Paige Bueckers looks forward to moving on after getting much-hyped WNBA debut out of the way

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Paige Bueckers' hometown in Minnesota took on her name for a day as a tribute to her WNBA debut.

The team from her home state wasn't quite as accommodating.

Bueckers scored the first points of the season for the Dallas Wings and finished with 10, while fellow UConn alum Napheesa Collier finished with 34 points for Minnesota in the Lynx's 99-84 victory Friday night.

All important details, yes. But maybe the biggest is that the first one is out of the way for the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft.

“The first one’s always the hardest, usually,” Bueckers said. “Not to say that it won’t get harder, but just being able to have a starting point and continuing to build off that. And then there’s no more questions about what is it going to be like for your first WNBA game. Now you have move on past that.”

KK Arnold, one of the Bueckers' teammates when UConn won the national championship in April, was in the announced sellout at the 7,000-seat arena on the campus of Texas-Arlington.

But Bueckers got to share the court with Collier, and they had a friendly moment at the free throw line following a timeout after Bueckers fouled her trying to play post-up defense.

“Just a good ol’ UConn friendly chat,” was all Bueckers cared to share.

Bueckers has plenty of friends back home.

The first regular-season pro game for the three-time Associated Press All-American was noted in her hometown of Hopkins, Minnesota, with a temporary renaming of the city and a local brewery’s offering of “Paige’s 3-Point Pale” ale. Streets were to be called “Bueckers Boulevard.”

“That’s crazy,” Bueckers said in an on-court interview about 90 minutes before tip off.

First-year Wings coach Chris Koclanes believes Bueckers was built to handle the hype.

“She’s been fantastic. She’s special in how she’s able to handle things with such grace,” Koclanes said. “As a team, like really preaching, lots of attention to evolving our mental game and just dealing with everything else, all the outside expectations, the outside noise, and really trying to expose them and give them all sorts of different ways to stay present.

“Credit to Paige, she individually comes in with an incredible amount of personal attention on that and already lives that way,” Koclanes said. “It matched up well with our style and what we’re trying to create with the type of person she is already.”

The Wings reserved the honor of the final pre-game introduction for All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale, who led Dallas 16 points. Bueckers was second-to-last, and got the loudest ovation.

The cheers from the crowd — including star Philadelphia 76ers guard and Dallas native Tyrese Maxey — were louder when Bueckers rebounded her own miss and scored for a 2-0 lead in the opening minute.

“Should have made the first one,” Bueckers said after finishing 3 of 10 from the field and missing both her 3-point attempts. She had a team-high seven rebounds and two assists, one on a 3-pointer from DiJonai Carrington that put Dallas up 51-50 in the third quarter.

It wasn't long before the Lynx took control, which made sense considering Minnesota was coming off a trip to the WNBA Finals (with a loss to the New York Liberty) and Dallas just overhauled its roster after missing the playoffs.

Then there's the difference in experience between Collier and Bueckers. Collier is a four-time All-Star who has reached the playoffs five times in six seasons. Bueckers would be thrilled to follow Caitlin Clark as WNBA Rookie of the Year.

“It was fun. It was competitive,” Buecker said of her debut. “They’re a really good team, a championship-level team. Now we have a building block to continue to build off of. We liked a lot of things, and we disliked some things. So to continue to build on things we liked and clean up the things that we didn’t. Look forward to that.”

Just like she looked forward to getting the first one out of the way.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) shoots after getting past Minnesota Lynx's Karlie Samuelson (44) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) fouls Minnesota Lynx forward Jessica Shepard (15) who shoots in the second half of a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

CORRECTS YEAR TO 2025 NOT 2020 - Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) stands on the court during a Minnesota Lynx foul shot in a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

CORRECTS YEAR TO 2025 NOT 2020 - Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) talks with head coach Chris Koclanes, right, in the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives the ball past Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton, right, in the first half in a WNBA basketball game Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers warms up before a WNBA basketball game against the Minnesota Lynx, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers poses for photos during a WNBA basketball media day in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) poses for photos during a WNBA basketball media day in Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)