{
  "id": 8056900,
  "title": "Why Paige Bueckers lands outside top 5 in latest WNBA player ranking",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/why-paige-bueckers-lands-outside-top-5-in-latest-wnba-player-ranking",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T16:25:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-paige-bueckers-lands-outside-162538666.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has dropped out of the top five in Bleacher Report's latest ranking of the WNBA's top 25 players, despite a standout second season. Bueckers, who made her second consecutive All-Star team, is now ranked sixth in the league. Her biggest hurdle, according to Bleacher Report's Hunter Cruse, is her passiveness on offense. Bueckers has reduced her shot attempts at the rim from 18.7 percent during her rookie season to just 12.7 percent this year, which Cruse attributes to a more cautious playing style. However, Bueckers remains incredibly efficient, boasting a 51/40/87 shooting split and averaging 20.5 points per game, ranking sixth in the WNBA. The patellar tendinitis flare-up she experienced at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup may not affect her participation in the WNBA playoffs, where she will make her first appearance this month.",
  "summary": "One quality holds back Bueckers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "SB Nation",
        "title": "There’s an obvious pick for WNBA Sixth Player of the Year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/theres-an-obvious-pick-for-wnba-sixth-player-of-the-year-8042720",
        "published": "2026-09-17T14:47:34.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "There’s an obvious pick for WNBA Sixth Player of the Year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/theres-an-obvious-pick-for-wnba-sixth-player-of-the-year",
        "published": "2026-09-17T14:47:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}