“I couldn’t pass it up”: Paige Bueckers once recalled her recruitment experience with UConn
Paige Bueckers will be playing her fifth and final season with the UConn Huskies, after which she is expected to declare for the 2025 WNBA draft where she is favored to be a first overall pick. Since the start of her basketball career at Hopkins, Bueckers was sure to not pass up on the opportunity to play for UConn.
In an interview with Ballislife in 2020, she summed up her recruiting process. Despite her desire to stay at home, she said that she could not let the opportunity to play for legendary head coach Geno Auriemma slip away.
“I couldn't pass it up. It was my dream school.” (8:54)
“It gets a little stressful at times but it’s really a blessing. I mean, kids would love to be in my shoes to pick any college you wanna go to but UConn was always my dream school.”
“And when they first started recruiting me I was like, ‘no way. This can't be real.’ Then I started building relationships and I built relationship with other schools but UConn just separated themselves.”
Auriemma wants UConn players to play alongside Bueckers rather than watch her be great
Bueckers will go down in UConn and college basketball history as one of the most talented hoopers in the modern era. Auriemma believes the same and is not worried about how she will play this year, but the 70-year-old realizes that the Huskies’ chances of winning a national championship title are not only based on her but on her teammates as well.
"Whenever you have a player that can do those things, it's a double-edged sword. I think there were times early in November last year, we watched Paige play a lot, instead of alongside her. So this year, I see it where we're trying really hard to play together, and not just watch Paige be great," Auriemma said to reporters Wednesday.
"I know that's what she's gonna be," he continued. "I certainly don't want a repeat of last year's Final Four game where Paige only had a normal game... and we came up short, 'cause we didn't have enough from other people."
Bueckers and UConn will face Boston University in their season opener Friday.