Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade hasn’t been shy in expressing his admiration for the game of superstar guard Paige Bueckers. The 6-foot guard recently completed her rookie season with a bang, claiming the Rookie of the Year award to add to the All-Star citation she received earlier this season.
A nifty three-level scorer who averaged 19.2 points on 47.7 percent shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists, Paige has not only demonstrated tremendous skill in her first season as a pro but has also shown verve uncommon in first-year players. This was not lost on Wade, who shared his enthusiasm for Bueckers’ game on a recent episode of “The Timeout.”
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Put Plum in the blender
Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum is no small fry. A decorated player who has won championships with the Las Vegas Aces and earned All-Star, All-WNBA and Sixth Woman honors in the WNBA, she is a force to be reckoned with on the floor despite standing only 5’8″. However, the way Paige made her look on defense was something Dwyane found mighty impressive.
“I remember the clip that went viral where she was talking to Kelsey Plum about, ‘I will put you right there on that block and I’m going to hit you and I’m going to go over top of you on the shoulder,’ right?’ She was letting her know,” Wade stated.
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“And then they played each other and she did exactly what she told us she was going to do. She put her little bitty stuff on that block and she hit her with the boom boom fade. You too little,” he continued. “So it was really cool because at the time it was like, who is this little cocky rookie coming in telling Kelsey that, ‘I’ll put your little bitty ass on that block?'”
Paige had Kelsey in her sights all season long, as she averaged a remarkable 30.3 points, 5.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds in three games against the Sparks this season. Although her performances resulted in losses, Bueckers has nonetheless proven herself capable of hanging with the league’s most prominent players.
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A bright future
This isn’t the first time Wade has praised Bueckers. Back in late August, he had already expressed that he believes the Dallas Wings ace is on a trajectory of sheer greatness. Dwyane stressed that if Paige continues to play this well, she may soon be mentioned in the same breath as WNBA legends like Candace Parker, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi.
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“To me, I was looking at Paige like, ‘Oooh, I think she’s going to be one of those GOATs,'” Wade said.
The Flash clarified that he actually does not know the young WNBA star, nor have they met in person. However, that hasn’t stopped Wade from giving Bueckers’ praises and expressing enthusiasm for what the future holds for the Wings’ cornerstone.
“I don’t know Paige Bueckers, everybody. I’m just a real big fan. But like she just looked cool to me, bro. Like, I want to be her friend. She just looked that kind of cool,” Wade remarked. “It’s just the beginning of her pro career and all the awards that she’s going to be up for.”
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“You know, just the way she played the game. It’s seamless. It’s effortless. You know what I mean? And I just can’t waitto continue to watch the journey,” he emphasized.
It’s not often that a player of Wade’s pedigree and caliber openly expresses admiration for an up-and-coming athlete, especially one he has never personally met. But it’s a testament to Bueckers’ undeniable talent and potential that she has caught the attention of one of the greatest players in NBA history.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
