Paige Buekers is gaining a fandom after becoming one of the leads in women’s college basketball. Paige plays for the UCONN (University of Connecticut) women’s basketball team that went to the 2023-2024 NCAA tournament. Paige is the oldest of 4 kids, siblings Ryan, Drew, and Lauren. Her family has always been athletic, with her mom playing competitive cross-country, track, and field at the University of St. Paul. Paige started playing basketball at the age of 5. In 7th grade, Paige began playing with high schoolers, and in 8th grade, she made the high school varsity team. Paige became a finalist for Gatorade National Player of the Year, which recognizes the best high school athletes. Paige became the first female high school athlete to be on the cover of SLAM Magazine. In 2018, Paige became a member of USA Basketball, and was selected to be in numerous basketball events.
Yes, Paige’s past is nice, but why is she famous now? On November 8th, Paige got a lot of hype due to injuries on both knees. Paige has been making headlines for years, but after tearing her ACL in the 2022-23 season, fans were anticipating seeing her play. She expressed how enthusiastic she was to be able to play again, “You want to love every moment you step on the court, whether for a practice, or a game, or a lift, or a workout.” Only after a week, she jammed a finger on her left hand. However, her injury wasn’t an issue and she could remain playing. Paige was named Big East Preseason Player of the Year, just two years after she won every major “Player of the Year” reward as a freshman in 2021. Paige led her team to the Final Four even though she missed most of the previous, and following season for many injuries. A month later, she returned scoring an impressive 27 points alone. Paige has become so impressive, she has partnered with brands like Gatorade, Nike, and Crocs. Paige led her team to the Final Four once again in the 2023-2024 season, but unfortunately lost to Iowa, with star player, and Paige’s friend Caitlin Clark. Paige is now placing number two on the leaderboard, behind Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese. Since the season has ended, Paige has been preparing for the next season, working out and partnering with teammates. Paige has confirmed that she will be back for her 5th year at UCONN, fans are excited to see her after the 2024-25 season, and wondering if she will get drafted into the WMBA.
