“Unfortunately, this will not be my last Senior Night. I feel like God is still writing my story here. I’m just blessed to be a part of this program, and I never want it to end.” Last season, Paige Bueckers announced her decision to opt out of the WNBA draft on the Senior Night. The Gampel Pavilion erupted upon hearing this news. But a year later, the same story won’t be repeated.

The star guard is projected to be the number-one pick in the WNBA and the pressure to perform, win a national championship, and leave a legacy in the world of college basketball all loom large. Since UConn has been away from that feat since 2016, Paige is feeling the urgency, with which comes immense stress. However, she is not one to shy away from talking about it.

She recently revealed that she has been taking professional help, shedding light on how difficult it can be to manage the ebbs and flows of stardom. “He knows me extremely well and he has different ways of talking to me that help me alleviate that stress,” she said about her sports psychologist. However, apart from the professional help, it’s the quieter, consistent support of her family members that gets her through.

Especially her younger siblings who distract her from all the stress- Ryan, Bob, and Drew. For them, Paige is so much more than basketball, as Bob once rightly put it, “It has been surreal, but I think if she continues to stay true to herself, there are no boundaries for where she can go.” And this sense of normalcy that they bring to her otherwise popular life helps Paige a lot. They do not talk three-pointers with her, but probably about the new flavor of popsicles and that’s all an athlete wants once in a while. Reflecting on the same, she said, “They’re so disconnected, they don’t really talk basketball with me. They just are my little siblings..They just bring me a whole bunch of joy. They have this little kid joy about them.”

The best thing is that Paige’s family never let basketball become overwhelming for her. When she was young, her father often tried to introduce her to other sports, but she always ran towards the hoops. Also, during her high school years, while Paige was playing for Hopkins, she and her mother organized multiple basketball clinics and seminars for young players in Billings, Montana. This not only nurtured her love for basketball but also made sure that she knew the power of giving back.

Now, the 6-0 feet star is getting ready for her final March Madness tournament. Not a lot of time for the 23-year-old to compartmentalize every emotion during her journey. In a recent interview, she also alluded to the fact that she was “trying to cherish” the final weeks of her college career, despite the pressure. Anyhow, it is good to know that she has people she can turn to when she needs a good laugh or a good cry.

Paige Bueckers has no pressure from the title aspiration

The 5th-year senior is leading the Huskies in scoring and assists average with 18.6 and 5, respectively. Even on Senior night, she burst for a 19-point performance, shooting 7-of-11 from the field. That would help improve UConn’s record to 28-3 and unbeaten in the Big East. That evening was also more special since she was inducted into the Huskies of Honor program and became only the 23rd Husky to receive the recognition. Other most recent Huskies players to achieve this are Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou, who were each inducted during the 2019 season.

Two weeks ago, she iterated the fact that she was enjoying her last season. “I think it’s a really great time in women’s sports, women’s basketball. But I am where my feet are. And that’s at UConn, enjoying my last year of college basketball being student-athlete.” she said in a conversation with Isis ‘Ice’ Young from Yahoo Sports on YouTube. “So, I am just trying to enjoy that really. And I guess use my social media platform to promote things, I’m not there yet.”

The 23-year-old returned mainly to add a championship to her name. So, no doubt, there is pressure on Paige Bueckers, but with or without a championship she already has etched her name in record books and the Huskies fan base.