Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers reacted to Zendaya attending Game 5 of the 2026 WNBA Finals as a Golden State Valkyries fan against the Atlanta Dream.
Hollywood sensation Zendaya was inside the Chase Center to watch the Valkyries pick up a 64-55 win over the Dream to take a 3-2 series lead in the WNBA Finals.
The Bay Area native Zendaya has often been seen supporting her local sports teams, but this gesture of support to the Valkyries left Bueckers red-faced, given her previous references to Zendaya being her celebrity crush.
Bueckers commented on an Instagram post featuring Zendaya at the Valkyrie game, sharing three emojis which encapsulated her reaction.
Bueckers has hinted at Zendaya being her celebrity crush on multiple occasions over the last 14 months, starting with an August 2025 interview where she said she would swap lives with Zendaya for a day.
In September 2025, Bueckers went on Jennifer Hudson's talk show and openly admitted the one celebrity she wants to see at a Wings game is Zendaya, and that she would need to 'lock in' and act nonchalant if Zendaya was in the crowd.
She even jokingly apologised to longtime girlfriend and teammate Azzi Fudd after admitting this fact, furthering the belief that Zendaya is her true celebrity crush.
The biggest confirmation might have come in July 2026 when Bueckers was once again asked which celebrity she would switch lives with for a day, this time saying Tom Holland, Zendaya's husband, for obvious reasons that she even hinted at during the interview.
If the Wings can reach the Finals in the next few seasons, Zendaya might feel compelled to show up knowing Bueckers is a huge fan.
The worst-case scenario for Paige would be to meet the Valkyries in a high-profile game where Zendaya comes to root against her, but it might spur the 24-year-old guard on for the performance of a lifetime.
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