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. Prior to her professional career, she gained prominence playing college basketball for the University of Connecticut (UConn).

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Matching Kerry Bascom's Record

In 1989, Kerry Bascom set a program record for points in a season opener, which Paige Bueckers matched on November 14, 2021.

2005: UConn's AP Poll Ranking

In 2005, UConn had a long streak of being in the top 10 of the AP Poll, and during Paige Bueckers' absence due to injury in December 2021, the team briefly fell out of the top 10 for the first time since 2005.

2012: Comparison to Breanna Stewart

In 2012, Breanna Stewart was a hyped recruit to UConn, and Paige Bueckers was considered to be the most hyped recruit since her.

November 25, 2016: Freshman Debut at 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 and Surpasses 2,000 Career Points

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

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 a gold medal at the FIBA Under-19 World Cup and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. She was also recognized as the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

January 29, 2020: Featured on Slam Magazine Cover

On January 29, 2020, 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: Ranked Number One Player in 2020 Class

In 2020, Paige Bueckers was ranked the number one player in the 2020 class by ESPN, highlighting her status as a top basketball recruit.

2020: UConn's Hyped Recruit

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

January 21, 2021: Game-Winning Shot Against Tennessee

On January 21, 2021, Paige Bueckers made a three-pointer with 25 seconds left to help UConn defeat rival Tennessee, 67–61. She also sprained her ankle late in the game.

July 2021: Best Female College Athlete ESPY Award

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

November 14, 2021: Season Debut with 34 Points

On November 14, 2021, Paige Bueckers made her season debut, recording a season-high 34 points in a 95–80 win against Arkansas, matching a program record.

February 7, 2022: Partnership with Cash App and launch of Paige Bueckers Foundation

On February 7, 2022, Paige Bueckers announced a partnership with Cash App and launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation, aiming 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 against St. John's, coming off the bench for the first time in her career. Due to a minutes restriction, she played only 13 minutes and scored eight points in a 93–38 victory.

2022: Bueckers leads UConn to national title game.

In 2022, Paige Bueckers led UConn to the national title game after recovering from knee injuries that sidelined her for most of her sophomore season and her entire junior season.

August 9, 2023: Cleared to Return to Court

On August 9, 2023, Paige Bueckers announced that she was fully cleared to return to the court after recovering from her ACL injury. She had been cleared for all activities except for five-on-five play two months prior.

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: Announcement to Return to UConn

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

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.

March 28, 2025: Announcement to Enter 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: National Championship Win

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.

April 13, 2025: Signed 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 her first year's contract exceeding her entire four-year WNBA rookie contract.

May 2, 2025: WNBA Pre-Season Debut

On May 2, 2025, Paige Bueckers made her debut in a pre-season game for the Dallas Wings against the Las Vegas Aces, recording 10 points, 1 assist, and 4 rebounds in a 78-112 loss.

March 31: Brand ambassador for Chegg and partnership with Goodr

On March 31, Paige Bueckers became the first student-athlete brand ambassador for Chegg. She partnered with Goodr to host a free pop-up grocery market in Minneapolis to address food insecurity among college students.