Paige Bueckers wants to emulate Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird in UConn history

Paige Bueckers said she wants to become one of the greatest players to ever don a UConn jersey while speaking to the media on Friday. Bueckers doubled down on her intention to win an NCAA championship, etching her name in the history books like Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart.

"Yeah, I think definitely just wanting to be the best is the mindset I've always had and a lot of people who come through these doors have," she said (Timestamp: 6:20).

"But that comes with winning championships. You have Stewie who's won four, D (Taurasi), Sue, Maya - who've won plenty, and many more who won a lot. So, to be the best here, you really have to win a national championship, and so that's always the goal coming here and just to be the best."

Sue Bird (2000 & 2002), Diana Taurasi (2002-2004), Maya Moore (2009-2010) and Breanna Stewart (2013-2016) collectively make up 10 of 11 NCAA championships in Geno Auriemma's cabinet. The only time UConn won without any of these greats was in 1995 when Rebecca Lobo led the program to its first national trophy.

Paige Bueckers has led the program to three Final Four appearances, including the title game against South Carolina in 2022. Leading the Huskies to its first championship since 2016 is one of the main reasons Bueckers extended her WNBA entry last summer, where she was projected to be a lottery pick.

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Paige Bueckers will make program history on Sunday

The UConn guard is up to enter the program history books when she faces the Seton Hall Pirates on Sunday. She will enter the contest six points away from the 2000th point of her career, which will make her the fastest player in program history to achieve the feat.

While Paige Bueckers expressed excitement for her upcoming achievement, she remained humble, pointing at Maya Moore's all-time scoring record of 3,036 points.

"It's kind of crazy to hear," she said. "But then, I'm talking to coach yesterday and Maya's got 3,000. So, you look everywhere around and humble yourself.

"Obviously, I'm grateful, extremely blessed, and it's kind of surreal to think about all the people that have passed through here and my journey and how I've come to be where I am. And I guess that's a pretty cool feat."

Paige Bueckers will become the 12th UConn player to enter the 2000-points club and will break Moore's record (108 games) in six fewer contests. She is averaging 19.4 points on 56.0% shooting this season. With that pace, she could end the regular season play as the 6th highest scorer in UConn's history.