All Things Paige Bueckers Recruitment Thread - Videos, Analysis, Tid-Bits, Articles

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Years ago, Epiphany Prince skipped her senior year at Rutgers to play pro ball in Europe before she became eligible for the WNBA.

 

[gopher572]

So you answered my question while I was posting it-thanks. So realistically Paige could leave the US and play professionally for a few years, where I hear they make more money then the WNBA, come back at 22 or 3 years from now to play. Meanwhile WNBA loses a good marketing player and we can’t enjoy watching her play, seems stupid to me.

That's right. She could do that. It is not likely to happen on a regular basis. The example of Epiphany Prince was pointed out. What is different with the current attention on it, is the acknowledgement that women's players should have the same option as the men. Of course, the money is different and most women seem to want to get their degree(s). And from a fan's perspective, that is part of the reason why the women's game is appealing to follow. You get to watch them develop over four (or in the case of Ali Patberg - seven ) years.

 

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

That's right. She could do that. It is not likely to happen on a regular basis. The example of Epiphany Prince was pointed out. What is different with the current attention on it, is the acknowledgement that women's players should have the same option as the men. Of course, the money is different and most women seem to want to get their degree(s). And from a fan's perspective, that is part of the reason why the women's game is appealing to follow. You get to watch them develop over four (or in the case of Ali Patberg - seven ) years.

The difference with Paige is that the NCAA is still trying to figure out N & I stuff, so she is missing out on that. She already has enough followers on Instagram (682K as of 3/25) & TikTok (226K) to make a pretty penny if it wasn't for the NCAA.

 

[Shades]

 

[PhiloVance]

They can play outside the U.S. as a pro. But they can't in the WNBA. U.S. players have to be turning 22 that calendar year or be four years out of high school.

So Scruggs can cash in Paige can't doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[xxxdog]

We all know Bueckers is a great player who rejected playing for Lindsay Whalen & the Gophers, yet, we will always wish her continued success...My problem is with the local media who devote overwhelming press to U-Conn basketball and a Minnesota developed player who had zero interest playing in her home state. We can only hope there is another true state hero like Lindsay Whalen, a young lady, truly proud to wear the Maroon & Gold.....

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

UConn women's star Bueckers has ankle surgery

UConn women's basketball guard Paige Bueckers, who won all but one of the national player of the year awards as a freshman this past season, had surgery on her right ankle, the school announced Saturday.

www.espn.com

Bueckers has right ankle surgery:

UConn women's basketball guard Paige Bueckers, who won all but one of the national player of the year awards as a freshman this past season, had surgery on her right ankle, the school announced Saturday.

The procedure, which took place Friday, was to repair an osteochondral defect on her right ankle. Bueckers is expected to be ready for preseason workouts in September. Osteochondral defects are described as joint damage involving the bone and cartilage.

After rolling her right ankle against Tennessee on Jan. 21, Bueckers missed her only game of the season on Jan. 23 vs. Georgetown. She returned to the lineup on Jan. 28 vs. Arkansas. A UConn spokeswoman said the ankle issue was pre-existing even before the Tennessee game.

Bueckers led UConn in scoring (20.0 PPG), assists (5.8 APG), steals (2.3 SPG) and minutes played (36.2) this past season. She won the Naismith, Wooden, AP, espnW and USBWA player of the year awards for the Huskies, who finished 28-2 and lost in the national semifinals to Arizona. Freshman are not eligible to win the other major award, the Wade Trophy.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Auriemma: Hard to find minutes on loaded UConn

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said this might be the deepest squad he has had in years and that competition for the top eight or nine spots will be "intense."

www.espn.com

And reigning national player of the year, Paige Bueckers had surgery on her ankle over the summer, which sidelined her for most of the off-season. She still found some time to hit the weights, and put more strength on her frame.

"Please don't ask her how strong she is or how much bigger she is," Auriemma said. "She'll start showing you her muscles.

"People don't realize how hard she works. She might work harder than anybody on the team. Lot of people out there think that she's just this cocky kid and talented. You roll the ball out there and she's good. That kid works harder than anybody on the team. At everything."

 

[hugo613]

Hello friends am new here so sorry if I didn't get a chance to reply, but this was one good read and my sentiments agreed with most of you. She took the easy route and not only that, she doing the same by trying to just hog every top recruit to UConn. Thankfully they struckout many times this 2022 class including KIki going to Ucla. That is a player I will always have respect for because she could have easily joined that "superteam" they are trying to build and she didn't, she went to UCLA and now look at them. They have the #1 recruiting class. All it takes is the right hc, idk if it's Whalen but just need that head coach that has that it factor to get players to come here. Sad though to see homegrown talent like Holgrem and Suggs just go to a conference that nobody cares about and try to win a cheap ntl title, but just like Suggs, Holgrem will fail because they play no real competiton.

 

[bonin21]

She signed a deal with Stockx but of course terms unreleased

 

[hugo613]

She signed a deal with Stockx but of course terms unreleased

yea not surprised, judging by her offseason she definitely was more interested in being famous or talked about on social media than basketball. Don't expect anything like last season to happen when it comes to her play.

 

[adchester]

yea not surprised, judging by her offseason she definitely was more interested in being famous or talked about on social media than basketball. Don't expect anything like last season to happen when it comes to her play.

Highly doubtful and sour grapes from you. She will likely again be one of if not the best player in the country. She could not play a minute of basketball in the off-season and that would still be true, she's just that much better than the vast majority of college players.

 

[LakevilleBro]

yea not surprised, judging by her offseason she definitely was more interested in being famous or talked about on social media than basketball. Don't expect anything like last season to happen when it comes to her play.

She was hurt late in the season, and had surgery in the off-season. U Conn will be better this year, and Paige will still be on the All American 1st team. I would not bet against her.

 

[nc2mn]

yea not surprised, judging by her offseason she definitely was more interested in being famous or talked about on social media than basketball. Don't expect anything like last season to happen when it comes to her play.

I’d say 34 points plus a handful of rebounds and assists is a pretty good start on repeating as national POY, wouldn’t you? Let’s see how she does against the Gophers this weekend.

 

[hugo613]

I’d say 34 points plus a handful of rebounds and assists is a pretty good start on repeating as national POY, wouldn’t you? Let’s see how she does against the Gophers this weekend.

I know she's going to statpad vs bad teams. She plays in the Big East.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

UConn's Paige Bueckers signs another major NIL deal, joins Gatorade

The sophomore picked up her second major NIL deal after signing with StockX earlier this month.

sports.yahoo.com

Standout University of Connecticut sophomore Paige Bueckers signed her second major endorsement deal since the new name, image, and likeness rule went into effect at the end of July. Bueckers signed with Gatorade, the first college athlete it has signed. She was named the Gatorade Girls Player of the Year her senior year in high school.

“It was a blessing to win Gatorade Player of the Year, and now it’s truly surreal to be an official member of the Gatorade family,” Bueckers said through a release. “I know this is just the beginning of our partnership and can’t wait to get to work with Gatorade to drive impact in the community and on the women’s game.”

As part of their multiyear partnership, Bueckers and Gatorade will work together to drive impact on the women’s game. Bueckers joins a Gatorade athlete roster that is stacked with other elite women athletes, including Serena Williams, Sydney McLaughlin and Elena Delle Donne, as well as some of the best men's generational talent, including Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Trevor Lawrence.

"Paige exemplifies everything it means to be a Gatorade athlete, and partnering with her is a statement to the next generation of our continued commitment to women in sport,” added Jeff Kearney, Global Head of Sports Marketing at Gatorade.

 

[GringaGopher]

Bueckers went down with an ankle/foot ? injury today against ND.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Bueckers went down with an ankle/foot ? injury today against ND.

UConn awaits Bueckers word after star hurt late

Paige Bueckers suffered a left knee injury with less than a minute to go in UConn's runaway win over Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon.

www.espn.com

The No. 2 UConn women's basketball team beat rival Notre Dame 73-54 on Sunday afternoon, but the win might have come with a hefty price tag.

Reigning national player of the year Paige Bueckers suffered a left knee injury in the waning moments of Sunday's victory. She will get an MRI in the coming days.

With under a minute left in the game, the sophomore star collapsed to the floor in obvious pain and had to be carried to the bench by two teammates

"You immediately put yourself in that kid's shoes," Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said. "That's the part that really hits you in the pit of your stomach. Initial report is that she might have hyperextended it, but I think the first thing that goes through your mind is the worst thing."

Bueckers led the Huskies in scoring with 22 points on the day. She also added four rebounds, four assists and five steals. Until she was injured, Bueckers had played every minute of the game. When asked why she was still on the floor even with Connecticut having a large lead, Auriemma was candid.

"I don't have an answer for why she was in the game," Auriemma said. "But yeah, I don't like our team without her on the court."

 

[GringaGopher]

Thanks for the injury update. She was dribbling and went down without any contact .

 

[Spaulding!No!]

It seems like mn creates the nations top bballers. Chet, Suggs and Paige. What coulda been for minn basketball but we monson’d up everything

 

[tripledouble]

Saw the replay. Definitely a freak injury. Hope it's not a season-ending injury, as she is good for college basketball. Geno has had to field some questions as to why she was on the floor with less than a minute to go in a game that UConn had a large lead. He acknowledged that in his presser after the game.

 

[gwbbfan82]

Fracture of the tibial plateau. Out 6 - 8 weeks.

 

[rowdaboat]

Geno really screwed himself with comments that he doesn't like the team without her on the court. That's on his recruiting if he doesn't have someone that can play PG in garbage time

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Geno really screwed himself with comments that he doesn't like the team without her on the court. That's on his recruiting if he doesn't have someone that can play PG in garbage time

I'm pretty sure Geno dislikes the concept of garbage time.

 

[rowdaboat]

I'm pretty sure Geno dislikes the concept of garbage time.

All NBA coaches would agree that 19 points minute left is garbage time

 

[rowdaboat]

Reddit comment:

Former Orthopedic nurse, now physical rehab, here: this is not a good injury at all despite being better than a ligament injury, clearly. The tibial plateau is right under your knee cap, and directly involved in the stability of several tendons. Depending on the severity of her fracture it’s possible that the entire plateau broke off the tibia as well, which is called a displaced fracture.

The treatment is generally no surgery but it’s full (typically more like 8-12 weeks) non-weight bearing on that leg depending on progress and her personal recovery time (note: it’s usually a 3-4 month recovery time so even 6-8 weeks seems very optimistic). She’ll be wearing a knee immobilizer as well the entire time to prevent her from bending her knee while the bones re-knit in place. She’ll definitely not be in game shape for a while even after her recovery as she won’t be able to do exercise that leg at all essentially.

 

[rowdaboat]

Geno was right they're awful without paige. Lots of other injuries too

 

[whalenfan]

Geno was right they're awful without paige. Lots of other injuries too

Even with 4 players out there are 8 other 5 stars on his roster along with a 1st team all big ten transfer. Most coaches would love to have those problems.

 

[rowdaboat]

Even with 4 players out there are 8 other 5 stars on his roster along with a 1st team all big ten transfer. Most coaches would love to have those problems.

They scored 1 pt for an over 10 minute stretch

 

[GringaGopher]

Even with 4 players out there are 8 other 5 stars on his roster along with a 1st team all big ten transfer. Most coaches would love to have those problems.

Exactly. Many teams with a lot less talent adapt to injuries. I'm sure they will improve but have zero sympathy for Geno.