History of Paige Bueckers in Timeline

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.

1998: UConn's Recruitment History

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

October 20, 2001: Paige Bueckers Born

On October 20, 2001, Paige Madison Bueckers was born. She is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA.

Others born on this day/year

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.

2007: Highest-scoring performance by a UConn freshman since Tina Charles.

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

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.

January 2018: Ankle Injury Sidelines Bueckers

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

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.

April 1, 2019: Commitment to University of Connecticut

On April 1, 2019, Paige Bueckers announced her commitment to the University of Connecticut (UConn) 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.

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

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

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.

April 30, 2021: Ankle Surgery

On April 30, 2021, Paige Bueckers underwent surgery on her right ankle to repair an osteochondral defect, causing her to miss most of the offseason practice.

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.

August 3, 2022: ACL Tear

On August 3, 2022, UConn announced that Paige Bueckers tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during a pick-up game, causing her to miss the entire 2022–23 season.

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.

2022: Recognition on Fortune 40 Under 40 and The Athletic's College Sports 40 Under 40 list

In 2022, Paige Bueckers was named to the Fortune 40 Under 40 list, which honors influential young people in business, and The Athletic's College Sports 40 Under 40 list, which recognizes the most influential young people in the college sports industry.

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.

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: 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.