The 2025 draftees did not come to play with their fashion on the orange carpet this season. Louis Vuitton, Christopher Esber, Comme des Garçons, and largely Coach helped the future stars make it a runway to remember. The fits set the tone, and Paige Bueckers wasn’t foregoing a chance to establish her image. You could even say she started on that last year when she rocked up to support her UConn teammates in the all-white suit–classy and chic. So this year, Bueckers knew she would have to outdo herself and she did so with one vision.
After all, if the number one prospect doesn’t catch eyes, who will? Heading into the draft, everyone and their mothers knew who Dallas was going to draft with the first pick. So it definitely made sense for Paige Bueckers to be dressed to the nines. But as the headlines ran about her ‘Shimmery’ fit, was there an expression we missed? Well, the stylist is breaking it down for us.
Assembling the perfect outfit is definitely not an easy task. There was an entire team involved with designing Bueckers’ wardrobe for the event, and renowned stylist Brittany Hampton was leading the charge. On the podcast No Offseason, she revealed the process behind such an arduous and important task. After all, to entrust someone with your draft day fit is to place your complete trust in them. But why does Bueckers trust this stylist so much? “I challenge her,” Hampton said, explaining how she does her research meticulously, and according to the UConn alum’s vision.
Bueckers and Hampton have been working together for years now. From the StockX shoot in 2021 to the ESPY in 2024, the stylist has worked not just to bring in pieces that fit in with who she is, but also to listen to what the star guard wants to express.
And it was no different this time around. “We knew that she wanted to embody an opulence that, in her mind, was rhinestones,” Hampton explained, talking about how Paige Bueckers confessed to wanting a bunch of rhinestones and pearls on her fit. That wasn’t just to make headlines for a pretty outfit; that was to express her awareness about where she stands in the league. “She wanted that moment that was going to be like ‘I want to be the star,’ but I don’t want to do too much.”
Hampton, to her credit, perfectly understood and brought out Paige’s vision in her draft-day fits. The UConn star showed up in a custom shimmery black pantsuit by Coach. She also added extra bling with her diamond ring, necklace, and bracelets, further completed by the jumbo coin purse clutch.
While the color scheme was the polar opposite of the previous years, her custom suit gave off the opulent look she was hoping for. And Paige owned the look that she was going for! It is this very confidence that has helped her game transition over from college to the pros. But how is the Dallas star dealing with this change of pace? Let’s find out!
Paige Bueckers caught up by the WNBA whirlwind
After donning her sleek black armor, Paige Bueckers seized the draft day as she headed off to Dallas. Everyone expected the UConn alum’s game to translate really well to the W, but it’s not always that easy. Credit where credit is due, Bueckers has not missed a step just yet.
Her first pre-season outing against the Las Vegas Aces was considered by fans to be a success. Bueckers put up 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting splits in limited minutes, and looked insanely confident out on the hardwood floor. However, her defense was definitely a concern, and she acknowledges it as well!
Tennessee guard Talaysia Cooper (55) defends UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) during a women’s college basketball game between the Lady Vols and UConn at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville on Thursday, February 6, 2025.
While speaking to the press, Bueckers called her transition to the W ‘a whirlwind’. The Dallas Wings star gave everyone an insight into her in-game decision making as well. “I’ve always been pretty finesse, weaving my way through traffic, not necessarily avoiding contact, but being smart about deciding when to take advantage of the ball and when you want to slow down.” She said, and honestly? We could see it.
Bueckers had the right intent, but was getting caught on screens and struggled to deal with the physicality of the professional game. There’s definitely a learning curve for the Wings point guard, but she has shown time and again that she can step up to the challenge! It will be interesting to see how she develops in the league, and grow into the star she envisioned.
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