The UConn Huskies are getting ready to make a statement this season. After some tough years, Geno Auriemma & Co. are preparing for what could be their most anticipated comeback yet. Moreover, as this will be star guard Paige Bueckers’ last season in Storrs, expectations are high. However, the HC’s recent words might have made the team nervous, but Bueckers quickly cleared any doubts.

The UConn senior clarified that just because she’s ready to be more aggressive this year doesn’t mean they should take a step back. “Just because I’m aggressive, I don’t want my other teammates to stop being aggressive, too,” she said. 

“I don’t want them to defer to me. I feel like it’ll happen naturally… I’ll be looking more to score when I have the ball, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop passing. I feel like that’ll obviously open up a lot of other opportunities for my teammates as well.” She knows balance is the key, and the Huskies must lean on each other a lot to succeed.

“So, for them to be aggressive and know, like Paige doesn’t need to touch the ball every single possession or Paige doesn’t need to shoot the ball every single possession, like I can get a bucket and be aggressive too,” she added during the 2024 Big East Women’s Basketball Media Day.

She thinks it’s good to balance that. This comes after Auriemma discussed the pressure Bueckers is under this year in an NBC interview. “Paige is really under the gun this year because everyone’s expectations are so high,” she said. 

And rightly so; everyone expects her to perform at her peak. But she is a true fighter. Despite the challenges, like that knee injury that limited her to just 17 games in 2022 and then that ACL tear that took her out for an entire season, she made a solid comeback.

Since then, she has been averaging 20 points per game, shooting 53.2% from the field and 43.7% from beyond the arc. But what really makes Paige special is her humility and connection with her teammates. 

Paige Bueckers’ bond with her teammates

Paige has this unshakable bond with players and it’s that chemistry that might just be UConn’s secret weapon. Bueckers and Azzi Fudd have known each other since high school, back when they were both competing at USA Basketball camps.

At first, they didn’t get along, but in no time, they grew closer. The two of them often share videos on social media and share a sweet playful friendship. Also, the Huskies’ point guard has been a huge influence on newer players like KK Arnold and Morgan Cheli. Even Jana El Alfy, who couldn’t play last season due to a ruptured Achilles, has developed a strong connection with Paige off the court. 

Very recently, the entire team came together to celebrate her birthday, flooding their accounts with pictures and heartfelt messages. This bond will surely carry them through those tough moments in games and help them coordinate on the court. Let’s see how Paige Bueckers and Co. rise to the top!