The UConn Huskies are poised to write another chapter in their storied basketball legacy as they prepare for their 13th national championship appearance. Paige Bueckers’s masterful performance against UCLA on April 4 drove Connecticut to the finals with an overwhelming 85-51 victory, where her 16 points helped dismantle the Bruins’s defense.
As the Huskies prepare for the finals, Bueckers steps into the spotlight again—but this time with her brother’s emotional message echoing in her heart.
Paige Bueckers’ Brother’s Heart-Touching Message
In a video going viral on social media, Buecker’s brother, Drew, can be heard congratulating her for making it to the Finals and reminding her of her journey.
“Hi Paige, It’s Drew! I just wanted to congratulate you on everything you did. Helping our family, making us proud, all the adversity y’all went through, and all of the ups and downs. You’re such a great role model to me ’cause you help people, you’re funny, you’re kin,d and you’re always there for others. I love you so much. Good luck in the championship game! We love you. Go Huskies,” said Drew through The Player’s Tribune.
Bueckers has always expressed a deep bond with her siblings. After her parents separated when she was just three, her family dynamic expanded—her half-brother Drew is from her father’s. At the same time, her mother has two children, Ryan and Lauren, from another relationship. Despite the split household, her dad and Drew were constant supporters, regularly attending her high school games and cheering her on from the stands.
Now, it can be said that this love might be the reason behind her excellence. From winning the Naismith Player of the Year as a freshman to leading her team through countless battles on the hardwood, she’s built a résumé few can match.
Now she prepares to face the ultimate showdown of this season, the championship game against Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, April 6. The 23-year-old will be playing for history, for her teammates, and for the people who believed in her long before the cameras arrived. However, Drew wasn’t the only one who spoke highly of Bueckers recently.
Geno Auriemma Had Nothing but High Praise for Bueckers
With the 2025 WNBA Draft fast approaching, Bueckers is in the final stretch of her legendary college career—and one last shot at bringing home a national title with UConn. As the Huskies prepare for their biggest game of the season, all eyes are on the 23-year-old star guard who has battled through pressure to reach this point.
Before the championship game, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, the man who’s coached Bueckers since day one, had nothing but praise for his superstar.
“The goal of every kid that comes to UConn is, ‘I want to walk off the court with the last game of my senior year being a national championship game, and we win that game.’ That’s not realistic, but it’s a great goal to have. And I think all the players like Paige, who have been in Paige’s shoes, have had their own personal journeys to get to this point, and they’ve invested a lot of themselves every day.”
“Paige has invested as much — if not more — of her personal self into our program, and into her game, and into the community than anyone that we’ve had. So, she deserves something like this. Only problem is, so do some of the South Carolina kids, but, yeah, it’d be bittersweet if Paige wins this national championship at UConn because that’s one less thing I can annoy her about,” said Auriemma to SiriusXM this weekend.
If Bueckers leads UConn to victory, it won’t just be a personal triumph—it’ll mark a historic 11th national title for Auriemma, further solidifying the program’s dynasty.