"Standard PC UConn talk": Sue Bird takes a leaf out of her own journey to advise Paige Bueckers on navigating WNBA draft chatter

WNBA legend Sue Bird advised projected consensus No. 1 draft pick, UConn's Paige Bueckers, to just go through her collegiate season and not pay too much attention to the pressure placed on her ahead of the draft.

Bird, the 2002 top overall pick by the Seattle Storm, said it goes with the territory of being a top player playing under a storied program to be given so much attention. But according to her, one just has to find a way not to be overwhelmed by it.

It was the approach she said she took ahead of her draft year. On the latest episode of her A Touch More podcast with Megan Rapinoe, which was uploaded on Tuesday, she said:

"(When I Iearned that Seattle had the No. 1 pick)lI literally went with my season. I was not thinking about it, I was not worried about it... There's so much to consider, there's so much teams. One thing I did know as the draft approached, going to Seattle meant teaming up with Lauren (Jackson). I was more considering the roster itself, but it was just really Lauren. I did not know who else was on the roster.

"And now the game has grown, you tuning in more, Paige has so much more of an awareness of all the teams on the lottery... For her, who knows where she would have liked to come ... But it's standard PC UConn talk."

Check out what she had to say about Paige Bueckers below, beginning at 24:11:

With Dallas Wings winning the draft lottery over LA Sparks and Chicago Sky, Paige Bueckers is expected to be their No. 1 pick.

The Wings had the second-worst record last season at 9-31, slightly better than the tailenders Sparks' 8-32 card.

Paige Bueckers balling early in her senior year with the UConn Huskies

Paige Bueckers has gotten her senior year with UConn to a solid start, leading the Huskies to an undefeated 4-0 record. While at it, she has been providing steady numbers of 20 points, 5.25 rebounds, 4.25 assists and 2.75 steals.

Her stellar showing has put further credence to her standing as a potential top overall pick in next year's WNBA draft, with the Dallas Wings expected to pick her if she decides to make herself available.

In four years at UConn, Paige Bueckers has established herself as a solid combo guard, who can score in a variety of ways while also having that competitive fire to get the job done on the defensive end. A lot of WNBA teams' eyes are on her as they await for her to turn professional.