“It’s Like My Second Home”: Paige Bueckers Returns to Connecticut Reflecting on Her Journey from UConn to the WNBA

As Paige Bueckers stepped into Mohegan Sun Arena on the eve of her first professional game in Connecticut, the nostalgia hit immediately. The building that once housed her biggest college triumphs now serves as the setting for a new chapter in her basketball journey — one marked by learning, adjustment, and growth in the WNBA.

“It feels great,” Bueckers said after Monday’s Dallas Wings practice. “I feel like since Mohegan’s lucky, it’s like my second home—to Gampel [Pavilion] in Connecticut—so it’s great to be back. Great to continue on this journey, and excited for this day.”

Now four games into her rookie season with the Wings, Bueckers is returning to a familiar floor. But this time, she’s wearing a different jersey, carrying different expectations, and managing the rigors of a professional schedule.

Through four games, Bueckers is averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.8 steals in 33.0 minutes per game — solid all-around production that reflects her growing comfort at the next level. Bueckers also became the fastest guard to record 50 points and 25 assists to start a career since Sue Bird.

The Wings (0–4 overall, 0–2 home, 0–2 away) will next face the winless Connecticut Sun on May 27 — a return to the site of Bueckers’ most iconic moments in a UConn jersey.

Paige Bueckers is Adjusting to the WNBA Grind

Bueckers acknowledged that while she had long prepared for life as a pro, the pace and travel of the WNBA hit differently once she was living it. The compressed schedule, cross-country flights, and quick scouting turnarounds created a level of fatigue and adjustment she hadn’t fully experienced in college. Navigating that grind, she said, has forced her to become even more disciplined with her time, recovery, and preparation routines.

“I think the turnarounds and the travel and how like the next day you have a game or the next day you’re scouting for a game,” Bueckers said. “I think you know the schedule and how rough it is and how much you’re on the go or playing or recovering or it’s just, it’s a lot.”

Despite the challenges, Bueckers emphasized that it’s all part of a dream she’s worked hard for. She spoke with gratitude about simply having the chance to compete at this level — even when the days are long, the flights are frequent, and the wins are elusive. Every step, she noted, is one she once envisioned during her recovery from injury and her climb back to elite form at UConn.

“You don’t, obviously, you take it in stride and you don’t take it for granted what we’re able to do,” Bueckers said. “But I think that’s been a little surprising to actually be in it and see the WNBA schedule firsthand.”

The infrastructure at UConn gave Bueckers a strong foundation for what to expect, both on and off the court. Under head coach Geno Auriemma and a nationally respected staff, she learned to operate within a championship-level program that demanded excellence in every detail — from scouting reports to media obligations. The exposure to high-stakes games, intense practices, and constant public scrutiny helped prepare her mentally and emotionally for the demands of the WNBA.

“Everything about UConn is professionalism — on the court, off the court, the way you carry yourself, the way you behave, your habits,” Bueckers said. “What they’ve built there at UConn is just an extended level of professionalism.”

That preparation helped smooth Bueckers’ transition to the pro level. From navigating film sessions and understanding advanced defensive coverages to managing media attention and expectations, She arrived in Dallas with poise and maturity uncommon for a rookie. The habits and discipline instilled during her time at UConn allowed her to hit the ground running and earn the trust of her coaches and teammates.

“You get here and you feel like you’re prepared for it,” Bueckers said. “There’s definitely some differences and some things you gotta get used to, but I feel as well prepared as I could have making that decision to go to UConn. And the coaching staff and just the environment there prepared me extremely when it comes to the past few months.”

Dallas Wings Team Chemistry and Adjustments

The Wings are still searching for their first win and learning how to mesh after an offseason that brought sweeping changes to the roster and coaching staff. Only three players returned from last season, and the team has leaned heavily on a group of rookies and newly acquired veterans. For Bueckers, that means staying grounded amid growing pains and focusing on what she can control.

“Just staying in the present moment has been my motto for the past year or so,” Bueckers said. “Like it’s so easy to get caught up in the past and what you just accomplished and then what you just did yesterday, that you forget about where you are now and forget to take advantage of that moment.”

That mindset extends to how she’s approached building chemistry with a new group of teammates — many of whom are also navigating new roles, systems, and expectations. With so many changes across the roster, including a new coaching staff and an influx of rookies, Bueckers has emphasized patience, communication, and intentional relationship-building as essential to helping the team come together.

“Just serving the moment, being here, being present,” Bueckers continued. “Recognizing and being aware of everything that’s going on around you to try to build relationships, build experiences — like road trips like this with a team that’s young and early, trying to build chemistry — are important. So enjoying each other’s company, talking, communicating, building relationships that way has been sort of the focal point.”

When asked to evaluate her early performance, Bueckers kept the focus on team success, avoiding personal accolades and instead emphasizing how her role fits into the broader effort to build cohesion and find a winning formula. With the Wings still looking for their first win, her responses reflected a player more concerned with collective growth than individual stat lines.

“Well, we want to win, so that’s like the main goal right now,” Bueckers said. “You look at your individual performances, but we’re all trying to put it together as a team, and what does that look like on any given possession?”

Rather than force her own numbers, Bueckers is intent on reading the game in real time. As long as she’s making the proper basketball play and being unselfish, she feels good about how she’s impacting the game.

“Just play the possession for itself,” Bueckers explained. “What does that call for on offense? Whether it be setting a good screen, making a good pass, crashing the boards, getting an offensive rebound, hunting your own shot.”

Her preparation and adaptability have helped her adjust to the pro game — not just in terms of speed and physicality, but also in managing the mental demands of a longer season, a new role, and nightly matchups against elite defenders. Bueckers has leaned on film study, conversations with teammates, and lessons from her college experience to navigate the challenges of her first month in the league.

“Just watching film, getting a better read on how the defensive coverages in the WNBA and ball screens and away screens, the physicality — just trying to adjust to that by thinking, taking it day by day, step by step, drive by stride,” Bueckers said. “We’re just trying to get better possession by possession, practice by practice, game by game.”

Asked about her role as a point guard, Bueckers pointed to the importance of flow and structure in executing the offensive system and setting the tone for her teammates. As the primary ball-handler, she’s been responsible for managing pace, ensuring spacing, and helping teammates get to their spots while understanding she needs to be a scoring threat.

“I can do a better job of getting our team organized just in transition and what we want our flow to look like,” Bueckers told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “Getting into first actions, and if we don’t get something in the first action, creating looks into second action.”

That role requires full awareness of her teammates’ tendencies — understanding where they want the ball and how to get them involved based on matchup advantages, rhythm, and game flow. For Bueckers, that means being vocal, observant, and proactive about when and how to get others going, particularly as the team experiments with different lineup combinations.

“Getting a better flow and sense of where everybody needs to be,” Bueckers told DallasHoopsJournal.com. “We’re all learning and we’re all learning each other’s tendencies, where we like the ball, where to go after a cut, and stuff like that.”

And it’s a constant learning process that requires Bueckers to adjust on the fly while absorbing feedback from coaches and teammates. Each game presents new reads, coverages, and challenges that test her instincts and preparation, all while she’s tasked with leading a team still developing its identity.

“The point guard position — you feel like a huge responsibility to the offensive flow,” Bueckers explained to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “So just continue to use my voice, connecting with people, seeing where they like it, when they want it. Learning how to get people in certain actions when they’re hot, when they haven’t gotten a touch in a while.”

Bueckers sees room for improvement in transition execution — an area she views as critical for unlocking easier scoring opportunities and capitalizing on her team’s athleticism. With spacing and timing often disrupted by unfamiliarity, she’s focused on helping the Wings run the floor with greater purpose, emphasizing deep corner spacing, lane discipline, and quicker decision-making on the break.

“I think we can do better in running our lanes in transition, getting more spacing, getting to the deep corners and the 45,” Bueckers detailed to DallasHoopsJournal.com. “And then just handling the physicality. Teams have been very aggressive in off-ball movement, screening movement — have been very disruptive and try to get you off your track. So all of those things come.”

Returning to Familiar Territory in Connecticut

Bueckers is stepping into Mohegan Sun Arena for the first time as a professional player — and doing so in a visiting uniform, marking a full-circle moment in her basketball journey.

After years of delivering marquee performances in front of UConn’s devoted fanbase at the venue, from Big East Tournament championships to nationally televised showcases, she returns as an opponent, leading a new team into a familiar but fundamentally different environment.

The court, crowd, and arena remain the same, but the stakes, jersey, and perspective have all changed.

“Yeah, it’s definitely different,” Bueckers said. “It’ll be weird stepping on the court, I think, not in the UConn uniform. But it’ll be something that I’ll enjoy with a new experience and a new team, a new organization. And so it’s just like another step in the new journey, and I’ll definitely enjoy being back here in the state I love so much.”

The memories of success in the building are vivid and motivating.

During her time at UConn, Bueckers delivered some of her best collegiate performances at Mohegan Sun Arena, including a 24-point, 8-rebound effort against Creighton in the 2025 Big East Tournament Final, where she was named Most Outstanding Player for a record third time. Across her three-game run at the 2025 Big East Tournament, she averaged 22.3 points while shooting 55.3% from the field and 100% from the free throw line — performances that helped cement her legacy in the building. In the 2024 Big East Final, she posted 27 points, five blocks, and three steals in a dominant win over Georgetown. She scored 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting in a Hall of Fame Showcase win over Iowa State in December 2024.

“I had some great memories here in Mohegan,” Bueckers added. “I don’t think I—I don’t think we lost here in my current career at Mohegan. So I’m sure we’re trying to carry those vibes over to this game, and just approach it with a winning mentality and just trying to conquer the next game in front of us.”

Life Off the Court for Paige Bueckers

Away from basketball, Bueckers has thrown herself into her new surroundings with the same intentionality she brings to the court. Moving to Dallas marked a significant shift after her five years in Storrs, but she’s made it a priority to engage with her new community, explore the city, and fully embrace her life as a professional athlete off the floor. Whether attending games, connecting with fans, or bonding with teammates through off-day activities, Bueckers has leaned into the transition with openness and curiosity.

“I just try to embrace myself in the new city,” Bueckers said. “Everywhere I go, I try to get with the community, be one in its own, and really just find myself one of them and no different from any other citizen in the Arlington, Dallas, Texas area.”

That includes attending local sporting events — something Bueckers has eagerly embraced as a way to immerse herself in the Dallas sports scene and connect with her new home city. From cheering on the Stars at an NHL game to making plans to attend Mavericks, Cowboys, and even local soccer games, she’s made it clear she wants to be more than just a visitor — she wants to be part of the broader sports culture and show support for fellow pro athletes.

“Going to the Stars game was fun,” Bueckers said. “I want to get to some Mavs games eventually, even soccer, Cowboys game — like everything. Go to the mall. Go everywhere. Just want to be in the city. Embrace that city.”

Living alone has also brought new experiences — both challenging and rewarding — as Bueckers continues adjusting to the independence that comes with life as a professional athlete.

For the first time, she’s managing her home, meals, routines, and quiet time independently, a sharp contrast from the structure of college life at UConn. While the transition has made her consider getting a dog for companionship, it’s also given her a chance to reflect, recharge, and enjoy the freedom of carving out a space entirely her own.

“I’ve lived alone for like a month,” Bueckers said. “But definitely different. It definitely already made me like second guess whether to get a dog or not because I get so lonely sometimes.”

Still, she added, “I like it. I haven’t been too lonely yet. I’ve had visitors come and go, and we’re always on the road, so it hasn’t really hit me yet. But it is nice to have some peace and quiet sometimes.”

And yes — the championship net is safe.

“It’s in my apartment in Dallas — and don’t nobody try to go look and find it either,” Bueckers joked.

Asked how she’s spending downtime, Bueckers admitted she’s hooked on a long-running favorite: “Right now I’m watching the 21st season of Grey’s Anatomy.”

Paige Bueckers Sees Room to Grow

The transition from a championship-standard team to a team in rebuilding has required patience. But Bueckers’ mindset hasn’t wavered. Accustomed to contending for titles each season at UConn, she finds herself in a much different situation—helping lead a young, evolving roster still searching for its first win. Rather than get frustrated by the early struggles, she’s leaned into the process, embracing every moment as a learning opportunity and focusing on long-term growth over short-term results.

“It’s like what’s delayed is not denied,” Bueckers said. “We know like the 0–4 start — we’re not setting any expectations for ourselves because we’re just taking it day by day.”

Bueckers cautioned against limiting outcomes by putting too much stock in external benchmarks, noting that focusing solely on wins, losses, or personal stats can distract from the incremental progress behind the scenes. For her, success isn’t defined by immediate results, but by the team’s daily commitment to improvement, chemistry, and consistency as they build a foundation for the future.

“I think setting expectations limits you to what you can accomplish,” Bueckers said. “So we’re just trying to grow in the film room, grow in the weight room, grow on the court, just grow with our chemistry and stick to it.”

Bueckers emphasized that the process is about staying focused, keeping her mindset steady regardless of the highs and lows of a long season. That means embracing each day with intention, not allowing past mistakes or frustrations to carry over, and continuing to set the tone for her teammates through her work ethic, communication, and poise.

“Stay optimistic, stay positive, stay looking — like no former game can affect our next game. No former possession can affect our next possession,” Bueckers said. “And so just being there and trying to go possession by possession, game by game, learn from the past. But don’t let it dictate you or affect you in any negative way. Just let it motivate you to be better. And so I think that’s the approach that we’re all trying to take right now.”

The game tips off at 6 p.m. CT at Mohegan Sun Arena.

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