Paige Bueckers was once scheduled to workout with late NBA star Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi before committing to UConn

Paige Bueckers idolized the legendary Kobe Bryant growing up and nearly had a chance to work out with him before kicking off her college career at UConn.

Four years ago, Bueckers welcomed a host from Ballislife to her home in Minnesota, where she shared a glimpse into her admiration for Kobe and his daughter Gianna. She explained how she was scheduled to work out with Bryant and Gianna before joining the UConn Huskies.

Displaying her custom shoes during the 'Day in the Life' segment, Bueckers explained how she honored their legacy in her unique way.

“I had my customs on off, and it was just sick. Rockin’ the UConn. Gang, gang,” she said. “That’s Long Live Gigi, number two, and then Long Live Kobe Bryant, and then the other people that were affected by the crash I put on the inside.”

Asked if she ever got a chance to meet the Bryants later, she said: “No, I was going to work out with them this summer, and I knew they really liked UConn, so I was hoping to build a relationship with them.”

Bryant and his daughter were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California in January 2020.

Paige Bueckers honors Kobe Bryant’s legacy with every step of her journey

For Bueckers, the path back to the court was far from easy. A series of injuries—including a tibial plateau fracture as a sophomore and a torn ACL in her junior year—kept her on the sidelines.

During this period of rehabilitation, she found motivation in Kobe’s 2018 book, 'The Mamba Mentality'. Bueckers read about how Kobe faced his injury setbacks, viewing them not as barriers but as opportunities to overcome doubts and prove critics wrong. This resonated with Bueckers, who began channeling Kobe’s mindset.

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“When this injury first happened, I thought a lot about Kobe,” she shared with ESPN. “I read *The Mamba Mentality* book and how he looked at his injury as another way to prove people wrong.”

On the other hand, Bueckers also found strength in the stories of other athletes who faced similar obstacles. Reflecting on her teammates and other professional players, she said:

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“A lot of my teammates have gone through ACL injuries, have gone through major injuries. I watched in the WNBA, in the NBA, in the NFL, people coming back from ACL injuries. Klay Thompson came back from two major injuries to win an NBA championship.”

Bueckers paid tribute to Kobe and Gianna by wearing a T-shirt reading, 'When you think you can’t, UConn,' before her first game back. The T-shirt symbolized the connection she felt with Gigi.

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife, and Gigi’s mother, arranged with Nike to provide Bueckers and the entire UConn team with exclusive Kobe 8 sneakers ahead of their Sweet 16 appearance. Iowa and LSU also received the shoes as a symbol of Kobe and Gigi’s lasting influence on women’s basketball.

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