UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers was 92 seconds away from earning her first national championship and forever etching her name into record books.
Bueckers exited the court following her final college game, a title bout with the South Carolina Gamecocks. As the arena erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, she sauntered off the court and melted into the arms of coach Geno Auriemma for a deep embrace.
One of the most prolific players in women's college basketball history earned a much-deserved storybook ending to her college career before likely becoming the No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick Monday night. The UConn senior guard didn't need a championship to validate her legacy ― she was already a legend without it.
But Bueckers revealed she leaned on some former Huskies superstars to help her get to that NCAA championship. As Bueckers and the Huskies' NCAA title run came to a close Sunday, those former UConn staples, like Sue Bird, Napheesa Collier, Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart, sat proudly watching Bueckers cement her UConn legacy before her WNBA one began.
"I've leaned a lot on, obviously, UConn alums," Bueckers said while promoting her new partnership with Ally Financial. "Phee [and] Sue have been two that have been very present in just being able to be available for me to chat. They've been very open and communicative about that."
Paige Bueckers, a UConn legend pic.twitter.com/Ugfge1KpOT
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 6, 2025
UConn legend and four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore also had an impact on Bueckers during her title run. Moore was recognized on Sunday for her recent induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and as fate would have it, Bueckers surpassed Moore that day for the most career NCAA ...
