“Let’s go”: UConn star Paige Bueckers shows off athletic journey following intense training sessions in the offseason

It is the final college basketball season for UConn's Paige Bueckers and she is ready to dominate again. Bueckers has been working tirelessly in the offseason to improve her game and lead the Huskies to the national championship win.

The star guard celebrated her 23rd birthday on Sunday, with several of her teammates and other basketball players showering her with birthday wishes.

Her basketball skills coach Darren McLinton and Sports Performance Athletic Recovery Center posted a collage image of Bueckers getting involved in intense practice this offseason to commemorate her special day.

Bueckers reposted it on her Instagram story.

"LET'S GO!!!" she captioned. "My DMV family let's go 🫶 Shoutout the sparc😏"

Paige Bueckers' IG story

Paige Bueckers made a comeback last season after suffering a knee injury that kept her out of her junior year. After leading UConn to the Final Four in April, she is determined to take the team a step further this year.

The Minnesota native began preparing for the upcoming season the night the Huskies lost to Iowa.

"The night of your Final Four loss to Iowa, we texted right after your presser. You said 'Back to work' and we discussed the plan and adjustments we were going to make this offseason," her trainer Darren McLinton wrote on Instagram.

In July, Bueckers shared her pictures of working out with NBA trainer Chris Hyppa and UCLA guard KiKi Rice. She then posted snapshots from another training session at the Bullis Bulldogs' gym in Maryland, showing off her dribbling and mobility skills.

Paige Bueckers responds to criticism regarding her offseason 'world tour'

Paige Bueckers had a blast this summer as she attended several major sports events and other highly publicized appearances.

Starting with the WNBA All-Star game in Phoenix, Bueckers has been spotted in several other WNBA games, an MLB game, an ESPYs award and even the US Open.

However, she faced backlash from fans who felt she was less focused on training and preparing for her final season at Connecticut. She responded to this criticism in an emphatic manner.

"I had a pretty good summer. I enjoyed it. It was my first healthy offseason where I wasn't in a place rehabbing, staying at school, getting stronger," Paige said.

"Everybody saw the world tour, they didn't see the work tour. They see me 3-4 hours a day and they think they know my entire 24 hours. Which is cool," she continued. "It's fine. The work will always show."

Even UConn coach Geno Auriemma jokingly compared Paige Bueckers to Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian, calling her "Paige Swift or Paige Kardashian," because of summer excursions.

However, the young star is ready to show the mettle of her hard work and prove that her focus on performing better remains intact.