After the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 3 loss to the OKC Thunder, Victor Wembanyama clearly mentioned, “My shooting splits aren’t terrible.” That statement was confident, and he didn’t take long to back it up in Game 4. Wemby nailed a 42-foot three-pointer to put the hoops community on notice and, to a certain extent, even exciting the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers.

At a recent press conference, Bueckers was asked about a potential half-court contest between her and Wemby. The Wings guard didn’t back down from the challenge before revealing her reaction to Wembanyama’s shot in Game 4 of the conference finals.

“I guess so,” Bueckers said to Dallas Morning News reporter Myah Taylor. “I mean that shot, we were all screaming on the plane. In the first three games, we played at the exact same time, so game 4, game 5, we all got to watch, and we were all watching on the plane.”

Victor Wembanyama’s shot carried significant weight. Firstly, the Spurs were under pressure to tie this conference finals series, and the shot gave Wembanyama’s team a 12-point lead moving into the second half. The Spurs went on to win 103-82, and Wembanyama led the way with 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.

This shot was the longest the 2023 No. 1 draft pick had scored in his career. Given the enormity of the moment, Bueckers’ and her team’s reaction on the plane was well-founded. In her interview, the Wings guard spared a moment to laud Wembanyama. “I mean, Wemby is an alien. He’s unreal,” she said in her presser.

The Spurs center is averaging a double-double in points and rebounds in his playoff run this season. Furthermore, he’s also shooting over 51% from the field, making him a phenom to limit on the court. Bueckers’s appreciation for Wembanayama seems fitting, but she also made it clear she won’t back down from a half-court contest against the NBA unicorn.

Having scored from the half-court herself, Paige Bueckers has the skill to nail a basket from that distance as well. We’ve seen the Wings guard do it during her UConn days. The Huskies were taking on Marquette in 2024 when Bueckers nailed a half-court buzzer beater in the second quarter.

Paige Bueckers is also shooting 48.3% from beyond the arc this season. She’s thriving well from that distance and would definitely rate herself against the Spurs center in a contest. On the other hand, Wembanyama is a decent three-point shooter but isn’t as consistent as Bueckers.

He is shooting just over 34% from deep in the playoffs. That gives Buckers an outright advantage on paper. But a possible face-off would definitely break the internet. But for now, both players continue their immediate assignments. Wembanyama’s team is currently down 2-3 in the playoffs against the Thunder.

Game 6 is scheduled for May 28 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Bueckers, who is a fanatic about watching basketball, will, of course, like to keep an eye on the game. Because Wembanyama isn’t the only player in this Spurs-Thunder series that Bueckers admires.

Paige Bueckers Opens Up on Shaping Her Game by Watching Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson

Ever since the offseason, Paige Bueckers has expressed her admiration for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In an interview, the Wings guard raved about developing a bit of style like the OKC Thunder player. “I wanna get the bump, the Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) shoulder bump into my midrange pull-up,” Bueckers said in an interview with Josh Felton.

Now, a few months later, Bueckers has echoed the same. “I take a lot from Shai’s game, just being able to get to your spot consistently,” Bueckers said in her latest pre-game press conference.

Furthermore, Bueckers also opened up on taking a thing or two from the NY Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. “His ability to not be the tallest, most athletic person on the floor. But his consistency in getting to his spot, getting to the rim, getting to the free-throw line. Being aggressive that way,” she said.

Given Gilgeous-Alexander’s and Brunson’s records this season, Bueckers’ statement doesn’t need much explanation. Both of these players are among the top five in the league in terms of points in the playoffs. Gilgeous-Alexander is second with 28.0 ppg, while Brunson is third with 26.9 ppg.

Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers, herself, has been on a scoring spree this season. In her 7 games so far, the Wings guard is averaging 19.3 points and 5.0 assists per game. Bueckers is one of the main reasons behind her team’s offensive engine. The Wings are 5-3 in the season and are scheduled to face the Las Vegas Aces up next on May 28 at the College Park Center.