A final season at UConn awaits their standout, Paige Bueckers. After taking the Huskies all the way to the Final Four, the 22-year-old will now look to finish the job this time around. However, while having a look at her journey, hardly anyone would argue that it wasn’t a challenging one. And, it had a lot to do with her absence from the court courtesy of some grueling injuries.

Reminiscing those painful phases of her life was the 2021 USBWA National Player of the Year on Sue Bird’s and Megan Rapinoe’s A Touch More. Relating to how an ACL tear proved career-ending for Aubrey Plaza, Bird asked Bueckers to reflect on her experience. To which she responded, “In high school, I never had really any major injuries. So, I kind of thought I was invincible. I thought it would never be me. But, it was multiple times unfortunately”. 

The 6-foot-guard got the first taste of such adversity in her sophomore campaign. After making a blistering start to her season, the game against Notre Dame in the first week of December 2021, she succumbed to a tibial plateau fracture along with a lateral meniscus tear. Nonetheless, Bueckers made her return and featured in a game against the Red Storm three months later. Following this, she would participate in the remaining 11 games.

Then, tragedy struck again the following August. In the hopes of having a first healthy season since her freshman heroics, the Nancy Lieberman Award winner faced another setback when she tore her ACL during pickup basketball at the Werth Champions Center. Subsequently, the Huskies made the announcement that a torn ligament in her knee would require her to miss the entire season.

Nonetheless, she fought her way back despite such glooming days. Sparing a thought or two on that, Bueckers further adds, “I feel like adversity builds character and it builds who you are. The way you respond to it shows a lot about you”. 

One thing that can be deducted from her recent comments is she is locked and loaded to end her college basketball career on a high.

Paige Bueckers looking to make her final dance at UConn special

Despite all the accolades, the one thing that had eluded the career of Paige Bueckers was a national championship. And, perhaps this is the reason why she dropped out of the 2024 WNBA drafts. And, on two such occasions, she has come within touching distance of conquering the ultimate dream for any college athlete.

The first one was in her injury-stricken sophomore season when the Huskies ended up being runners-up for the first time after losing to the Gamecocks. The exit from the Final Four stage against Iowa this 2024 marks the second such occasion for Bueckers. Now, with the help of exceptional talents such as the returning Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold, she aims to get the job done this time around.

An exciting season for UConn fans is ahead. The presence of the three stars surely terms them as a pre-tournament favorite. Will Paige Bueckers sign off her NCAA career in style? Only time will tell.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.