We’re only five months into the year, and Paige has already cried four times—that we know of. Sometimes she clutches her hat like it’s the last line of defense, other times she just leans dramatically against a wall like she’s in a Taylor Swift music video. And well, she cries before games and after winning them. Honestly? Fair. Extremely fair. She’s been carrying the weight of greatness since age six, when the world collectively agreed to remember her name. She even went on to trademark “Paige Buckets,” because branding your legend is just part of the job. Then, a college career riddled with injuries, the sky-high expectations, and WNBA comparisons, the moment she touched hardwood. So, four cries? That’s impressive restraint. Frankly, if we were in her place, most of us would be averaging biweekly breakdowns.
Her story is almost cinematic. There are too many what-ifs her fans think of. As someone who entered the scene with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, they often think what if she hadn’t been sidelined by injuries? What if she had not missed out on a chunk of her sophomore year? And despite all that, if she hadn’t won the championship in her final year with the Huskies, she definitely would have gone down as the greatest to not have that ring on her finger. Wings GM Curt Miller put it best, saying, “I don’t know if a player has felt more pressure to validate a collegiate career with a championship than Paige has…how she navigated that and thrived through that was really, really special to witness.”
Yes, it was special to witness, but also soon pushed to the back of everyone’s mind as she switched the pressure cookers and entered a league that is known to punish players in their rookie seasons. One minute she’s winning, then she’s doing media appearances, then it’s the draft, more media appearances, and before she can even blink, she’s in training camp. The Dallas Wings started eyeing her like she was their long-lost savior—and honestly, who could blame them? Ticket prices were already creeping up, with just a rumor of her landing there. Now she’s expected to casually outperform A’ja Wilson, currently on a mission to bring back the heirloom from last year, and keep up with Caitlin Clark, who’s in her own sports movie montage, trying to end a drought that dates back to 2012.
So yeah—when Paige’s shot didn’t fall? Of course, she cried. A rather peculiar clip surrounding Bueckers surfaced on the internet recently. Melissa Treibwasser shared the clip on X with a caption that read, “Paige Bueckers, completely inconsolable after getting knocked out of the halfcourt shot competition.” Meanwhile, national reporter Ruth Etiesit Samuel re-posted the video and described Bueckers as, “She’s so me-coded.”
In this behind-the-scenes clip, Paige was on the Dallas Wings’ court, trying to shoot a basket. Clad in her signature ponytail with a neon green tee and navy blue shorts, Paige came towards the mid-court line to attempt a half-court shot during the Wings’ tryouts. But instead of scoring a basket, she missed a brick. Disappointed by the missed attempt, Paige immediately turned around and went to the nearest wall, weeping. The emotional player placed her head and hands on the wall as she wept inconsolably.
Paige Bueckers, completely inconsolable after getting knocked out of the halfcourt shot competition pic.twitter.com/cOdwe6P9mB
— Melissa Triebwasser (@TheCoachMelissa) May 23, 2025
The clip really reminded us of what Bueckers shared earlier this year. The night before the NCAA title game, Bueckers had sat with her sports psychologist and ended up crying. “I just wanted to win it so bad,” she admitted. Then, together, they worked on channeling that anxious energy into focusing on smaller goals—shifting her mind away from the weight of the ultimate victory: bringing a long-awaited championship back to UConn, whose last title came in 2016. The next day, the team’s win made all the mental and physical battles worth it. “Considering everything she’s fought through to come back stronger and lead the way like she did,” said her teammate Arnold, “it just makes the victory feel even sweeter.”
She was in tears again after winning and also when she addressed the UConn faithful for one last time before leaving for the W. And then came the draft night and, of course, the tears, too.“It’s an overwhelming sense of gratitude,” Bueckers shared during her interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe. “It’s super surreal just being here with other draft invitees. I’ve been focusing on staying present, staying where my feet are, and to be here right now, I’m extremely blessed.”
Seems like Paige is taking the whole “live in the moment” thing seriously — focusing on the present, setting smaller goals, taking it day by day. Is she, though? And the only catch? Not accomplishing those can make her cry as well. Again, understandably.
Paige Bueckers wants to be a team leader for the Dallas Wings
“I want to be a leader, even though it is my rookie season,” Paige Bueckers said. Fresh off leading UConn to a national championship this year, with a big assist from Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, she has her sights set on something new. Now with the Dallas Wings, she’s already thinking about stepping into a leadership role. Sure, it might be a bit early for that just yet, but she’s definitely got her eye on it.
And while she is unfurling her true potential each day in the Wings roster, she is mindful of the veterans in the roster and doesn’t wish to overstep her place, either. “And continue to use my voice and find the best ways to do it, while not overstepping. I just want to gain everyone’s respect to the point where they respect my voice,” she added.
She is already seen discussing strongly with veterans and other teammates on the hardwood and dons the hat of a natural leader whenever she finds the right opportunity. “You see the huddles, you see Paige gathering them together. She’s pointing- you can tell that she’s directing people. They’re going to be very very good. And I think once Paige just gets a couple more games under her belt, She’s going to be killing it.” Paige Bueckers’ ex-rival from Vermont University, Emma Utterback, appreciated Wings rookie and observed how she efficiently ensures the team’s offences and pacing are on point, and that they are using the paint to create more opportunities.
So, yes, Paige Bueckers is basically a coach’s dream — a natural leader who wants everyone around her to win. On the court, she’s already a force, and once she gets more minutes, opponents better start saying their prayers.
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