For every game Paige Bueckers plays, it’s a tradition to get a four-word message from her dad: “Be you, be great,” reads the text. And just like that, the Huskies sensation, the fastest player to reach the 2000-point benchmark in just 102 games, became the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. But now, there’s a different path Bueckers has to take—one more difficult. Will Bueckers’ dad’s text help her? Probably yes, but it’s not alone motivator to UConn standout!
In a recent interview with CBS Sports HQ, Bueckers unveiled the mantra that helped her throughout. “This whole year, this past journey has been about me staying in the moment… not worrying about the future, not worrying about the past,” she shared.
That mindset echoed in every decision she made. Instead of declaring for the draft early like many expected, she stayed, choosing one more ride with her Huskies family. She wanted that national title, and she got it in the NCAA Tournament to bring UConn its 12th championship. That choice, rooted in lessons from UConn greats like Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, taught her to embrace the grind and trust the process.
She wasn’t just chasing wins, she was chasing presence. Whether she was laughing with teammates after practice, walking across the court at senior night, or leading UConn through a gritty Big East tournament run, Bueckers was “captivating every single moment” in real time.
And even after all those achievements, she’s still bleeding Husky nation.
Later in the interview, Bueckers was asked about who she’s going to target in the W. And Bueckers? Her reply came fast!
“I’m definitely excited to play against my former teammates—Aaliyah, Nika, and Olivia—and all the UConn alums, and excited to play with everybody on the Dallas Wings.”
Who is No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers looking forward to facing off against when she enters the WNBA? We quickly chat about it and a few other things in our post draft convo
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And yes, she sounds confident, and her choice makes the most sense. Each one brings a different vibe, skill set, and impact. For Aaliyah Edwards, she and Paige were teammates at UConn, and they complemented each other beautifully. While Paige danced around defenders and dissected defenses, Aaliyah brought the muscle.
Averaging 7.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, Bueckers knows the kind of threat Edwards can be. Then she mentioned Nika Muhl. Well, both she and Muhl developed a close friendship over their three seasons as teammates at UConn. While Muhl elected to enter the draft, Bueckers decided to stick around for another season at the collegiate level.
“I’m just so grateful and thankful to the universe that I was able to come across a person like that,” a tearful Muhl said of Bueckers after their Big East Championship win this past season. “… That’s my best friend. That’s my sister.”
But this isn’t all—Nika and Paige were like yin and yang in the backcourt. While she’s averaging 0.1 points per game currently, during the 2022–23 season she posted a strong 7.1 points average with UConn. So, who else can measure the threat she would pose in this upcoming season?
Coming to Olivia “Liv” she was a steady force during her time at UConn, anchoring the frontcourt while Paige took over the perimeter. She wasn’t the flashiest, but she was essential. As of now, she’s averaging 3.4 points with 2.5 rebounds per game.
While all three she mentioned were from different teams, but, here’s the real competitor, Arike Ogunbowale. She’s an explosive scorer who can create her own shot from anywhere. She has a quick first step and elite isolation skills. And how could you forget her cold-blooded confidence?
Notably, Ogunbowale recorded a 34-point game, earning her second All-Star MVP award—that too during an All-Star game where she went against the 2024 Paris Olympians. Not just that, the Wings guard also averages 22.2 points per game. While you might have noticed that Bueckers is still bleeding blue, but the answer she gave comes from the advice of UConn alumni.
Despite the former UConn sensation’s blueprint, Paige Bueckers follows a unique direction!
Before Paige Bueckers ever laced up her sneakers in UConn blue, the gospel of Geno Auriemma was already making its way to her. Not directly from the Hall of Fame coach himself—not yet. That would come soon enough, and, if you know Geno, you know it came loud and clear. But even before stepping on campus, Paige was already collecting wisdom from the legends who had walked the same pressure-packed path.
And it started with none other than Sue Bird—one of the greatest point guards in UConn history.
“My advice to Paige is really to trust that there’s gonna be highs, trust that there’s gonna be lows,” Bird said back in 2020. “And trust that it’s all happening in order for her to reach her potential.”
Bird knows what she’s talking about. She played four years under Geno, won two national titles, earned the Nancy Lieberman Award three times, and was crowned the 2002 National Player of the Year. But despite the glitz and glory, Bird never made UConn sound easy. She kept it real.
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Villanova at Connecticut Jan 22, 2025 Storrs, Connecticut, USA UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers 5 is recognized with head coach Geno Auriemma for her 2000 career points before the start of the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Storrs Harry A. Gampel Pavilion Connecticut USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDavidxButlerxIIx 20250122_db2_sv3_017
“You have to get real comfortable being uncomfortable,” she once said. “That’s really what your career at Connecticut is like.”
And that’s exactly the fire Bueckers walked into and embraced.
Now, after enduring injuries, carrying expectations, and cementing her name in the Husky history books, Bueckers takes the next leap. But this time, the stakes are even higher. Because while she’s entering the league with a glittering résumé and name recognition, she’s also walking into a WNBA that’s never been this stacked with talent.
Let’s be honest, the competition is fierce. We’re talking Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, and a whole generation of stars who are redefining the game. And Paige? She’s stepping into a team that finished near the bottom of the 2024 WNBA standings. The Dallas Wings ended the season at 9-31, second-worst only to the LA Sparks.
Still, the Wings caught a break in the lottery, and now they’ve got themselves a game-changer.
But here’s the good part—Bueckers isn’t walking into this alone. She joins forces with Arike Ogunbowale, the WNBA All-Star MVP and one of the league’s most electrifying scorers. Arike averaged 22.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists this past season, and like Paige, she knows a thing or two about winning at the college level. Remember that legendary Notre Dame championship run?
Interestingly, Ogunbowale wasn’t in New York on draft night to witness Bueckers become a Wing. Instead, she was holding it down at a Wings watch party at College Park Center in Arlington. Maybe that’s the most Arike thing ever—celebrating the future while staying rooted in the present.
And now, all eyes turn to this backcourt duo.
Because if things click, if chemistry brews and timing flows, Bueckers and Ogunbowale have the potential to become one of the best guard pairings in the league. The numbers back it up too—Bueckers averaged 19.8 points on an efficient 53.1% shooting, with 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists across her college career.
So, yeah, there’s a lot of noise. A lot of hype. And a lot of pressure.
But if Paige Bueckers learned anything at UConn, it’s how to keep her head down, get uncomfortable, and still shine. The league is watching. Are you?
The post Paige Bueckers Targets Four WNBA Stars As She Sheds Light On UConn Advice Ahead Of Dallas Wings Debut appeared first on EssentiallySports.
