Paige Bueckers is no longer suiting up for the UConn Huskies, but that has not stopped her from showing up for them.

The Dallas Wings guard made a surprise appearance at UConn's practice camp ahead of their matchup against North Carolina, watching from the sidelines next to Head Coach Geno Auriemma. And apparently, not much has changed.

"We had dinner with Paige last night and listened to her speak. It reminded me of how much those five years took off my life. Listening to the things that she says. And the interesting thing is I lived through it with Diana (Taurasi), and they're the only two that put me through that," Auriemma said at a press conference.

Bueckers' UConn career was defined as much by resilience as by brilliance, as she missed significant stretches across two separate seasons due to a tibial plateau fracture, a meniscus tear, and a torn ACL.

And while these setbacks would have ended many careers before they started, Paige Bueckers returned for her final season healthy and dominant, playing every game and carrying the Huskies deep into the tournament.

That being said, Geno Auriemma wasn't the only one who was elated that Bueckers paid a visit.

UConn Huskies on Seeing Paige Bueckers

Bueckers' presence at camp was felt immediately. Noting the shift in her energy the moment she walked in, Point guard KK Arnold said, "Her demeanor changed, like, as soon as she got next to Coach, she was like, Coach P."

Graduate guard Azzi Fudd, who shared the backcourt with Bueckers for multiple seasons, was equally glad to have her back in the building.

"It was fun having her back, felt like old times. She didn't actually do anything, because they were playing defense," Fudd said. "She just sat next to Coach and did her thing — yapped the whole time. But it was nice to see a familiar face, definitely good vibes, and lots of smiles when she walked in."

Paige Bueckers is expected to be in the stands Friday when UConn takes on North Carolina, bringing the same energy she always did, only this time from a different seat.

How did Paige Bueckers' surprise visit make you feel? Let us know!

Written by

Suryakant Das

Edited by

Arvind Rao