Dallas Wings HC Chris Koclanes praises No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers on handling the immense pressure

There's no shortage of pressure when it comes to being the first overall pick in the WNBA draft, but Paige Bueckers is adjusting quickly, according to Dallas Wings first-year head coach Chris Koclanes.

Bueckers has had a quick transition over the last month from leading UConn to a national championship, being selected into the WNBA, and then beginning training camp with the Wings.

Koclanes spoke to reporters following the first day of training camp on Sunday when he was asked about Bueckers and how she's handling all the pressure.

"It's extremely impressive," Koclanes said. "The grace that she's able to handle everything that's thrown her way then you get her on the floor and she just makes the game look easy.

"Credit to her for all the hard work and time and effort she puts in, but it's fun to coach cause you can just kind of keep it simple, give her a little bit and then allow her to do what she does."

Pressure is nothing new for Bueckers. While attending UConn as the top prospect in the historic high school class of 2020, which featured Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, and Hailey Van Lith, Bueckers' collegiate run was always going to be defined by whether she was able to bring a title to Storrs, Connecticut.

As she battled through the highs and lows of reaching the Final Four, earning player of the year honors, and returning from injuries, the elusive title was always hanging over her head. She finally achieved it in her final college season.

While an immediate championship run is not expected in her first season at Dallas, an impressive follow-up to Caitlin Clark's Rookie of the Year season last year will add additional pressure for Bueckers to perform and for Dallas to play well.

Bueckers building chemistry with Dallas Wings roster ahead of season-opener

The WNBA regular season will be underway quickly as the teams welcome back their roster this weekend. Newly added free agents and rookies will have a quick crash course in their new teams as chemistry is built on the fly.

For the Dallas Wings, Bueckers has already started building chemistry with the rest of her teammates. Koclanes mentioned in the same interview with reporters on Sunday that it's been nice to see the team come together.

"It's been fun to watch her build those relationships with Arike and all the new players DiJonai, Maddie and just start to build that chemistry," Koclanes said.

The Dallas Wings open the season on May 16 at home against the Minnesota Lynx.