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UConn guard Paige Bueckers has been open about the significance of her Christian faith in her basketball career.
A clip of Bueckers singing along with Christian praise music during warm-ups before a game has gained attention. Many fans have been complimentary toward Bueckers' display of her faith.
"Goated way to calm the nerves ngl," wrote one.
"I love this! I hope and pray these young athletes continue to lean on God," wrote one fan.
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"OK — Now I’mma need a Paige highlight package set to this like they did the mashup with MJ highlights and Anita Baker," noted another fan, referring to Michael Jordan's early Nike ad from the mid-1980s.
Some fans noted a perceived dislike of Bueckers and her open professions of faith.
However, there were others who indicated their appreciation for her sincere expression of herself, with one tweeting:
"This gave me chills! She’s overcome soo much and still pursuing her dream ! Love you PB," wrote another fan.
Paige Bueckers' career
A superb 5-foot-11 guard from Minnesota, Paige Bueckers was a highly regarded high school recruit. She was a consensus All-American as a true freshman in 2020-21, averaging 20.0 points and 5.8 assists per game. Unfortunately, a series of injuries nearly altered her career trajectory.
After her freshman season, Bueckers had right ankle surgery. She was barely ready to start her sophomore season before sustaining a significant knee injury in December. She couldn't return until late February and was severely limited.
However, that was nothing compared to a left knee ACL tear Buckers sustained after the season, which caused her to miss the entire 2022-23 season. She entered 2023-24 having played just 17 games over two seasons.
The good news is that Bueckers is back to full capacity. She averaged 21.9 points per game in 2023-24. This season, she's at 18.6 points per game. Her injury-riddled career has still seen her score 2,166 points.
Paige Bueckers' faith
Bueckers has been increasingly open about her Christian faith, which she has credited for helping deal with the series of injuries.
The pregame music she was enjoying was a song called "Praise Him in Advance" by Marvin Sapp. The song was originally released in 2007, and it seems significant to Bueckers's ongoing story.
What do you think of Paige Bueckers? Share your take on the UConn star below in the comments section:
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