“Aw, that made my day”: When Paige Bueckers received an icy gift from her dad on her 18th birthday

Paige Bueckers wasted no time in showing her dominance in UConn's season opener. In her return to the court, she put up impressive numbers—13 points, seven assists, five steals, and a block. While describing her playing style as "swaggy”, Bueckers once gave an insight into her life as an athlete.

Back on November 15, 2019, Bueckers was featured on SLAM magazine’s YouTube channel. While giving a tour of her room and house to the host, she pondered upon the white balloons she had for her 18th birthday. She said:

“Oh. So it was just my 18th birthday on Sunday. I got some gifts."

Then, Bueckers shared a special story from her 18th birthday when her father gifted her a diamond cross necklace. She spoke fondly of the moment:

“Aw. That made my day. My peace is peace.”

Bueckers also made claims about the authenticity of diamonds while showing the memorable piece. She said:

"A cross necklace. It’s real diamonds, though.”

Paige Bueckers’ unmatched leadership is prepping her for the WNBA

As a leader on and off the court, Paige Bueckers has solidified her role with UConn and positioned herself as a future star in the WNBA. She is widely projected to be the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. In the game against South Florida on November 10, UConn clinched an 86-49 victory.

Bueckers came out strong, scoring 19 of her 22 points in the first half. Her performance helped them jump to a 43-25 lead at halftime.

This victory also marked UConn head coach Geno Auriemma’s 1,215th career win, just a win away from tying former Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer's college basketball record. After the win, she reflected on her mindset as a team leader.

"I'm just trying to set the tone with how hard I play," she said, as quoted by UConn on SNY.

"Trying to be disciplined... on offense and defense, take great shots, get the ball moving, get everybody involved. Make sure everybody is playing together," she continued.

At 23, Bueckers' dedication to teamwork makes her an invaluable player for UConn. With her likely to be the first overall pick, the stakes are high as the WNBA Draft lottery approaches. The Los Angeles Sparks and Dallas Wings are two teams vying for the coveted No. 1 pick, with the Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics also in the mix.

Dallas has a pick-swap agreement with Chicago, meaning they could move up if the Sky lands a higher selection.

Whichever team ends up with the No. 1 pick will have an opportunity to build its future around Bueckers. For now, she remains focused on her season at UConn, where the Huskies are 2-0 and looking forward to a championship run.

As South Florida prepares for their next game at home against Vanderbilt on Thursday, UConn will shift focus to face North Carolina on Friday in Greensboro, N.C.

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