Dallas Wings First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Paige Bueckers scored the Wings’ first basket more than anyone in 2026: 14 times in 44 starts, or 32% of the games they started. Awak Kuier was next with 7. The Wings made the game’s first field goal in 60% of their 47 games and won 40% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Wings in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any DAL player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for DAL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paige Bueckers | 44 | 14 | 32% | 9 | 20% |
| Awak Kuier | 29 | 7 | 24% | 5 | 17% |
| Jessica Shepard | 44 | 7 | 16% | 3 | 7% |
| Azzi Fudd | 24 | 7 | 29% | 3 | 12% |
| Arike Ogunbowale | 46 | 6 | 13% | 3 | 7% |
| Alanna Smith | 17 | 4 | 24% | 3 | 18% |
| Maddy Siegrist | 13 | 2 | 15% | 2 | 15% |
| Odyssey Sims | 11 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Wings scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 47 | 28 | 60% |
| Home | 23 | 14 | 61% |
| Away | 24 | 14 | 58% |
| Regular season | 44 | 27 | 61% |
| Playoffs | 3 | 1 | 33% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awak Kuier | 26 | 13 | 50% |
| Alanna Smith | 12 | 4 | 33% |
| Jessica Shepard | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Maddy Siegrist | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 45 | 18 | 40% |
How the Wings’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 19 | 40% |
| 3-pointer | 17 | 36% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 11 | 23% |
2025
| Player | Starts | First basket for DAL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paige Bueckers | 0 | 11 | – | 3 | – |
| NaLyssa Smith | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – |
| JJ Quinerly | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – |
| Myisha Hines-Allen | 0 | 5 | – | 2 | – |
| Maddy Siegrist | 0 | 3 | – | 3 | – |
| DiJonai Carrington | 0 | 3 | – | 2 | – |
| Arike Ogunbowale | 0 | 3 | – | 0 | – |
| Luisa Geiselsoder | 0 | 2 | – | 2 | – |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Wings?
Paige Bueckers, with 14 of the Wings’ first baskets in 2026 (32% of their 44 starts), ahead of Awak Kuier with 7.
How often do the Wings score first?
The Wings made the first field goal in 28 of 47 games in 2026 (60%): 61% at home and 58% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Wings?
Awak Kuier took 26 of the Wings’ 45 opening tips in 2026 and won 50% of them.
Is Paige Bueckers a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 32% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.