Finally! Good things are heading Paige Bueckers’ way, and the basketball community is loving it. Before playing collegiate basketball, Bueckers won three USA Basketball gold medals. As she entered her sophomore year, expectations soared. But ankle surgery in 2021 limited her to just 17 games that season. Cleared for a comeback that October, her bad luck didn’t let up. A tibial plateau fracture threw another roadblock in her way.
But when the Dallas Wings called Paige Bueckers’s name first overall, the arena held its breath—would the UConn phenom finally shake off two years of injury demons? On the very same night, Dwyane Wade dropped a truth bomb on his podcast.. Here’s why his words cut through the hype and what they mean for her WNBA debut.”
On a recent episode of his podcast, Dwyane Wade didn’t hold back when talking about Paige Bueckers and her big moment. “She’s ready. She’s ready,” Wade said. “Cuz a lot of number one picks are not ready to be the number one pick…She’s ready to be the number one pick.” Wade elaborated on exactly why Bueckers stands apart from other top picks, “This is a close your eyes and grab this big pick…Like you said, everything that she’s been through, but how she leads what comes out of her mouth.”
“You don’t ever want to assume anything in life, and nothing is guaranteed, and so for this moment, to be here, and it actually happened, it’s nerve-wrecking,” said Paige Bueckers on her first-round pick. So you can understand that the expectations for her have reached a fever pitch. And while this is “nerve-wrecking,” Dwyane Wade is here to explain why Paige is ready to take the next step and why she deserves it.
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Semifinal-Connecticut at UCLA Apr 4, 2025 Tampa, FL, USA Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers 5 plays against the UCLA Bruins during second quarter in a semifinal of the women s 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Tampa Amalie Arena FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xNathanxRayxSeebeckx 20250404_ajw_fo8_284
Wade explained, “She doesn’t talk about Paige Beckers. She talks about her teammates, she talks about winning, she talks about coaching, she talks about culture, she don’t talk about herself.” Wade made it clear that this attitude is exactly why Bueckers belongs at the top of the WNBA draft board. Paige Bueckers turned into a legit global basketball sensation by leading with heart, leadership, and that team-first mindset. But this is not the first time Wade has come forward to give credit where it’s due. And especially not in the case of Paige Bueckers.
Dwyane Wade salutes Paige Bueckers as she carves her name into the record books
The calendar read January 19, 2025. And while fans expected greatness, nobody thought history would get made this soon. At a packed Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers hit the 2,000-point mark in just her 102nd career game against Seton Hall. And with that, she became the fastest player in UConn history to reach 2,000 points, locking down a record that’ll stick around for ages.
Bueckers herself downplayed the individual glory, telling reporters: “I just really want to reward their hard work—everybody sees the 2,000 points, but nobody sees the 2,000 days of hard work behind it.”
Dwyane Wade, a guy who’s lived every twist and turn of this grind, couldn’t wait to show love for the young star. He posted her quote on his Instagram story, adding, “This is why I love @paigebueckers”. Simple, honest, and pure respect. Wade’s public salute wasn’t just fanfare; it reflected his belief in leadership and humility—qualities he saw in Bueckers’s remarks
Paige’s landmark also solidified her place in UConn lore: she finishes her career third all-time in Huskies scoring with 2,439 points, first in scoring average (19.83 PPG), and still the only player to accomplish a 50 / 40 / 85 shooting season. Beyond the numbers, her three Final Four appearances and two national championships highlight a championship pedigree that has drawn comparisons to Sue Bird and Maya Moore
As she transitions to the WNBA’s first pick with the Dallas Wings, Wade’s endorsement adds Hall of Fame-level validation to her résumé. If this was just the start, the basketball world’s in for something pretty special.
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