If there’s one person who can relate to what JuJu Watkins is going through, it’s her rival Paige Bueckers. Watkins, a six-foot-two superstar from USC, sustained an ACL tear trying to split the lane against a double team by Mississippi State. Knee injuries are always tough to recover from, and no one knows it better than the UConn star. After her ACL tear in 2022-23, she had to miss an entire season just to get back to playing shape, and now she looks ready to offer some wisdom to Watkins.

Bueckers fielded some questions about the USC star’s injury in her latest media interactions. “You just empathise for her cause I’ve been in that position where you have this devastating injury. She had it at the time where it’s just the worst timing. You’re playing for a national championship, competing, so you just feel for her.” She said about Watkins and her predicament.

She went on to explain how she’s offering a hand to Watkins in this difficult situation. The pair has exchanged numbers, and Paige is looking forward to helping JuJu through any issues she might have!

Bueckers and Watkins have faced off in some of women’s college basketball’s most intense matches, including their nail-biter in Hartford this past December, where Watkins dropped 25 points to Bueckers’ 22. That rivalry-turned-friendship now takes on a new layer as Bueckers, who knows the grueling rehab process all too well, steps up to guide Watkins through her darkest moment.

That’s not the only breaking news, however, as Bueckers confirmed to ex-Husky Rebecca Lobo that she will be declaring for the WNBA draft this year! It is a surprising move, as some people thought the UConn star would either avail her last year of NCAA eligibility, or play in Unrivaled first. However, it seems like she has made up her mind! But it might be to her detriment, as the CBA negotiations are predicted to boost salaries up substantially after the next year. So any contract that she might end up getting will definitely be an undersell on her part!

Bueckers’ decision to enter the 2025 WNBA Draft, confirmed to ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo on March 28, 2025, comes at a curious crossroads for the league’s finances. Under the current CBA, the No. 1 pick—widely expected to be Bueckers—will sign a four-year deal starting at just $78,831 in 2025, quite a contrast to the lucrative NIL earnings she’s amassed at UConn, reportedly in the millions.

kuWith the WNBA poised for a salary explosion post-2025, fueled by a $2.2 billion media rights deal starting in 2026, some speculated she’d delay her pro debut—perhaps joining the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league—to land a richer rookie contract in 2026. Instead, Bueckers is leaping now, a move that might cost her financially but reflects her readiness to lead, both on the court and in supporting peers like Watkins through their own trials.

A lot of rumors floated around about how Bueckers wouldn’t declare this year because of Dallas having the first pick. According to these narratives, the UConn star wanted to go to the Sparks, who have the second pick. However, theixsports.com founder Howard Megdal set the record straight. In a recent tweet, he discussed how he only reported that Paige has not decided to go to Dallas yet, and has had no contact with the Wings. But what does the Wings front office have to say about this year’s draft? Let’s find out!

Curt Miller clears the air amidst Paige Bueckers drama

We’ve all heard the rumors–Paige Bueckers doesn’t want to go to Dallas. There has been no official confirmation or denial of this, and there probably won’t be! But the grapevine has been active, and it has the Dallas front office scrambling to set the record straight.

Curt Miller, the general manager of the Dallas Wings, expressed only positivity at the thought of drafting the superstar. “How about them apples for the first pick?” He recently said, showing that he’s excited to draft Bueckers. And while the rumor mill has the UConn star wanting to go to LA, Miller clarified that no such conversations have popped up.

“We have not heard anything directly that any person eligible for this draft would not want to play in Dallas.” He said. The Wings GM brought to light that the top picks in this year’s draft are quite excited to come to Dallas and team up with Arike Ogunbowale.

No one knows where Paige Bueckers will end up this year, but that’s not the focus right now. The spotlight is on her Sweet Sixteen matchup with Oklahoma, and UConn’s final push with Bueckers at the helm. Will they win a national championship? Only time will tell.