UConn’s Paige Bueckers shares "worshipping" Maya Moore’s Minnesota Lynx dynasty that inspired her basketball career

Paige Bueckers is determined to lead the UConn Huskies to a championship in her fifth and final college season. Since arriving at Storrs in 2020, Bueckers has dealt with immense pressure, as fans awaited a star to take the Huskies back to their former glory.

Along with the pressure, Paige Bueckers also had to deal with injuries in her sophomore and junior years. In an interview with "Got Next with Meghan & Zora" on Tuesday, the UConn guard was asked how she deals with pressure. Bueckers cited the remarkable Minnesota Lynx career of former Huskies player Maya Moore Minnesota as her inspiration.

"Pressure is a privilege. I'm so blessed to be where I am. I was just the young kid looking up to the Minnesota Lynx dynasty and worshiping them," she said (6:05). "They were everything to me and so I try to be just a great role model and somebody for the younger generation to look up to.

Paige Bueckers said that she powers through the days when motivation is lacking, understanding how fleeting life can be.

"It's a blessing and I never want to take that for granted, 'cause I've seen it firsthand how quick it can be taken away from you," she said. "How quick you'll miss it and how quick you'll miss the bad day."

"I've just become so grateful for where I am every single day and just interpreting and framing things from bad to 'How can I turn the situation for good and it's not I have to do this, its I get to do this.'"

Paige Bueckers comments on the urgency of winning a championship

After the Huskies dominated with four consecutive championships during the Breanna Stewart era, they have faced challenges in replicating that level of success. Injuries and other setbacks played a part in their missed chances, but Paige Bueckers and her team have the tools to have a deep run this season.

The Huskies' run last year was derailed by injuries to key players, leading to an eventual exit in the Final Four. With this being Bueckers' final season with the Huskies, the expectations to win a national championship have reached an all-time high.

"I don't even think I could put into words what it would mean but, it would mean everything, obviously everything that I've been through," Paige said during Big East Media Day.

"Me coming back, a lot of my teammates coming back from injury — all the adversity all the hardships would definitely mean everything to cap it off."

After two opening victories, the Huskies will play against North Carolina next on Friday.

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