Since arriving in Dallas as the Wings’ No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, Paige Bueckers has been vocal about her admiration for Kyrie Irving. After showering the Dallas Mavericks star with lofty compliments during her rookie introductory press conference a few weeks ago, Bueckers has now taken it a step further with a request.

During a press conference, the Wings guard revealed her desire to see Irving in the stands at one of her games during the upcoming 2025 campaign.

“I would like to see Kyrie at a game for sure,” Paige Bueckers said.

Kyrie Irving has been one of the biggest advocates for women’s basketball, having extended his support to the WNBA previously. His contributions extend well beyond being courtside while attending games.

Irving donated $1.5 million, through KAI Empowerment, to help cover salaries of those players who chose not to participate in the WNBA Bubble due to various reasons.

“Whether a person decided to fight for social justice, play basketball, focus on physical or mental health, or simply connect with their families, this initiative can hopefully support their priorities and decisions,” Irving’s statements read.

There will be many chances for Paige Bueckers and Kyrie Irving to connect because both will be representing Dallas for the foreseeable future. Given that Irving has forged close ties with WNBA players like Sue Bird in the past, he could create a similar bond with Bueckers.

Paige Bueckers empathizes with Kyrie Irving

During the Mavericks’ March 3 matchup against the Sacramento Kings, Kyrie Irving had a knee injury. MRI confirmed a torn left knee ACL, sidelining the superstar indefinitely.

Paige Bueckers, who had a similar injury during her collegiate career, expressed sympathy for Irving but also disclosed that he has been her favorite player.

“He’s been my favorite player for forever now. Super excited to be in the same city as him. Hope I can learn a lot from him. I know he is going through an ACL journey himself, so to be able to lean on and support each other through that, I think it’s something that can be motivating,” Bueckers said.

Bueckers tore her left ACL during a pickup game at UConn’s training facility early in the 2022-23 college basketball season, sidelining her for the entirety of the campaign.

However, she bounced back strongly, putting up a career-best 21.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the next season. Although her numbers dipped slightly in the 2024–225 season – 19.9 points and 4.6 assists per game – she capped off the year with a national championship.