"Little bit knock-kneed" - GM concerned over Paige Bueckers dealing with heightened physicality in WNBA

On Monday night, Paige Bueckers officially entered the WNBA as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. While most are excited to see what the highly-touted prospect will do at the next level, there are some skeptics about how well she'll adapt.

During her run at UConn, Bueckers built up a large fan base with her impressive play. Her hype grew even more leading up to the draft after winning a national championship in her final season. Now, she'll attempt to have similar results as a cornerstone for the Dallas Wings.

Ahead of her WNBA debut, a group of executives gave their thoughts on Paige Bueckers anonymously in an interview with ESPN. When talking about possible roadblocks in the pros, one GM cited concerns of adapting to the increased physicality.

"My only concern with Paige is physical," a different GM said. "She's pretty slight; she's a little bit knock-kneed. There's a level of physicality you have to get used to playing in the pros that I think could take its toll on her, and then just her physical ability to hold up over the years."

Comments like this are rather common with incoming players and isn't a knock on Paige Bueckers. Getting stronger to compete against fellow pros is something every rookie has to endure in year one.

The only noteworthy aspect of this is Bueckers' injury history. Back in the summer of 2022, she suffered a torn ACL that left her out for a year. While this was a devastating blow at the time, she was able to bounce back from it.

With the season about a month away, Bueckers has some time to prepare herself mentally and physically for life in the pros.