History of Paige Bueckers in Timeline

Paige Bueckers is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA and Breeze of Unrivaled. She gained prominence playing college basketball for the UConn Huskies.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Points in a season opener record

On November 14, 2021, Bueckers matched the program record for points in a season opener set by Kerry Bascom in 1989.

1998: UConn Number-One Recruit

Paige Bueckers became the 11th number-one recruit to sign and attend UConn since 1998.

October 20, 2001: Paige Bueckers' Birth

On October 20, 2001, Paige Madison Bueckers was born. She would later become a highly successful basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

2005: Knee Injury and Absence

On December 5, 2021, Bueckers injured her left knee, leading to surgery on December 13. During Bueckers' absence, UConn briefly fell out of the top 10 in the AP Poll for the first time since 2005.

2007: Highest-scoring Performance by a UConn Freshman Since Tina Charles

On February 3, 2021, Paige Bueckers posted a season-high 32 points and seven assists in a 94–62 victory over St. John's of New York, the highest-scoring performance by a UConn freshman since Tina Charles in 2007.

2012: Compared to Breanna Stewart

Entering her freshman season at UConn, sports publications described Paige Bueckers as the program's most hyped recruit since Breanna Stewart in 2012.

November 25, 2016: Freshman Season Debut for Hopkins High School

On November 25, 2016, Paige Bueckers made her freshman season debut for Hopkins High School, scoring 28 points, recording five steals, and four assists in a 74–34 win over Osseo Senior High School.

January 2018: Sidelined with Ankle Injury

In January 2018, Paige Bueckers, as a sophomore, was sidelined with an ankle injury that had been affecting her for the initial two months of the season.

October 2018: Won gold medal at Summer Youth Olympics

In October 2018, Paige Bueckers won a gold medal for the United States in 3x3 basketball at the Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, where her team won all seven games.

February 1, 2019: Career-High 43 Points

On February 1, 2019, as a junior, Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 43 points in a 69–66 win over Wayzata High School and surpassed 2,000 career points.

April 1, 2019: Commitment to University of Connecticut

On April 1, 2019, Paige Bueckers announced her commitment to the University of Connecticut for college basketball.

August 2019: AAU Player of the Year

In August 2019, Paige Bueckers was named AAU Player of the Year by Prep Girls Hoops.

December 10, 2019: Honored as USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year

On December 10, 2019, Paige Bueckers was honored as the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year for her achievements and contributions to the sport.

2019: Played in World Beach Games

In 2019, Paige Bueckers was the youngest member of the senior national team at the World Beach Games in Doha, Qatar. She averaged 6.5 points per game as the United States finished in fifth place.

2019: FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP and USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year

In 2019, Paige Bueckers won a gold medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where she was named Most Valuable Player. She was also recognized as USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year in 2019.

January 29, 2020: Featured on Slam Magazine Cover

On January 29, 2020, during her senior season, Paige Bueckers became the first female high school player to be featured on the cover of basketball magazine Slam.

December 12, 2020: Collegiate Debut for UConn

On December 12, 2020, Paige Bueckers made her collegiate debut for UConn, recording 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five steals in a 79–23 win over UMass Lowell.

2020: Bueckers Entering Freshman Season at UConn

Entering her freshman season at UConn in 2020, Bueckers was described as the program's most hyped recruit since Breanna Stewart in 2012 and became her team's leader from the beginning of her college career, with no seniors on the 2020–21 team.

2020: Ranked Number One Player in the 2020 Class

In 2020, Bueckers was a five-star recruit and ranked the number one player in the 2020 class by ESPN.

January 21, 2021: Game-Winning Three-Pointer Against Tennessee

On January 21, 2021, Paige Bueckers made a three-pointer with 25 seconds left to help defeat rival Tennessee, 67–61.

April 30, 2021: Ankle Surgery

On April 30, 2021, Paige Bueckers underwent surgery on her right ankle to repair an osteochondral defect, joint damage involving the bone and cartilage.

July 13, 2021: Filed trademark for "Paige Buckets" nickname

On July 13, 2021, Paige Bueckers filed for a trademark on the nickname "Paige Buckets" for use on athletic apparel.

July 2021: Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award

In July 2021, Paige Bueckers won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award.

August 2021: Signed with Wasserman as NIL client

In August 2021, Paige Bueckers signed with Wasserman as a name, image, and likeness (NIL) client, following the NCAA's decision to allow student-athletes to be compensated. She quickly became known as the "face of NIL" for women's basketball.

November 14, 2021: Season Debut and Matched Program Record

On November 14, 2021, Paige Bueckers made her season debut, recording a season-high 34 points, six rebounds, and four assists in a 95–80 win against Arkansas. She matched the program record for points in a season opener.

November 2021: Signed endorsement deals with StockX and Gatorade

In November 2021, Paige Bueckers signed her first major endorsement deals with StockX and Gatorade, becoming the first college athlete to partner with Gatorade.

2021: Voiced support for Black Lives Matter movement

In 2021, Paige Bueckers voiced her support for the Black Lives Matter movement and participated in marches for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd. During her ESPY Award acceptance speech in 2021, she honored Black women and highlighted racial disparities in media coverage of women's basketball.

2021: Named National Women's Player of the Year and Reached Final Four

In 2021, Paige Bueckers, in her first season at UConn, became the first freshman to be named national women's player of the year and helped her team reach the Final Four.

February 7, 2022: Announced partnership with Cash App and launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation

On February 7, 2022, Paige Bueckers announced a partnership with Cash App and launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation to promote social justice and create opportunities for families and children.

February 25, 2022: Cleared to return against St. John's

On February 25, 2022, Paige Bueckers was cleared to return to play against St. John's after recovering from an injury. She came off the bench for the first time in her career, playing 13 minutes and scoring eight points in a 93–38 victory due to a minutes restriction.

April 4, 2022: Reached one million Instagram followers

On April 4, 2022, Paige Bueckers' Instagram account reached one million followers, reportedly making her the first women's college basketball player to achieve this milestone. She also won the Best NIL Athlete of the Year award by Sports Business Journal.

August 3, 2022: ACL Tear Announcement

On August 3, 2022, UConn announced that Paige Bueckers had torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during a pick-up game on August 1 and would miss the entire 2022–23 season.

2022: UConn reached the national title game

In 2022, Bueckers led UConn to the national title game after missing most of her sophomore and all of her junior season due to knee injuries.

2022: Named to Fortune 40 Under 40 and The Athletic's College Sports 40 Under 40 lists

In 2022, Paige Bueckers was named to the Fortune 40 Under 40 list and The Athletic's College Sports 40 Under 40 list, recognizing her influence in business and college sports.

August 9, 2023: Cleared to Return to the Court

On August 9, 2023, Paige Bueckers announced that she was fully cleared to return to the court. Two months prior, she had been cleared for all activities except for five-on-five play.

September 6, 2023: Signed deal with Nike

On September 6, 2023, Paige Bueckers signed a multiyear deal with Nike and promoted the GT Hustle 2 shoe. She also has a special colorway of the GT Hustle 3, making her the first college athlete to have her own Nike shoe.

NIKE G.T. Hustle 2 Mens Basketball Shoes DJ9405-102 (White/Black), Size 10

Check it on Amazon

2023: Played Power Forward

In the 2023-24 season, Paige Bueckers began playing power forward for UConn due to the team's lack of available forwards.

January 17, 2024: Season-High 32 Points Against Seton Hall

On January 17, 2024, Paige Bueckers posted a season-high 32 points and seven rebounds in an 83–59 win over Seton Hall.

February 16, 2024: Returns to UConn for 2024-25 Season

On February 16, 2024, Paige Bueckers announced that she would return to UConn for the 2024–25 season, despite being projected as a top-three pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.

August 2024: Signed NIL deal with Unrivaled league

In August 2024, Paige Bueckers signed an NIL deal with the 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled and plans to make her league debut in 2026.

November 7, 2024: Season Opener Win Over Boston University

On November 7, 2024, Paige Bueckers opened her senior season with 13 points, seven assists, and five steals in an 86–32 win over Boston University.

January 5, 2025: Left Knee Sprain Against Villanova

On January 5, 2025, Paige Bueckers suffered a left knee sprain after colliding with an opposing player against Villanova, causing her to miss the team's next two games.

March 28, 2025: Announces Entry into 2025 WNBA Draft

On March 28, 2025, Paige Bueckers announced that she would enter the 2025 WNBA draft, where she was projected to be the first overall pick.

April 6, 2025: Wins First National Championship

On April 6, 2025, Paige Bueckers won her first national championship, scoring 17 points in an 82–59 win over top-seeded South Carolina in the title game. She was unanimously named first-team All-American for the third time.

April 13, 2025: Signed 3-Year Deal with Unrivaled League

On April 13, 2025, ESPN reported that Paige Bueckers had signed a 3-year deal with the three-on-three basketball league Unrivaled. The first year of her Unrivaled contract is reportedly paying her more than her entire four-year WNBA rookie contract.

May 16, 2025: Regular Season Debut in WNBA

On May 16, 2025, Paige Bueckers made her regular season debut in the WNBA, scoring 10 points in a 112–78 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

September 22, 2025: Announced as Player for 2026 Unrivaled Season

On September 22, 2025, Paige Bueckers was officially announced as one of the players for the 2026 Unrivaled season.

September 30, 2025: Named to TIME100 Next list

On September 30, 2025, Paige Bueckers was named to the 2025 TIME100 Next list as one of the most influential rising stars of the year. Diana Taurasi wrote about her for Time, praising her playmaking abilities.

2025: Selected First Overall in WNBA Draft and Named Rookie of the Year

In 2025, Bueckers was selected first overall by the Dallas Wings in the WNBA draft. In her first season, she was named WNBA Rookie of the Year and selected to the All-WNBA Second Team.

2025: Ranked Among Greatest High School Athletes

In 2025, MaxPreps ranked Paige Bueckers as the 51st greatest high school athlete of the 21st century.

2025: Confirmed Relationship with Azzi Fudd

In 2025, Paige Bueckers confirmed that she is in a relationship with former UConn teammate Azzi Fudd, with whom she has been close friends since they were 16.

2025: Won first national championship and received the Wade Trophy

In 2025, as a senior, Bueckers won her first national championship and received the Wade Trophy after helping the Huskies return to the Final Four as a redshirt junior.

January 5, 2026: Unrivaled Debut

On January 5, 2026, Paige Bueckers made her Unrivaled debut, scoring the club's first-ever basket and a team-high 24 points in a 69–62 win over Phantom BC.

2026: Unrivaled Debut and All-Unrivaled First Team Selection

In 2026, Bueckers made her Unrivaled debut with Breeze and was selected to the All-Unrivaled First Team.

2026: Plans to make Unrivaled league debut

In August 2024, it was announced that Paige Bueckers had signed an NIL deal with the 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled, with plans for her to make her league debut in the 2026 season.