tripped her [Nneka] and took away P's charge," Fernandez stated, according to Melissa Triebwasser of The IX Sports.
