As a former Husky, Diana Taurasi set the benchmark for what fans expect from players out of UConn. So when Paige Bueckers set the WNBA single-game rookie record with 44 points in August 2025, media houses started drawing comparisons. While Bueckers won the 2025 Rookie of the Year, being compared with the WNBA’s all-time points and 3-pointer leader and the most decorated Olympic basketball athlete was daunting.
However, Taurasi herself believes the 24-year-old doesn’t need to live with the pressure. While speaking to reporters, Paige Bueckers revealed what Taurasi told her about navigating expectations in a clip posted by coach Carson Huelle on X.
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“Really, to just be me. To find my own way to lead this company. You don’t have to be like anybody else. Find your own creative way, your own unique way to be who you are in this league. There are bumps, there are bruises, and ups and downs. But as long as you stay true to who you are and what got you here,” Bueckers said during the interview.
Paige Bueckers and Taurasi share far more than being No. 1 overall picks. Both of them were molded under Geno Auriemma at UConn, where winning is the gold standard.
But rather than asking Bueckers to follow her blueprint in the pros, the three-time WNBA champion urged her to build one of her own. And so far, Bueckers has shown every sign of embracing that approach.
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The 24-year-old guard continues to flourish without trying to fit anyone else’s mold. She is currently averaging 20.2 points and six assists per game and recently even secured the top position in 2026 WNBA All-Star fan voting.
See, her first season in the league didn’t go as planned. The Dallas Wings finished the 2025 season with a 10-34 overall record, which also happened to be one of their worst seasons ever. But let’s be honest, at that time, this franchise was still understanding how Paige Bueckers fit in. Fast forward to the ongoing season, and the Wings have already surpassed that win total with 12 victories and plenty of basketball remaining.
“She does things every single day that now you’re not surprised by anymore,” head coach Jose Fernandez said after her 25-point performance against the Connecticut Sun. “She’s just different. She’s such a competitor and a winner, and she just refuses to lose. Certain guys don’t want the ball in their hands at the end, don’t want to take the big shot, and she never shies away from the big moment.”
In a league where young players are constantly pulled into comparisons with legends, Paige Bueckers is choosing to live in the moment and focus on building a name for herself. And so far, she’s doing it well.
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The post “Don’t Have to Be Like Anyone Else”: Paige Bueckers Opens Up About Her Interaction With WNBA & UConn Legend Diana Taurasi appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
