WNBA: Paige Bueckers, 2025 rookies take heart stage on Sunday

A WNBA-record three rookies can be taking part within the 2025 WNBA All-Star Recreation on Saturday, July 19.

All three of them—the Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers and the Washington Mystics’ Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen—are in motion on Sunday. Quite a few different first-round alternatives are additionally taking the court docket, in search of a robust end to the primary half of their debut seasons.

The headliner, in fact, is Bueckers, the 2025 Rookie of the 12 months favourite who will face off in opposition to the 2024 and 2023 Rookies of the 12 months winners in Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston when the Wings go to the Indiana Fever (ABC, 1 p.m. ET).

Recently, Bueckers and fellow rookies Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly have been tasked with attempting to hold the Wings to wins, as accidents sidelined Arike Ogunbowale (thumb) and DiJonai Carrington (rib), along with the still-absent Maddy Siegrist (knee). After an inspiring upset of the Phoenix Mercury, Dallas has dropped two-straight video games, with the overburdened rookies experiencing comprehensible struggles.

Ogunbowale is possible to return on Sunday afternoon, giving the Wings some additional scoring firepower in opposition to a Fever facet that’s coming off an explosive offensive efficiency in opposition to the Atlanta Dream. To flee Indy with a win, the Wings nonetheless will want loads from their rookies, starting with conserving the ball in Bueckers’ fingers and permitting her to dictate the Dallas offense, figuring out whether or not she will be able to most positively impression the motion as a playmaker or scorer. For James, it’s positively about her scoring punch, whereas Quinerly can present high-pressure point-of-attack protection that may induce turnovers from Indiana.

Right here’s a fast have a look at three different rooks who may affect Sunday’s WNBA motion:

Te-Hina Paopao (Atlanta Dream)

Photograph by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Pictures/ISI Pictures by way of Getty Photos

More than likely, 2016 Rookie of the 12 months Breanna Stewart and 2022 Rookie of the 12 months Rhyne Howard will assume starring roles when the New York Liberty welcome the Dream (3 p.m. ET, League Go).

However to beat the Liberty for the second time this season, the Dream may use a 3-point capturing present from Te-Hina Paopao. After tallying three 16-point performances in a four-game span in mid-June, fueled by electrical behind-the-arc efforts, Paopao’s minutes have dwindled, and she or he hasn’t made a 3 since that remaining 16-point sport. Nonetheless, one in every of her scorching capturing video games got here in Brooklyn, when she went 4-for-5 from deep. Presumably, a return to Barclays can reignite the rookie from South Carolina.

Leïla Lacan (Connecticut Solar)

Photograph by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos

The Connecticut Solar’s late-arriving rookie, Leïla Lacan, has immediately grow to be a fixture within the rotation, an encouraging indication of the group’s deal with prioritizing the long run, even when 2010 Rookie of the 12 months Tina Charles continues to be able to unleashing an epic double-double.

When Charles dropped 29 factors and 11 rebounds within the Solar’s skid-snapping win over the Seattle Storm, the workforce was really game-high 19 factors throughout Lacan’s minutes. So far, her stats could not pop, however she seems snug on the WNBA court docket, whether or not she is taking an open jumper, tossing a nifty go, driving to the ring or grabbing the board and beginning the break. In opposition to a poor Los Angeles Sparks protection that’s liable to giving up fastbreak factors, Lacan may present the impression wanted to assist Connecticut keep away from one other dropping streak (6 p.m. ET, League Go).

Dominique Malonga (Seattle Storm)

Photograph by Alika Jenner/Getty Photos

After the Storm chosen Dominque Malonga at No. 2 general within the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Mystics snagged their All-Stars in Citron and Iriafen at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

But, even when the regular and sharpshooting Citron or the extra offensively polished Iriafen would possible be serving to the Storm extra this season, Seattle should not have any regrets about selecting Malonga. The bursts of star-power play must be greater than sufficient to fulfill any anxious Storm followers. Whereas she continues to be determining the way to harness her abilities on the WNBA court docket, the moments when all of it comes collectively are momentum-swinging, indicative of an upside that may exceed that of each different participant within the 2025 draft.

For now, the Storm will take just a few of these moments on Sunday. In any other case, they’ll possible depend on 2012 Rookie of the 12 months Nneka Ogwumike to steer the workforce to a second-straight residence win over the guests from DC (6 p.m. ET, League Go).

Recreation data

Dallas Wings (6-15) vs. Indiana Fever (10-10)

When: Sunday, July 13 at 1 p.m. ET

The place: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN

Easy methods to watch: ABC/ESPN+

Atlanta Dream (12-8) vs. New York Liberty (13-6)

When: Sunday, July 13 at 3 p.m. ET

The place: Barclays Middle in Brooklyn, NY

Easy methods to watch: WNBA League Go

Connecticut Solar (3-17) vs. Los Angeles Sparks (6-14)

When: Sunday, July 13 at 6 p.m. ET

The place: crypto.com Enviornment in Los Angeles, CA

Easy methods to watch: WNBA League Go

Washington Mystics (10-10) vs. Seattle Storm (13-8)

When: Sunday, July 13 at 6 p.m. ET

The place: Local weather Pledge Enviornment in Seattle, WA

Easy methods to watch: WNBA League Go