A fresh note from Storrs, Connecticut: Paige Bueckers is back on the UConn hardwood, practicing alongside her longtime Huskies teammates. It’s a pivotal week for the program, which just steamrolled DePaul 102-35 on Sunday and now eyes a high-profile showdown with USC this Saturday. Against this backdrop, nothing stirs the competitive spirit like facing one of the WNBA’s all-time greats in action.
Bueckers’ recent run has been nothing short of extraordinary. In a span of roughly six months, she captured a national championship, earned a starting nod in the WNBA All-Star Game, claimed WNBA Rookie of the Year, and landed a spot on the All-WNBA Second Team. Now, she returns to Storrs, lending her presence to the team she helped guide to that memorable title run.
Azzi Fudd, Bueckers’ partner and current UConn teammate, weighed in on the comeback. “For players who shared the court with them, that bittersweet feeling is real. We miss having Paige around, but there’s simply more energy and challenge with her back in the fold. It makes our red-team practices that much more competitive and brings new angles to study.”
When a program loses a future Hall of Famer who then thrives at the pro level, an adjustment period is natural. UConn has met that test so far, opening the season 9-0 with only one game decided by fewer than 12 points. Fudd believes the transition is progressing smoothly.
“We’ve done a solid job adapting. It isn’t about one person filling Paige’s role; it takes everyone stepping up. Paige filled so many roles—scoring, rebounding, vision, leadership—and the group has responded well. If we stay focused and continue to improve, we’ll keep moving forward without Paige as the anchor,” Fudd said.
In her final UConn season, Bueckers posted averages of 19.9 points, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, guiding the Huskies to their first national title since 2016 after a long title drought. Her pro debut with the Dallas Wings mirrored those numbers—about 19 points per game, around five assists, and a bit more than three rebounds—but the Wings’ overall performance lagged behind UConn’s historic stride. Now in her second WNBA season, the focus is on translating that star power into a broader team impact.
For ongoing coverage of the Wings and related WNBA news, stay tuned to WingsGameday for in-depth updates throughout the offseason.
