Career Timeline of Paige Bueckers: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Paige Bueckers built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Paige Bueckers is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA. Before turning pro, she had a successful college career with the UConn Huskies, highlighted by four Big East Tournament championships, four Final Four runs, and one National Championship title. Bueckers is a highly regarded player known for her skills and leadership on the court.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Matches Program Record for Points in a Season Opener

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

1998: Bueckers followed the UConn number-one recruit legacy since 1998

In 1998, UConn had started recruiting many number-one players, and Paige Bueckers would follow that legacy by signing and attending UConn.

2005: UConn briefly fell out of the top 10 in the AP Poll for the first time since 2005

On December 13, Bueckers underwent surgery to repair the fracture and a previously undisclosed lateral meniscus tear and 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 Since Tina Charles

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

2012: Comparison to Breanna Stewart

In 2012, Breanna Stewart had a hyped recruit season, and entering her freshman season at UConn, sports publications described Bueckers as the program's most hyped recruit since Stewart.

November 25, 2016: Freshman Debut for Hopkins High School

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

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 her college basketball career.

August 2019: Named AAU Player of the Year

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

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

In 2019, Paige Bueckers won three gold medals with the United States at the youth international level, including the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, where she was named Most Valuable Player. She was also recognized as USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

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: Entering Freshman Season at UConn

Entering her freshman season at UConn in 2020, Paige Bueckers was described as the program's most hyped recruit since Breanna Stewart.

2020: Ranked number one player in the 2020 class by ESPN

Paige Bueckers was ranked the number one player in the 2020 class by ESPN.

January 21, 2021: Defeated Rival Tennessee Despite Ankle Sprain

On January 21, 2021, Paige Bueckers made a three-pointer with 25 seconds left to help defeat rival Tennessee, 67–61, despite shooting poorly and spraining her ankle late in the game.

July 13, 2021: Filed Trademark for Nickname

On July 13, 2021, Paige Bueckers filed for a trademark on the nickname "Paige Buckets" for use on athletic apparel, such as shirts, pants, jackets, footwear, hats, and uniforms.

July 2021: Won Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award

In July 2021, Paige Bueckers won the Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award, recognizing her outstanding freshman season at UConn.

August 2021: Signed with Wasserman

In August 2021, Paige Bueckers signed with Wasserman as a name, image, and likeness (NIL) client. This occurred approximately one month after the NCAA permitted student-athletes to be compensated for the use of their NIL.

November 14, 2021: Season Debut and Record-Matching Performance

On November 14, 2021, Paige Bueckers made her season debut, recording a season-high 34 points, six rebounds and four assists in a win against Arkansas, matching 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 two major endorsement deals with StockX and Gatorade, becoming the first college athlete to sign with Gatorade.

February 7, 2022: Launched Paige Bueckers Foundation

On February 7, 2022, Paige Bueckers announced a partnership with Cash App, through which she launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation. The foundation aimed at promoting social justice and creating 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 against St. John's after recovering from an injury. She came off the bench for the first time in her career, scoring eight points in 13 minutes due to a minutes restriction, contributing to a 93–38 victory.

2022: Led UConn to the 2022 National Title Game

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

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, having been cleared for all activities except five-on-five play two months prior. She was also named an AP preseason All-American and Big East Preseason Player of the Year.

September 6, 2023: Signed Multiyear Deal with Nike

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

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January 17, 2024: Season-High 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: Return to UConn Announced

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, with plans to make her league debut in the 2026 season.

November 7, 2024: Season Opener Win Over Boston University

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

March 28, 2025: Bueckers Announces Entry into 2025 WNBA Draft

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

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 surpassed Maya Moore for the most career points by a UConn player in the NCAA tournament and moved to third among all players.

April 13, 2025: Signs Deal with Unrivaled League

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

May 16, 2025: WNBA Regular Season Debut

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, marking the start of her professional career.