Angel Reese's Sky, Bueckers' Wings Eliminated from WNBA Playoff Race, Updated Bracket

WNBA fans hoping to see Angel Reese or Paige Bueckers in the playoffs will have to wait for at least one more season.

With the Los Angeles Sparks' dramatic 81-80 victory over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday, both Reese's Chicago Sky and Bueckers' Wings were eliminated from postseason contention.

Kelsey Plum ended the playoff dreams of both teams with a buzzer-beater in the lane to cap off a back-and-forth thriller.

This is Bueckers' first season in the league, so she figures to have plenty of opportunities to reach the playoffs in the future. And she likely will if she lives up to her full potential as the franchise cornerstone in Dallas who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 WNBA draft.

That potential was on full display against the Sparks, as Bueckers poured in 44 points on 17-of-21 shooting in defeat.

Yet she will miss the playoffs as a rookie, just like Reese did last season after she entered the league as the No. 7 pick of the 2024 draft. She has missed significant time with injury in her second year, although that didn't stop her from making a second straight All-Star Game and taking clear strides on the floor.

The LSU product is averaging 14.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game this season and has improved her field-goal percentage from 39.1 percent as a rookie to 45.6 percent this season.

She has also found herself in more of a point-forward role at times, which has opened up different looks for the Chicago offense.

It will be up to the Sky's front office to perhaps bolster their backcourt this offseason as they attempt to establish themselves as a true playoff contender as Reese's career continues.

As for Bueckers, missing the playoffs doesn't take away from all she has accomplished in her first season in the league. The likely Rookie of the Year was an All-Star Game starter and made history when she became the fastest rookie to ever post 450 points, 100 assists and 100 rebounds.

The UConn product was already a household name because of her college accolades before even arriving in the WNBA and has done nothing but thrive in her first season despite being the focal point of opposing defenses every time she steps on the floor.

Bueckers entered Wednesday's game averaging 18.8 points, 5.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals a night while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 31 percent from deep.

She certainly bolstered those scoring numbers with her latest performance.

The future is bright for both Bueckers and Reese, and there are surely playoff appearances waiting for both young stars. But the waiting will have to continue into 2026 after Chicago and Dallas were each eliminated with the same result.