“I might be a certified bucket”: Paige Bueckers once reflected on the moment her star-hooping era had begun

The 2024-25 NCAA basketball season is looming with excitement, particularly for UConn Huskies women’s team star Paige Bueckers. This is expected to be her final season at UConn before she declares for the 2025 WNBA Draft.

Recently, Ballislife shared an inside look into Buecker's life as a host and visited her family home in Minnesota for a “Day in the Life” segment. During this visit, Bueckers reminisced about her career milestones, showing off her basketball memories. They included shoes and basketballs that represented key moments in her journey. She revealed:

“I got 2,000 points and this year, my senior year, I became an All-Time East where it happens.”

When the host asked Bueckers what went through her mind when she reached this milestone, she said:

“I thought that was pretty cool because now I’m talking with kids I support. So that’s when I started realizing that I might be a certified bucket.”

(Et: 01:28)

Paige Bueckers being the certified bucket on the court

This moment happened back in 2022, and Slam Magazine posted a video of Bueckers in action, captioning it:

“Paige Bueckers is a certified bucket getter, and if you don’t know, now you know.”

In the rapidly evolving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era, Bueckers has taken another step toward her future in the industry by filing a trademark for her nickname, “Paige Buckets.”

Filed on July 13, the trademark covers a range of athletic apparel, including shirts, pants, jackets, footwear and hats. The nickname fits Bueckers, as she has been a dominant force in college basketball. After her standout freshman season in 2020-21, where she won the Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy while averaging 20 points and 5.8 assists per game, she earned a reputation as a top scorer.

That season, Bueckers scored 20 points in 14 games and tallied 18 points in UConn’s Final Four loss to Arizona, showcasing her consistent offensive production. Bueckers faced a setback after undergoing ankle surgery in May 2021, but she was expected to return for UConn’s season opener later that fall.

The decision to file a trademark for “Paige Buckets” comes in the wake of the NCAA’s landmark ruling that ended the ban on athletes profiting from their brand. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to end the NCAA’s prohibition on NIL deals in June 2021, college athletes, including Bueckers, have been able to sign endorsement deals and protect their brands.

Bueckers joined a growing list of athletes, like Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, who have filed trademarks or sought opportunities to monetize their brand in the NIL era. After her National Player of the Year honor during her freshman season, injuries took a toll on her career.

However, she bounced back in 2023-24 with a stellar season, where she averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Throughout her college career, Bueckers has amassed a long list of accolades. She has been named a two-time unanimous first-team All-American, a two-time Big East Player of the Year, and a USBWA Co-Freshman of the Year. She has also earned the distinction of being the Big East Tournament's Most Outstanding Player twice.