The Dallas Wings kicked off their season with a win, and rookie guard Paige Bueckers looked every bit the star she was billed to be. Twenty points, four assists, three rebounds, and a steal in 33 minutes — a debut that had Wings fans dreaming of a turnaround from last year's 1-12 start.
But while her performance on the court was unquestionable, a number floated during the broadcast has sparked a fierce debate among fans: Did Bueckers really gain 15 pounds of muscle this offseason?
During the Wings' matchup against the Indiana Fever, ESPN's Holly Rowe reported that Bueckers now plays at 160 pounds, up from 145 at the end of last season — a gain attributed entirely to muscle. The claim quickly spread on X, where fans wasted no time voicing their doubts.
“Looking at Bueckers and that clearly isn’t true. 15lbs of muscle gain on a woman especially would be very noticeable,” one user wrote. Another added, “Strictly speaking, that’s probably not impossible. However, gaining that much muscle at that weight, while maintaining the cardio to play professional basketball would be tough for a guy. If she really did it she almost certainly sacrificed some other aspects of her athleticism.”
The skepticism didn't stop there. “You would see a NOTICEABLE difference in 20 pounds of muscle. This is cap by ESPN. Paige is still a twig,” a third fan said. Others were more blunt: “On the right stack of ‘roids its possible lol. I don’t think Paige is juicing though.” And one commenter simply noted, “And, she has zero muscle tone.”
To be fair, Bueckers did appear noticeably stronger during the game, but the leap from 145 to 160 pounds — all muscle, supposedly — is a claim that even some fitness experts find hard to swallow. Gaining that much lean mass while maintaining the endurance required for a 40-minute professional game is a tall order for any athlete, male or female.
This isn't the first time weight claims have stirred controversy in the sports world. Just last month, Mark Cuban's claims about bankrolling a Heisman winner drew similar side-eye, and the Bronny James playoff stat that even Michael Jordan can't claim also raised eyebrows. But the Bueckers debate feels different — it's not about bravado or hype, but about basic human physiology.
Whether the number is exact or exaggerated, it's hardly a crisis. Bueckers' performance speaks louder than any scale. For a Wings team that managed just one win in their first dozen games last season, the 107-104 victory over the Fever was a massive step forward.
So maybe the weight claim is off by a few pounds. Or maybe it's spot-on and Bueckers is just the freak athlete everyone thought she was. Either way, she's delivering on the court — and that's what really matters.
