The rookie guard’s baggy shorts and friendly courtside moment with Chelsea Gray stole the spotlight

Before a single shot was taken in Friday’s WNBA game between the Dallas Wings and the Las Vegas Aces, Paige Bueckers had already ignited social media.

The highly-touted rookie guard shared a warm embrace with Aces veteran Chelsea Gray during pregame introductions, but it was her unorthodox fashion choice that ended up trending.

In two black-and-white photos posted by the Wings on X (formerly Twitter), Bueckers can be seen hugging Gray with her shorts notably sagging low on her hips.

The caption, “Rook & Vet PGs,” referenced the symbolic exchange between two generations of point guards, though fans were far more focused on Bueckers‘ outfit.

Bueckers had previously expressed admiration for Gray, once naming her among the top five WNBA players she would want to go head-to-head with.

“[Gray] was one of my favorite players growing up,” Bueckers said in an Unrivaled video on Instagram. “And I think she’s one of the greatest point guards of all time in the league.”

Fans can’t stop talking about the sagging shorts

While the moment between Bueckers and Gray was filled with mutual respect, the internet had a field day with the images.

The low-hanging shorts instantly became the subject of memes, jokes, and confused commentary from fans who weren’t sure what they were looking at.

“Why she got her shorts like that,” one user asked. Another chimed in, “I’m crying since when did she start sagging.” Others added: “Why does Paige have her shorts actually hanging off her arse, girl pull them up,” and “Can she pull her shorts up omgkakakakksjsjjs.”

Some fans got even more creative, posting reaction videos and memes that mocked or exaggerated the style.

One video featured a man strutting confidently in comically sagging pants, while another flipped the joke with a guy wearing his waistband comically high-implying Bueckers might do the opposite next time.

The viral moment even drew commentary from unrelated fan accounts, including a Harry Styles fan page that weighed in with, “The shortsssss.”

Still, the comedic attention hasn’t overshadowed Bueckers’ growing impact in her debut WNBA season.

After dominating the college ranks at UConn, the 22-year-old has been adjusting to the professional game, with every step of her journey-on court and off-drawing intense fan scrutiny.

Chelsea Gray, meanwhile, continues to work her way back from injury and didn’t play in Friday’s game, but her courtside interaction with Bueckers highlighted the camaraderie and cross-generational connections that help drive the WNBA forward.

With fashion choices becoming as talked about as game stats in today’s sports culture, Bueckers‘ baggy shorts might not be the last viral moment she sparks this season.

Whether she’s lighting up the scoreboard or unintentionally starting a new fashion trend, the rookie is clearly one of the league’s most watchable stars.