Diehard Paige Bueckers fans don’t have to go back too far to find out how good the UConn Huskies and eventual No. 1 overall selection Dallas Wings knew she could be.<\/p>\n
Because it all started during Bueckers’ high school playing career, where she was a standout at Hopkins, something those in the know knew she could become before long.<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Star Tribune recently chronicled Bueckers’ journey in a Christmas special edition of players who came from the state, as Bueckers received a not-surprising “Mount Rushmore” description.<\/p>\n
Below is a portion excerpt from Marcus Fuller on Bueckers, who was certainly spot on in his assessment of Bueckers’ rise to fame.<\/p>\n
“NCAA player of the year,” Fuller wrote. “National champion. WNBA rookie of the year. Women\u2019s sports cultural icon. There are many different ways to describe Bueckers\u2019 impact and influence on the game. And that\u2019s with a pro career, showing so much potential, only at the beginning.”<\/p>\n
As Fuller describes later, though, Bueckers’ dominance began in her home state, which carried over into high school prep. Her accomplishments, in a nutshell, are mind-blowing.<\/p>\n
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Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers looks on during the second quarter between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie’s Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images \/ Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers inks ‘dream collab’ with recognizable toy brand<\/a><\/p>\n In so many words, too, it’s no wonder the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team had immense interest.<\/p>\n “She finished her prep career on a 62-game winning streak, including 30-0 as a senior before the 2020 state final was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Fuller added. “She\u2019s arguably the most influential basketball player from Minnesota since Lindsay Whalen.”<\/p>\n With today’s preps landscape, it’s challenging to find players who will remain loyal to programs instead of just playing for certain coaches. Bueckers maintained her team’s standard of excellence while beginning to build her identity as a household name.<\/p>\n “The fact that it is so cold there, people who play basketball are inside the gym all of the time working on their craft and getting better,” Bueckers told USA Today’s “For The Win.” <\/a>“I think it\u2019s an escape from the cold just to be able to play. I think the \u201cMinnesota Nice\u201d phrase comes to mind. People from Minnesota have a chip on their shoulder just because they\u2019re not expected to be good basketball players. We all have this toughness about us.”<\/p>\n Whether Bueckers eventually departs Dallas one day to play for the Minnesota Lynx is only a pipedream at present, it’s clear Bueckers has a liking to her hometown as where her career officially began.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Final WNBA Mock Draft of 2025 has Dallas Wings looking internationally<\/a><\/p>\n