You don’t need to be a sports fan to have heard of Paige Bueckers. The current Dallas Wings point guard, recently named 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year, has already built a reputation that stretches well beyond the court.
From the former number one high school recruit to national champion, Paige Bueckers is a name you need to know. While Bueckers’ clutch scoring in and out of the paint is notorious, it’s who she is off the court that has solidified her spot on the map.
At the University of Connecticut, talent has always been the standard when it comes to basketball. With the women’s basketball program’s 12 national championships under head coach Geno Auriemma, Bueckers entered a dominant dynasty with expectations few 18-year-olds could handle. Yet from her very first season in Storrs, Connecticut, she wasn’t just part of the system: Bueckers was the system.
Freshman year, Bueckers landed multiple awards, including becoming the first freshman in program history to earn AP Player of the Year. Over the next few seasons, she continued to dominate despite a torn ACL that sidelined her for the entire 2022–23 season.
From the injury, Bueckers returned stronger, guiding the Huskies to a national championship in 2024, while amassing numerous accolades, including multiple All-American selections, conference Player of the Year awards and recognition as one of the top college players in the country. Beyond the stats, Bueckers’ court vision, leadership and ability to perform in clutch moments solidified her legacy as one of the most decorated and influential players in UConn women’s basketball history.
Once she declared for the WNBA draft, Bueckers’ impact had already expanded far beyond the court. Drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings in 2025, she immediately lived up to the hype, earning Rookie of the Year while dazzling fans with her skill. Bueckers is extremely skilled on the court, and the social presence she’s cultivated outside of the court is just as impressive.
Bueckers has emerged as one of the most prominent figures of the Name, Image and Likeness era in sports. Bueckers has signed with brands such as Intuit, Chegg, DoorDash and Wings Stop. Those NIL deals have offered Bueckers the ability to dip her toes into the commercial world. It was her historic partnerships with Nike and Gatorade which elevated her to a different tier of cultural relevance.
In 2024, she became the first college basketball player to release her own signature NikeNikesneaker, the Paige Bueckers G.T. Hustle 3.
While NIL deals have helped promote Bueckers’ brand, her social media presence has amplified her reach. With 2.9 million followers on Instagram and 3.9 million on TikTok, she has gone viral on multiple occasions, inspiring her massive following to create cordial (and non-cordial) videos that have circulated across platforms.
One of her most talked-about moments, though, was not even from her own account. Posted on the TikTok account, “WAGTalk,” Bueckers was quizzed on the 2025 WNBA All-Star carpet about her former teammate and the 2024 Most Outstanding Player, Azzi Fudd.
The relationship announcement was unexpected, but not entirely surprising, as the two have known each other for years, from playing together on the USA U16 team to their time at UConn. While Fudd still has another year to go with UConn, her consistent support for Bueckers has turned their friendship and relationship into a celebrated moment of visibility within women’s sports and the LGBTQ+ community.
Beyond her social presence, Bueckers has carved out a place as a style icon, redefining what it means for athletes to influence fashion off the court. Her WNBA tunnel entrances have become must-watch moments, blending sporty-preppy staples with streetwear flair, earning her coverage in “Vogue” and “Harper’s Bazaar.”
She even made waves at the 2024 New York Fashion Week, proving her influence extends from arenas to runways. It also proved athletes can seamlessly cross over into the world of high fashion. Bueckers’ own style, along with a recent partnership between Coach and the WNBA, has helped elevate not only her fashion but also the league as a whole.
Known to be very open about her faith, Bueckers has instilled a sense of humility in both her personal and professional life. Often speaking about how prayer and reflection guide her through challenges, injuries and the pressures of being in the spotlight.
Beyond her personal practices, Bueckers channels her faith into action through the “Paige Bueckers Foundation,” which focuses on creating opportunities and promoting justice across sport, creative, economic and food and wellness initiatives.
While basketball, faith and her foundation have helped shape Paige Bueckers into the woman she is today, she remains grounded by the support of her family, consistently drawing strength and guidance from them, particularly her half-brother, Drew, who is biracial.
In her 2021 ESPY awards speech, Bueckers highlighted the disproportionate attention she receives as a white athlete compared to her Black peers, noting that “...they don’t get the media coverage that they deserve.”
She has since used her platform to spotlight gender and racial disparities in sports media coverage, openly celebrating and honoring the Black women who paved the way for the league.
Through her foundation and advocacy, Bueckers emphasizes that representation matters, particularly for youths. She balances her humility alongside the widespread attention she receives daily.
Paige Bueckers is, without a doubt, a cultural figure whose impact extends far beyond basketball and whose story is only just beginning.
