"Congrats beautiful": Flau'jae Johnson's mom Kia gets hyped over Paige Bueckers' appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show

Modified Apr 11, 2025 10:46 GMT

NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Championship - Source: Imagn — Flau'jae Johnson's mom Kia gets hyped over Paige Bueckers' appearance on The Jimmy Fallon Show - Source: Imagn

UConn superstar Paige Bueckers continues to soak in the spotlight following her NCAA championship win over South Carolina earlier this week. Bueckers is roaming around, gathering all the attention that comes with being the next thing in women's basketball.

On Thursday, Bueckers cut throught the monologue on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It caught the attention of LSU guard and rapper Flau’jae Johnson's mother Kia Brooks.

Kia posted a video of Bueckers on Instagram, where the Huskies stars walked out on stage and proudly held the NCAA trophy. She wore rocking camo pants and a casual plaid top for her appearance. Kia captioned her post:

"THE @fallontonight show!! That’s my kind of carrying on. ... Congrats beautiful"

On Monday, Bueckers will likely be picked by the Dallas Wings as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Paige Bueckers reflects on NCAA triumph before WNBA draft

It has been six years since Paige Bueckers visited Tampa as a junior in high school, attending the 2019 Final Four for USA Basketball. Little did she knew that she would leave the Storrs as a national champion in her final season before turning professional.

Bueckers journey to national title has been a roller coaster ride. Under coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies were always a threat to win the national title, but the inevitable was derailed due to injuries.

Bueckers missed the second half of the sophomore season and her junior year after tearing her ACL in the summer of 2022. And it's not like the 2024-25 season marked the first time she appeared in Final Four. She was here three times but fell short every time.

However, Bueckers saved the best for the NCAA Finals against the South Carolina Gamecocks, leading the Huskies to a 82-59 victory, contributing 17 points and eight rebounds.

"You recognize the things that you've overcome to get to this point, and you feel like it's all been worth it," Bueckers said (via ESPN).

"Just an overwhelming sense of gratitude for everything that's happened through the ups and downs. I wouldn't trade it for the world. And to be rewarded with something like this, you can't really even put it into words."

Paige Bueckers leaves college basketball with several accolades, including three-time Big East Player of the Year (2021, 2024, 2025), three-time Big East tournament MOP (2021, 2024, 2025) and AP Player of the Year (2021). She will next have her eyes on the WNBA Rookie of the Year.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav