“Extremely excited to be there,” Paige Bueckers said of starting a new chapter of her life. Winning a championship with the UConn Huskies, she became the sixth player to be selected as the top overall pick in the WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings. After overcoming numerous adversities, the player is excited to finally live out her long-awaited childhood dream after idolizing NBA and WNBA players. As a NBA legend acknowledges a years-old tribute from the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year on social media, it is indeed a full-circle moment for the young player.
A wave of heartfelt wishes poured in on social media for Bueckers and the UConn team as they ended their nine-year championship drought. Joining the fans, Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett also took to his Instagram handle to give a shout out to the team. “Salute. Shoutout to the ladies of UCONN..y’all did ya thing,” he said. ESPN was quick to share a heart touching image of a young Paige wearing a Celtics jersey, paying tribute to Garnett. She held a basketball in her hand.
Garnett later re-shared the photo on his Instagram story with a message for the player. “Say word shout to my girl PAiGEBuckets.. aka MFN walking bucket’ … Big pressure. RESPECT MA. @paigebueckers,” he wrote on his IG story.
The picture went viral on social media and must have caught the attention of the Boston Celtics legend. The former UConn player has come a long way from rocking Garnett’s jersey as a child to receiving recognition from the legend himself. As per USA Today, Bueckers has signed a four-year contract worth $348,198 with the WNBA. She will earn $79,000 as her base salary in her rookie season.
Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Former basketball star Kevin Garnett on hand for the Colorado Buffaloes USC Trojans football game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: John Leyba-USA TODAY Sports
She already has a partnership with the Unrivaled league. Not just fans and basketball legends, but the major brands that she has NIL deals with have also praised the rising star. UConn and Bueckers also received a heartfelt nod from the late Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa.
Paige Bueckers and UConn Stars received a shout out from Vanessa Bryant
One of the most ardent UConn fans was Kobe Bryant’s daughter, Gianna Bryant, who dreamt of joining the team. Her determination to see UConn succeed resonated with the players as well. After the win, Bueckers felt that the Lakers legend and Gigi’s presence. “Kobe’s watching over us. Gigi’s watching over us. Abby… and everybody. I felt their presence for sure,” she said. It was a surreal moment for her and the team.
On behalf of Gianna, the mother of four, Vanessa, thought it right to send a heartwarming message to the team: “Gigi would’ve loved being there with you,” Vanessa wrote, along with the quote, “When you think you can’t, UCONN.” Bryant had always mentioned that his second eldest was “hell-bent” on joining UConn.
After the tragic accident that took the lives of nine, including Gigi and Bryant, the University prepared a heartwarming tribute. They left a seat vacant on the team bench, where they placed a UConn jersey with Gigi’s number to honor her. Bueckers will make WNBA debut against the Minnesota Lynx in May.
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