Expectations were high for the five-star recruit Paige Bueckers, and the rockstar freshman did not disappoint. She averaged 20 points, 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 46.4% from three-point range. The UConn freshman was by far the best in the country and she played a critical role in the Huskies’ run to their 13th straight Final Four. As a result of her on-court performance, Bueckers swept player of the year honors. She became the first freshman to win AP Player of the Year, ESPN Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year, the Nancy Lieberman Award, and the Wooden Award.
It’s no secret as to why Paige Bueckers was rated a five-star recruit out of high school. At Hopkins High School, she was named Minnesota Miss Basketball, Gatorade National Player of the Year, and a McDonald’s All-American. Bueckers was also a member of the Junior Team USA, where she helped America claim Gold Medals at the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup, 2018 FIBA U-17 World Cup, FIBA Americas 2017 U-16 Championship, and the 2018 Youth Olympics. The highly sought out recruit, Bueckers announced her commitment to UConn on April 1, 2019, and signed her letter of intent on November 13, 2019, after having turned down several offers from other schools that included powerhouses Notre Dame and South Carolina.
Bueckers’ amazing freshman season ended just short of a national title, with the Huskies winning a narrow game against Baylor in the Elite Eight, but hitting a wall against U of A in the Final Four, losing that game by ten points. The future is bright for Bueckers, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect her to lead the Huskies to a National Championship before her time at UConn expires.
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