UConn star Paige Bueckers could have declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft, but decided to return to college.
Bueckers didn't keep anyone guessing. In front of a packed crowd for Senior Night at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, the UConn star announced that the 2023-24 season would not be her last in a Huskies uniform.
"I can't put into words what this program has meant to me. ... Everybody wants me to address the elephant in the room. Unfortunately, this will not be my last senior night here at UConn," she said with a big smile.
Bueckers was destined for stardom after earning Player of the Year honors and leading UConn to the Final Four as a freshman. Injuries derailed her college career after her first season.
Bueckers suffered a tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear as a sophomore, sidelining her for the majority of the year. She returned for the end of the regular season, Big East Tournament and March Madness, helping the Huskies reach the national championship game.
Going into her junior season, she tore her ACL. That injury kept her out the entire year, and she didn't return until this past season. Playing in just 17 games over her sophomore and junior seasons, it makes sense that Bueckers felt she could get more out of her time in college.
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Now, she will return to UConn with aspirations of leading the Huskies to a national title with her sights set on the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
Paige Bueckers 2023-24 stats
| Stat | Average |
| Points | 21.9 |
| Rebounds | 5.2 |
| Assists | 3.8 |
| Steals | 2.2 |
| Blocks | 1.4 |
| Field goal % | 53.0 |
| 3-point % | 41.6 |
| Free throw % | 83.4 |
Paige Bueckers scouting report
Paige Bueckers strengths
Bueckers is a cerebral playmaker, efficient three-level scorer and fierce competitor. She plays with an attitude and toughness that enhances her game as a two-way player.
On offense, Bueckers is a true combo guard. She's a confident ball-handler who can attack off the dribble and break down defenses in the pick-and-roll. She's a patient and unselfish passer, always looking to make the right play instead of forcing a bad shot. She has never shot below 52 percent from the field in a season — an impressive mark for any college player.
She has a high feel for the game with great court vision, rarely turning the ball over. Bueckers has 385 assists to just 162 turnovers in her college career so far.
Off the ball, she's a sharpshooter with a quick release, knocking down 42.5 percent of her 3s to this point. She's lethal off the catch and has impressive range.
On the other end, Bueckers is a defensive playmaker. She has a nose for the ball with exceptional anticipation and quick hands to come up with steals. Her activity and positioning also led to a career-best 1.4 blocks per game this past season.
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Paige Bueckers weaknesses
There aren't many glaring weaknesses in Bueckers' game.
She might not be a 30-point-per-game scorer, but she will give you an efficient 20 points. The next step to becoming that true No. 1 scoring option is developing as a shot creator, but she has already shown flashes of that.
Bueckers mostly played the two this past season, so her assists per game went down, but it is clear the passing ability and court vision are there when she has the ball in her hands.
She has soft touch around the rim, but she could be stronger on drives. The same goes for the defensive end, where her IQ and active hands boost her counting stats, but she could be more disruptive as an on-ball defender as she adds muscle.
Bueckers should be very close to a complete prospect by the time she finishes her fourth and final season at UConn next year.
Paige Bueckers 2025 WNBA Mock Draft projection
Mock Draft projection: No. 1 pick
Bueckers is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
The UConn star was a projected top-three pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft before she announced her decision to return to college. Her patience should reward her with an even higher selection.
It is clear that Bueckers has No. 1 overall pick-level talent. She just has to prove she can stay healthy for another full season for a WNBA team to feel comfortable investing that draft capital in her.
