Wings star Bueckers out against Liberty but not in concussion protocol

July 20, 2026 - 23:41

Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers was held out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the New York Liberty, but the team confirmed she is not currently in the league's concussion protocol. The absence came as a surprise to many fans, as Bueckers had not appeared on the injury report leading up to the contest.

The Wings cited "general soreness" as the reason for Bueckers' unavailability, though head coach Latricia Trammell declined to provide further specifics after the game. "It's a precautionary thing," Trammell said. "We're just being smart with her body, especially with the schedule we have coming up."

Sunday's matchup itself was a rescheduled affair. The original meeting between Dallas and New York was postponed from Thursday night after the Liberty's charter flight experienced mechanical issues, forcing the team to delay its travel. The league quickly moved the game to Sunday afternoon to accommodate both teams' schedules.

Without Bueckers, the Wings struggled to generate consistent offense, falling to the Liberty by a double-digit margin. Bueckers watched from the bench in street clothes, occasionally offering encouragement to her teammates during timeouts. She is expected to be reevaluated ahead of Dallas' next game, with the team hopeful she can return to action without missing extended time.