Why is Paige Bueckers not playing today? Is she injured? Know what happened before Liberty game

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has been ruled out against the New York Liberty after a scary collision left her sore.

Published on: Jul 21, 2026, 04:31:14 IST

By Khushi Arora

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers will miss Monday's game against the New York Liberty after suffering soreness following a scary collision against the Los Angeles Sparks. Here's what happened.

Paige Bueckers has been ruled out for the Wings' game against the Liberty due to soreness.. (AP)

Is Paige Bueckers playing vs Liberty?

No. Bueckers has been ruled out against the Liberty on Monday, July 20, with soreness. The Dallas Wings PR team said, “Paige Bueckers will not play in tonight's game against the New York Liberty. While Bueckers was cleared from having a concussion following an extensive post-game evaluation, and is not currently in the League's concussion protocol, she will miss tonight's game while dealing with soreness.”

The matchup was originally set for last week before being postponed.

Also Read: Golden Boot, Golden Ball, Golden Glove and Best Young Player winners: Who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup awards?

Why is she not playing

Bueckers left the Wings' 90-82 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday after a collision with Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike. With less than four minutes remaining in the game, Ogwumike tripped after throwing a pass and fell into Bueckers' midsection. Bueckers appeared to hit her head hard on the court but walked off under her own power to the locker room and did not return, as per USA Today.

After the game, coach Jose Fernandez said he didn't have an update on Bueckers' status but that she was joking around in the locker room with teammate Azzi Fudd afterward. Fernandez said, “She's upset at Azzi because she said Azzi tripped (Ogwumike) and took away (Bueckers) charge,” per USA Today.

Also Read: LeBron James free agency: NBA insider reveals disappointing update on ex-Lakers star's decision timeline

Paige Bueckers' stats this season

The 2025 reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year is having a strong sophomore season, averaging career-highs in points (20.9), assists (6.3) and rebounds (4.2) per game through 24 starts, while shooting a career-high 51.8% from the floor. Bueckers also became the fastest player in WNBA history to hit 1,000 points and 250 assists last month.

Today's game is the second game of a back-to-back for the Wings. After facing the Liberty, Dallas will travel to Portland to play the Fire on Wednesday. The team will then head into the 2026 WNBA All-Star break in Chicago, where Bueckers has been voted an All-Star Game starter for Team Cynthia Cooper.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Khushi Arora
Khushi Arora is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she writes for the US Desk, covering everything happening in the United States, while maintaining quality and delivering impactful stories across all beats. She previously worked at Zee News for over a year where she explored multiple beats including News Desk, Education and Lifestyle. With a background in English Literature, Khushi blends sharp research with thoughtful storytelling, shaping stories that go beyond headlines and bring clarity and credibility to every piece she writes. Beyond the newsroom, she enjoys reading, watching cinema and loves having long conversations about books, films and everything in between.Read More

Catch all the latest Sports News, scores, and highlights in one place. Stay updated with real-time coverage of your favorite games and athletes along with Lionel Messi latest updates.