The WNBA has been struggling for a long time. Fan attendance is low and overall interest in the league has never reached the level that it deserves to. Paige Bueckers is looking to change that. Basketball fans who have seen her play all agree — Bueckers is the next star of women’s basketball. Scratch that. Bueckers is the next star of basketball, period.
Paige Bueckers is Revolutionizing Women’s Basketball
As a kid, Bueckers modelled her game after that of Kyrie Irving. It shows. The tough finishes, the tight handle, the smooth stroke from behind the arc that made Irving an All-Star are all reflected in her play. The biggest difference between the two is that, while Irving is a liability on defense, Bueckers is an elite defensive player, often recording five or more steals in a game.
On Instagram, Paige Bueckers highlights get millions of views. Fans, guys and girls alike, are enchanted by her smooth play and an on-court persona dripping with swag. But, Bueckers was a basketball enigma before the social media fame. In the eighth grade, the Minnesota native was already playing, and starting, for her local high school varsity team.
Paige Bueckers Took Over High School Basketball
By the time she was a high school freshman, Bueckers was a key contributor on a talented Hopkins High School squad. The Minnesota native led her team to the state championship, where they suffered their only loss of the season. By this time, she had already received multiple NCAA Division-1 offers.
As a sophomore, Hopkins reached its third straight state championship. They lost for the third time, but Bueckers did her part, scoring 37 points in the loss. In just her second year of high school, Paige Bueckers was awarded Minnesota’s Gatorade Player of the Year award, one of the most prestigious titles a high school athlete can receive.
In her junior season, Bueckers really took off. She consistently filled up stat sheets, recording a career-high 43 points in February 2019. Her social media fame grew through highlight mixtapes. Hopkins finally got their state championship victory and Bueckers repeated as Minnesota’s Gatorade Player of the Year. Also during her junior year, Bueckers committed to the storied Univerity of Connecticut women’s basketball team as 2020’s top recruit.
Her senior season shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bueckers was still able to lead her team to an undefeated record. She also took home Gatorade National Player of the Year honors, and highlights were produced en masse in her senior season by way of embarrassing anyone who tried to defend her. Opposing defenders learned their lesson though — avoid Paige Bueckers at all costs unless you want to go viral for all the wrong reasons.
National Team Success
Bueckers proved she can win anywhere, anytime as a member of Team USA’s U-16, U-17, and U-19 squads at the 2017, 2018, and 2019 FIBA World Cups, respectively. Each of those teams won gold. She also won a gold medal with the women’s 3×3 national team in 2018.
It’s hard to deny Bueckers’s winning ways by looking at the evidence. Multiple undefeated high school seasons. State championship. Four gold medals at the international level. She’s got championship pedigree in her veins. UConn, winners of 10 NCAA championships since 2000, might be the perfect home for Bueckers.
She’s Got Next
Although her high school career ended abruptly, Bueckers should look back on her time at Hopkins as a great success. Her court vision, finishing ability, and shooting touch make her the most skilled player in her class. Add that to her size (5’11” as a point guard) and Bueckers has all the tools she needs to succeed at UConn and beyond. If the NCAA pay-to-play rule is implemented during her time in university, Bueckers could easily be one of the most profitable athletes in the organization.
Most basketball fans perceive women’s hoops in a certain light. Not as flashy, not as fast-paced, perhaps. Once Bueckers gets to the league, expect that perception to change. Paige Bueckers is ready to break barriers for women’s basketball.
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