- NCAA. Paige Bueckers tries to piss off teammate Azzi Fudd ahead of the NCAA championship game
- NCAA. Paige Bueckers gets badly snubbed by Geno Auriemma as he acts tough during UConn's celebration
If there's one player who brings the vibe at UConn, it's Paige Bueckers. She knows what people say about her - too loud, too extra, too much - but she's never tried to be anything but herself. That realness of the situation has been her secret weapon all through college hoops, and it might just be what makes her shine in the WNBA.
In any career, authenticity goes a long way. And Bueckers has been unapologetically Paige from day one to the final whistle of her NCAA run. Call her annoying, call her childish - she wears it all like a badge of honor. And somehow, she makes it cool.
She's not trying to be anyone's favorite
Sure, her personality might come off as "a lot" to some, but inside that Huskies locker room, it was a game-changer. She brought energy, emotion, and something different - something powerful. Her connection with legendary coach Geno Auriemma was proof of that. He didn't just coach her; he got her. He let her be herself, and in doing so, helped her unlock new levels on the court.
And let's be real - sometimes, not taking the game (or life) too seriously is exactly what you need to survive the toughest moments. That mindset might've been what helped Bueckers claw her way back from one of the darkest stretches of her career: sitting out due to injury.
Now she's back, stronger, wiser, and ready to go number one in the WNBA Draft. And the hype is real. Everyone's already talking about her future rivalry with Caitlin Clark - the Indiana Fever's golden girl heading into her sophomore season. Clark wants it all, no question. But so does Bueckers. And she's got serious momentum behind her.
She has amplified her virtues
She's already done what every college player dreams of - won a national title, with her best friends and the coach who believed in her. What's next? A new chapter that could shine just as bright as her personality - the same one that lifted her team in the most intense moments.
Now the only question is: will her new squad embrace her the way UConn and the fans did? If they do, they might just find they've got more than a baller - they've got a star.