For nearly four years, Paige Bueckers has been the face of the UConn Huskies and arguably all of NCAA women’s college basketball. A former AP Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year, and John R. Wooden Award winner, “Paige Buckets” is already one of the most accomplished players in NCAA history.
Paige Bueckers’ Storied Career at UConn
As the 2024-25 college basketball season nears its end, the question on everyone’s mind is: Will this be Bueckers’ last ride with the Huskies?
The reigning Big East Player of the Year and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft has made her stance clear.
“Yeah, that’s the plan,” she said when asked if she intends to declare for the WNBA.
Despite declaring her intention to go pro, Bueckers also left just enough room for doubt, reminding everyone, “I’ve learned not to speak on the future; you never know what could happen.”
Bueckers burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2020-21, earning national recognition as the first freshman ever to win AP Player of the Year. Since then, she has cemented herself as one of the greatest Huskies of all time despite battling injuries that sidelined her through most of the 2021-22 season.
This season, Bueckers has returned to elite form, averaging 18.6 points per game on an efficient 53.4% from the field and 40.8% from deep, all while leading the Big East in assists (5.0 per game).
She has also delivered in clutch moments, including a standout performance at the Baha Mar Women’s Championship, where she averaged 26 points, five assists, and two steals per game en route to the tournament title. On Senior Day, she became the 23rd player inducted into the Huskies of Honor program, further solidifying her legacy.
Paige Bueckers was inducted into the Huskies of Honor on Senior Day 🥹#NCAAWBB x 🎥 FS1 / @UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/qWcPjAuh8r
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB)
With March Madness on the horizon, Bueckers has one more chance to chase the elusive national championship that has so far evaded her. If she wins it all, that could be the perfect send-off. But if she falls short, that’s where things get interesting.
3 Factors That Could Sway Bueckers’ Decision
At face value, Bueckers’ decision seems straightforward. She’s done everything at UConn, she’s healthy, and she’s projected to go No. 1 in the WNBA Draft.
Yet, a few factors could complicate things.
The WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Situation
There’s a chance that Bueckers could delay the WNBA due to the upcoming CBA negotiations. If she joins in 2025, she’d be stuck with the current rookie salary, missing out on potentially more money with the new CBA in 2026. With current NIL deals still paying top-tier players quite handsomely, staying one more year could make business sense.
The Dallas Wings Factor
The Dallas Wings haven’t won a WNBA Championship or conference title since 2008 and are clearly in rebuild mode. Like Eli Manning in 2004, Bueckers could refuse to get drafted to Dallas and choose to stay another year to enter the WNBA under a different draft scenario if she had her sights set on playing for an immediate championship contender.
Desire for a National Championship
Despite all of her accolades, Bueckers has yet to win a national championship. That missing piece could be a driving force behind a possible return. If UConn falls short again in the NCAA Tournament, the itch to finish the job might be enough to keep her in Storrs for one more season.
With less than two months remaining in her UConn career, the clock is ticking for Bueckers. For now, the focus remains on March Madness. If she can deliver a national championship to UConn, it might just provide the storybook ending that makes her decision that much easier.
