Paige Bueckers addressed rumors connecting teammate Jessica Shepard’s backyard BBQ to a recent wave of team illnesses. She used the "Ultimate Dallas Sports Show" to dismiss the food poisoning speculation during a Dallas sports broadcast following the Wings’ 95-87 victory over Las Vegas.

The guard insisted there was no correlation between the meal and her teammates’ absences.

"We were laughing about it, talking about it before the game," Paige Bueckers said. "Everybody was clowning her because we had some people out…. But, I can say there was no correlation to the two things. She was great on the grill."

Bueckers also revealed that the team enjoyed the BBQ Shepard prepared.

The rumors began after Alanna Smith missed Thursday's game due to illness. Arike Ogunbowale was also dealing with an illness and was only cleared to play shortly before tip-off.

Soon after, some fans on social media speculated that Jessica Shepard's pregame cookout may have caused food poisoning.

The rumors gained traction after a photo of Shepard grilling surfaced online. However, Bueckers' comments made it clear that the illnesses were unrelated and simply happened around the same time.

Meanwhile, Bueckers finished the win with 20 points and six assists. Shepard also had a historic night of her own, and Bueckers made sure to thank her teammate for helping Dallas secure the victory.

Paige Bueckers Reacts to Historic Night From Teammate

With the win, Jessica Shepard made WNBA history. The Dallas Wings forward became the first player ever to record at least 22 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists in a single game.

The performance also marked the third triple-double of Shepard's career and her second in just over a week. Still, she was more focused on the team win than her individual achievement.

“For me, these things don’t really matter so much,” Shepard said after the game.

“I came here to help this organization win and take that next step. So I’m just proud of this team for being able to come back and beat a team like Las Vegas tonight.”

Paige Bueckers was also impressed by her teammate's performance.

“I owe Jess a few [assists] after tonight. I smoked some layups," Bueckers said before joking that, "She probably could have had 15 assists.”

As for Shepard, she seems fully aware of what she brings to the floor. When asked whether any part of her game is underrated, she simply smiled and replied, “No.”

The Dallas Wings will next face the Seattle Storm on Monday.

Read More at Her Sports Nation!

Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Koushik Biswas