Paige Bueckers came to Berlin as a scorer. Now she's making a case on the other end of the floor.
FIBA named the Dallas Wings guard to its Best Defensive Player shortlist at the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. That nod might've caught WNBA fans familiar with Bueckers's basket-making abilities... a bit off-guard.
Paige Bueckers Puts on Defensive Masterclass at 2026 FIBA World Cup
Through four games, Bueckers is averaging 1.0 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest, numbers that top her WNBA career averages of 0.4 and 1.2, respectively.
FIBA even coined a nickname for the second-year pro: "Paige Blockers." Beyond the defensive numbers, she's chipping in 9.5 points and 3.5 assists for a US squad that cruised through group play earlier this week.
Still, she'll have plenty of competition for the FIBA Best Defensive Player honors.
France's Gabby Williams is posting 2.5 steals per game, while Japan's Ramu Tokashiki paces the tournament in blocks at 2.3. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico's Trinity San Antonio is averaging at 5.0 steals per game.
Where to Watch Team USA's FIBA World Cup Semifinal
Team USA, meanwhile, topped Hungary 108-56 in Thursday's quarterfinal and now faces Spain in Saturday's semifinal at 2 PM ET on HBO Max.
The meeting will likely give Bueckers more room to build her numbers on both ends of the court. A win there puts the US one step closer to a fifth consecutive FIBA World Cup title.
