paige.jpg
Getty Images

No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers rewrote the WNBA record books Wednesday with an incredible 44-point outing in the Dallas Wings' loss to the Los Angeles Sparks, which ended on a buzzer-beater by Kelsey Plum. Bueckers' 44 points tied Cynthia Cooper-Dyke for the highest-scoring game by a rookie in league history. 

Bueckers was simply unstoppable in Los Angeles. She had two separate stretches of at least five consecutive made shots and made at least two baskets in all four distinct areas of the court: the restricted area, the paint, the mid-range and behind the 3-point line. She scored 44 of the Wings' 80 points and would have had the game-winning free throw if not for Kelsey Plum's banker at the buzzer. 

In addition to tying the all-time rookie record, Bueckers recorded the highest-scoring game by any player this season and cemented her status as the 2025 Rookie of the Year. 

Paige Bueckers cements herself as Rookie of the Year but all-time performance spoiled by Kelsey Plum at buzzer
Jack Maloney
Paige Bueckers cements herself as Rookie of the Year but all-time performance spoiled by Kelsey Plum at buzzer

Following Bueckers' historic night, let's take a closer look at the WNBA's single-game rookie record holders for all five major statistical categories. 

Points: 44

  • Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, July 25, 1997
  • Paige Bueckers, Aug. 20, 2025

After leading USC to two national championships during her collegiate days, Cooper-Dyke made her way overseas to begin her professional career. She played in Italy and Spain for a decade until the WNBA was created in 1997. While she was technically a rookie in 1997, along with every other player, she was 34 years old and had extensive professional experience, which makes it hard to accept her accomplishments during the league's inaugural season as true rookie records. That includes her 44-point effort during the Houston Comets' (now defunct) win over the Sacramento Monarchs (also now defunct) on July 25, 1997. Cooper shot 14 of 21 from the field and had 44 of her team's 86 points. 

It's not hyperbole to suggest that Bueckers' 44-point outing against the Wings on Wednesday was one of the greatest scoring performances in league history. Bueckers shot an astounding 17 of 21 from the field to become the first player ever to score 40 points while shooting at least 80% from the field. She scored 44 of the Wings' 80 points, and if not for Plum's heroics would have had the game-winning free throw. 

In addition to being tied for the single-game rookie record, Cooper-Dyke and Bueckers 44 points are also tied for the 10th-highest scoring game in league history, regardless of experience. 

Rebounds: 23

Charles averaged nine rebounds per game during her collegiate career at UConn despite only starting as a senior, and her prowess on the glass immediately translated to the WNBA. In just her 13th career game for the Connecticut Sun after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2010 draft, Charles pulled down a remarkable 23 rebounds during a June 25 win over the Phoenix Mercury. 

Charles' 23 rebounds that day are tied for the second-most in a game in league history, regardless of player experience. While Charles' single-season rookie rebounding record of 398 was broken by Angel Reese last season, Charles remains the league's all-time leading rebounder with 4,207. 

Assists: 19

The Indiana Fever were jumping for joy when they won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, because it meant they could select Caitlin Clark. It took Clark a few weeks to settle into a groove, but once she did, the league had no answers for her. During a July 17 loss to the Dallas Wings, Clark put on the best playmaking display in league history when she dished out 19 assists. She also scored 24 points on the night and between her own baskets and assists accounted for 66 of the Fever's 93 points. 

Clark's 19 assists not only broke Ticha Penicheiro's single-game rookie assist record of 16, which had stood since 1998, but Courtney Vandersloot's all-time single-game assist record of 18, which had stood since 2020. During her historic rookie campaign, Clark also broke the league's all-time single-season assist record with 337. 

Blocks: 9

  • Margo Dydek, Aug. 6, 1998

Dydek, whom the Utah Starzz (now the Las Vegas Aces) selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 draft, set the single-game rookie record for blocks in the league's second season, and it's stood ever since. During an Aug. 6 game against Cleveland Rockers (now defunct), Dydek swatted nine shots. The Rockers, who still won the game, missed 34 shots, and nine of them were blocked by Dydek. 

Dydek averaged 3.8 blocks per game during her rookie season, which also stands at the highest single-season average by a rookie in league history. She also remains the leaugue's all-time leader in blocks with 877, despite only playing 323 career games. 

Steals: 9

  • Michelle Brogan, July 27, 1998
  • Tamika Catchings, July 26, 2002

Australian forward Michelle Brogan, who was known as Michelle Griffiths during her short-lived WNBA career, only spent two seasons in the States, both with the Phoenix Mercury. As an undrafted rookie in 1998, Brogan earned a starting spot in part thanks to her defense. During a July 27 defeat to the Starzz, Brogan swiped nine steals, which at the time was not only the rookie record, but the single-game record (it has since been broken by Ticha Penicheiro, who had 10 in 2003). 

Tamika Catchings, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2001 draft, missed her first season due to a torn ACL. She showed no ill effects from that injury during her rookie campaign in 2002, when she was named Rookie of the Year and finished third in MVP voting and second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. During a July 26 win over the Minnesota Lynx, Catchings had nine steals, which turned out to be her career-high. 

Catchings, who won a record five Defensive Player of the Year awards, remains the league's all-time steals leader with 1,074. No one else has even reached 800 steals.