Paige Bueckers has been one of the top women’s basketball stars in the country since high school. She was named Gatorade Player of the Year there and committed to Geno Auriemma’s powerhouse at UConn.
At every level, she has been overloaded with media coverage. When she got to college, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling made her among the first major stars to profit off their name, image and likeness (NIL). Now as a pro, Bueckers arrives with expectations of being the “next Caitlin Clark,” or at least a fresh face to continue driving the WNBA’s explosive recent growth.
In a recent interview on the NILosophy podcast with Deja Kelly while looking back on her viral speech at the 2021 ESPYs encouraging more coverage of Black women in basketball, Bueckers opened up on why she feels that the media is “trying to isolate” star athletes — and how she combats that energy.
“I just feel like … the media is great, it’s their jobs to make headlines and get people to click in, tap in,” Bueckers said. “Rivalries are great, it gets people talking about our game. They cover our game and they give attention to your game, so you’ve gotta be grateful for them.
“But a lot of it too is, they’re trying to isolate you. And for me, it was like, it’s so easy to make everything about yourself. The media gives you a drink, and are you going to drink it, or are you going to share it with others?”
These feelings drove Bueckers to make her stand at the ESPYs and influences how she approaches her stardom today. The 2025 No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA has made a concerted effort to “glorify God” as part of her public platform and “spread light on others.” With her NIL efforts, Bueckers has tried to focus on giving back to the community.
And above all, she always tries to show appreciation and love for the team around her. When so much coverage is directed at her individually, Bueckers wants to make sure her fans realize the role her teammates, representatives, doctors and family play in her life.
“I didn’t get here by myself, and a lot of the awards are individual awards or something you’re acknowledged for or what you did personally,” Bueckers explained. “But my teammates, my friends, my family, the coaching staff, the athletic training staff, my doctors, my surgeons, the admin people … there’s so much that goes into an individual. Nobody does anything by themselves.”
Bueckers is sure to be one of the most popular athletes in the WNBA as long as she continues playing at a high level. But after five years in college, she already has absorbed lessons that will help her navigate that scrutiny in the pros.