Doing the Most 😤
Paige is too good (and her knees are too valuable) for this kind of thing.
UConn is up by 40 points. Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, is doing her thing—leading, scoring, basically carrying the Huskies like she’s been doing all season. Then, out of nowhere, Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe decides that being down by 40 isn’t enough to stop her from diving headfirst for a loose ball. The result? Bascoe rolls right into Bueckers’ leg, which bends in a way no leg ever should.
I get it, hustle culture and all that. But at some point, someone’s gotta read the room. You’re down 40. This wasn’t your moment, girl.
Paige Bueckers limps towards the locker room after a collision: pic.twitter.com/nbdDgibTJj
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) January 5, 2025
This is the kind of injury that makes you pause, especially when the Paige Bueckers stats scream “talent.” She’s averaging 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals per game, and her shooting splits are chef’s kiss (56/41/81). She’s UConn’s top scorer, their best shooter, and somehow manages to account for 37% of their buckets.
For anyone keeping tabs on college basketball news or looking at the current college basketball betting odds, Paige is the name at the top of every list. She’s the clear-cut favorite for the No. 1 WNBA Draft pick, and it’s not even close.
Diving for the ball while you’re down 40 points and injuring Paige Bueckers should be a criminal offense.
— Raptor 🦖 (@IAmRaptorX) January 5, 2025
But, of course, the knees are the caveat. This is the same leg that’s already been through a tibial plateau fracture and an ACL tear. So, every time she hits the floor, it’s like the entire basketball world collectively holds its breath, and NCAAB rumors flare up.
Avoidable Nonsense
Geno Auriemma is optimistic, which is nice to hear. “It’s not the worst that we can imagine,” he said. Paige iced it, limped off, and even made it back to the bench. So hopefully, it’s not serious. But let’s call this what it is: avoidable nonsense.
Paige Bueckers returns to the UConn bench: pic.twitter.com/DajmOmkY7A
— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) January 5, 2025
If you’re down 40, maybe just don’t dive into a franchise player’s leg? Save the heroics at college basketball games for when they’ll actually matter. UConn has a soft schedule coming up, so even if Paige needs a breather, they’ll manage. But this whole situation could’ve been avoided if everyone just agreed to take the L in peace. Paige is too good (and her knees are too valuable) for this kind of thing.
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