“I had the game taken away from me”: UConn star Paige Bueckers shares inspiring words at youth camp for WNBA All-Star Weekend

Paige Bueckers was at WNBA's All-Star Youth Camp on Friday. The camps are part of the big league’s summer tradition where WNBA teams participate in afternoon games alongside young fans.

When Bueckers was asked about her advice to young players, she emphasized having fun and never taking the game for granted, albeit while highlighting the struggles that kept her away from the court.

"I would just say have fun, never take it for granted," Buekcers said. "Every single day you get to wake up and do what you love, so it's a blessing. I have had injuries, so I have had the game taken away from me. You never know how fast it could change.

So, never take it for granted. Some days will be tired, sometimes you might not want to go to the gym but it'll make you great and it will make you appreciate the game and love the game even more. Never take it for granted and make sure to always have fun," Bucekers added.

Even though Bueckers has managed to stay in the higher bracket of college players throughout her journey, she has struggled with injuries for almost half of her career.

The biggest setback came in August 2022 when she went through a torn ACL while playing pickup. She went through surgery and had to sit out for the entire 2022-23 season.

Former UConn player believes Paige Bueckers can lift the NCAA title in her last season

Paige Bueckers could have competed for the first draft pick with Caitlin Cark this season but resorted to a last run with the UConn Huskies. Her decision came purely in the light of a potential NCAA championship, which could make her case for one of the best women's college basketball players.

With that, former UConn star Nika Muhl believes that Bueckers and UConn have made apt moves in the offseason to make them championship contenders.

“I'm expecting a national championship,” Muhl said in an exclusive with Mirror Sports U.S. “But if you ask me every year that I was in college, I was expecting a national championship. That's the standard. That's how it is at UConn," she added.

While Muhl did not make head-turning plays during her collegiate stint, she was known as the gluing piece to the roster. Nevertheless, she believes coach Geno Auriemma’s recruiting and development programs could immediately thrust UConn to the top spot in the 2024-25 season.