"Never taking things for granted": Paige Bueckers shares biggest lessons from her frequent injuries in basketball career

UConn standout Paige Bueckers has encountered several challenges during her basketball career, facing various injuries that have kept her off the court for extended periods. She sat out most of her sophomore year due to a knee issue and was sidelined for her junior season because of an ACL tear.

Bueckers appeared as a special guest on the "A Touch More" podcast during the WNBA All-Star Weekend in July. During the podcast, she shared insights into her journey with hosts Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. The accomplished WNBA champion Bird inquired about the lessons Bueckers has gained from overcoming her injury setbacks.

"Definitely a mental journey. In high school, I never had really any major injuries, so I kind of thought I was invincible, and I thought it would never be me, but it was, multiple times, unfortunately," Bueckers said.

"It was just like a mental journey, I grew a lot in my faith, my appreciation of life, like never taking things for granted and just enjoying the game, enjoying the process. I feel like adversity builds character and it builds who you are, and the way you respond to it shows a lot about you, and just wanting to be an inspiration, I know ACL injuries can be devastating."

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After hearing Bueckers' misfortunes, Bird recalled her own injury challenges she faced.

"We're in the club, we're in the club, three of them," Bird said.

After sitting out the 2022-23 season due to an ACL tear in her knee, Paige Bueckers received medical clearance to resume full basketball activities in August 2023.

Paige Bueckers working hard to stay at the top during offseason

Paige Bueckers, a 6-foot guard, has been working hard this offseason ahead of her final college basketball season. Her Instagram posts are also filled with snaps from her workouts and rigorous training sessions.

Despite achieving every success at an individual level, Bueckers has yet to lift the NCAA national trophy. She talked about her motivation during an appearance on the "This is Winning Basketball" show.

"I know I'm not at the top, at the peak of my performance," Bueckers said. "I'm not anywhere where I wanna be. So. I'm always motivated by that, always motivated by wanting to win. I haven't won a national championship. So. I'm trying to get there. I'm tryna work for it."

Paige Bueckers, a projected top pick for the 2025 WNBA draft, led the Huskies to a Final Four appearance in the 2023-24 season. She maintained an average of 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.