IN PHOTOS: UConn star Paige Bueckers shares unseen snaps from her time in the West Coast ft. goofy moments with Nika Muhl, pink-haired swag, and more

Paige Bueckers probably has the busiest off-season among her UConn Huskies teammates. The guard has been all over USA—from New York to Seattle to Phoenix—training and supporting women's basketball.

On Monday, Bueckers shared some photos on TikTok from her trip to the West Coast. It included the time she spent in Seattle supporting the Seattle Storm and former UConn teammate, Nika Muhl. She also added pictures of her hair as it transformed from her iconic blond to a pinkish red. In the middle of the slides were snaps of her training and attending the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

This has been the healthiest off-season for Bueckers, who previously dealt with ACL injuries. She capitalized on it by training hard and preparing for her final college season. Discussing her training with UConn WBB Weekly, she said:

“It's playing a lot, playing a lot of 1-on-1. Offensively, defensively working on that, learning how to play with pace… Continue to work on little things like shooting with range, shooting more threes, and just continuing to improve.”

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Paige Bueckers on her special bond with Nika Muhl

Bueckers and Muhl joined UConn at the same time in 2020. However, their time playing together was cut short due to Bueckers' injury. After winning the Big East Tournament championship last season, Bueckers talked about her experience competing alongside Muhl.

“Playing with Nika has just been a joy. It's kind of unfortunate we didn't get to play together more, but this is like my sister, my twin. She’s just been there for me for everything that I’ve been through, I’ve been there for her for whatever she’s going through. ”

Despite an injury-ridden roster, the two guards—along with Aaliyah Edwards—played a crucial role in the Huskies' Final Four run. With Muhl and Edwards now in the WNBA, Bueckers must lead UConn in the upcoming season.

"It's crazy. Because I feel like I don't have Nika, I don't have Aaliyah. So, it's really all on me. And it's mostly my responsibility ... and I'm doing it with pride," she said during an interview with the press in June.

"I'm making sure that I'm leading these young guys, being a voice for them, leading them, teaching, communicating. And also leading by example in what I do on the court and off the court."

Bueckers is not alone in this leadership role as she has the help of Aubrey Griffin, Azzi Fudd and Kaitlyn Chen, who transferred from Princeton in May.

What are your predictions for the UConn Huskies in the 2024-25 season? Let us know in the comments section below.