Last year, Paige Bueckers became the first NCAA player to hold shares in the Unrivaled league. Fast forward to now, and she’s the youngest player in the league. Not just that, she’s also one of the strongest. And no, that’s not just our opinion, the league’s president himself said so.

“She’s been really ahead of her time, not just on the court, but off the court, her maturity level,” Alex Bazzell said. “You know, Paige is a superstar, and Paige is someone that raises the level of everyone else, and I think that’s what’s really important.”

And he’s right. Paige put together an incredible rookie season in the WNBA. She made history by scoring 44 points, the highest single-game scoring output, against the LA Sparks. She was named the 2025 Rookie of the Year. She’s been 2025 WNBA All-Star starter, and has earned All-WNBA Second Team honors. 

So the expectations were already sky-high. Especially since PB wasn’t new to the 3-on-3 format, having represented Team USA in a pair of international tournaments in 2019. So Bueckers simply lived up to the hype. 

She stepped onto the court against Phantom BC and finished with 24 points, six assists, and five rebounds, helping Breeze secure the first win in franchise history. Of course, it didn’t come easy.

She faced tough competition from a Phantom squad led by Tiffany Hayes, who scored 20 points, and Aliyah Boston, who posted 18 points and seven rebounds. Still, she found a way through. 

That’s why Alex Bazzell delivered the well-deserved praise. After all, her performances don’t just elevate her own standard, they push everyone around her to be better. Yet, she’s still not satisfied.

Paige Bueckers is Looking to Elevate Her Game

This offseason, the Dallas Wings superstar came up with a unique goal. With her appearance at Unrivaled, she’s looking forward to more trips to the free-throw line. “I want to work on my left hand more, and I want to get to the free-throw line more,” Bueckers told Bleacher Report today. “So low-key, [I'm working on] a little foul bait.”

Well, PB finished her first season as the league’s fifth-leading scorer. She averaged 19.2 points per game. Still, she earned just 19.5 percent of her points at the foul line. So foul baiting could indeed be helpful. 

It is when subtle movements are used by driving players to draw fouls from officials, something that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is famous for. He has the second-most free-throw attempts in the NBA.

And not so surprisingly, he’s the inspiration behind PB’s vision. Though the former Hawkeyes superstar wants to replicate Alexander’s mid-range shoulder bump more. But will she be able to do it?

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Joyita Das