History of Paige Bueckers in Timeline

Paige Bueckers is a prominent American professional basketball player currently playing for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA and the Breeze of Unrivaled. Prior to her professional career, she achieved significant success in college basketball at UConn, leading the Huskies to four Big East Tournament victories, four Final Four appearances, and ultimately, a National Championship title. Her college performance cemented her reputation as a highly skilled and impactful player, setting the stage for her transition to the professional level.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1989: Points Record

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

1998: UConn Signings

Since 1998, Paige Bueckers was the 11th number-one recruit to sign and attend UConn.

October 20, 2001: Paige Bueckers' Birth

On October 20, 2001, Paige Madison Bueckers was born. She is an American professional basketball player.

Others born on this day/year

2005: Knee Injury

On December 5, 2021, Paige Bueckers injured her left knee, and on December 13, 2021, she underwent surgery to repair a tibial plateau fracture and meniscus tear. During Bueckers' absence, UConn briefly fell out of the top 10 in the AP Poll for the first time since 2005.

2007: Highest Freshman Scoring Performance

On February 3, 2021, Paige Bueckers posted a season-high 32 points, marking the highest-scoring performance by a UConn freshman since Tina Charles in 2007.

2012: Comparison to Breanna Stewart

In 2012, sports publications drew comparisons between Paige Bueckers and Breanna Stewart, describing Bueckers as the program's most hyped recruit since Stewart.

November 25, 2016: High School Debut

On November 25, 2016, Paige Bueckers made her freshman season debut for Hopkins High School, recording 28 points in a win against Osseo Senior High School.

January 2018: Ankle Injury

In January 2018, Paige Bueckers was sidelined with an ankle injury, but still finished the season averaging 22.3 points.

February 1, 2019: Career High Points

On February 1, 2019, Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 43 points in a win over Wayzata High School.

April 1, 2019: Commitment to UConn

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, recognizing her achievements in amateur athletic union basketball.

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

On December 10, 2019, Paige Bueckers was honored as USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

2019: FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP

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

January 29, 2020: Slam Cover Feature

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

On December 12, 2020, Paige Bueckers made her collegiate debut for UConn, recording 17 points in a win over UMass Lowell.

2020: No Seniors on Team

In 2020, Megan Walker opted to forgo her senior season for the WNBA draft, leaving the UConn team with no seniors and setting the stage for Bueckers to become a leader.

2020: Ranked #1 Player

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

January 21, 2021: Win Against Tennessee

On January 21, 2021, Paige Bueckers made a crucial three-pointer to help UConn defeat rival Tennessee, despite a low-scoring game for herself. She also sprained her ankle during the game.

April 30, 2021: Ankle Surgery

On April 30, 2021, Paige Bueckers underwent surgery on her right ankle to repair joint damage, leading to an offseason of recovery.

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

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

July 2021: ESPY Award

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

August 2021: Signed with Wasserman

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 for their NIL.

November 14, 2021: Season Debut

On November 14, 2021, Paige Bueckers made her season debut, recording a season-high 34 points in a win against Arkansas and matching a 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: Announced partnership with Cash App and launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation

On February 7, 2022, Paige Bueckers announced a partnership with Cash App, through which she launched the Paige Bueckers 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, coming off the bench for the first time in her career. She scored eight points in 13 minutes due to a minutes restriction in a 93–38 victory.

April 4, 2022: Reached one million Instagram followers

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

August 3, 2022: ACL Tear and Season Absence

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 Reaches National Title Game

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

August 9, 2023: Bueckers Fully Cleared to Return

On August 9, 2023, Paige Bueckers announced that she was fully cleared to return to the court after recovering from an ACL injury.

September 6, 2023: Multiyear deal with Nike

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

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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: Bueckers Announces Return to UConn

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.

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 and missed her team's next two games.

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, where she was projected to be the first overall pick by many publications.

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.

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 three-on-three basketball league Unrivaled.

May 16, 2025: WNBA Regular Season Debut

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

September 30, 2025: Named to the 2025 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 highlighted Bueckers' exceptional playmaking abilities and overall impact in Time.