At this stage, there’s no question that Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers is living out a lifelong dream — one that began during her childhood in Minnesota and is now being experienced alongside her loved ones.
Among those close to her is former UConn teammate Aubrey Griffin, who shared a heartfelt embrace with Bueckers on Thursday. Griffin, now with the Minnesota Lynx, faced off against Bueckers and the Wings in their home state.
The two were instrumental in UConn’s national championship win this past April — the program’s 12th title. It was arguably Bueckers’ finest collegiate season, as she averaged 19.9 points per game and earned the Nancy Lieberman Award for best point guard.
She also took home the Wade Trophy, awarded to the top Division I women’s player. Griffin, who spent six seasons at UConn, averaged 7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and notably went 11-for-11 from the field in a December 2022 game against Princeton, tying a school record.
Following their championship run, Bueckers was selected first overall in the WNBA Draft by the Wings, while Griffin was chosen in the third round by the Lynx — with Bueckers reportedly advocating for her friend during the draft process.
Paige Bueckers advocated for Aubrey Griffin in the draft.
After the Wings picked Bueckers, she actively encouraged teams to select her teammates Aubrey Griffin and Kaitlyn Chen, suggesting it would be “genius” for a team to draft both players.
Thanks to Bueckers’ advocacy, both teammates were eventually drafted, with Chen joining the Golden State Valkyries.
There’s no doubt that Bueckers is seen as the next big star entering the WNBA, and the Wings have high expectations for her as they aim to become a top franchise in the coming years.
Clearly, Bueckers had enough influence to help ensure two of her teammates could join her on this incredible journey — truly exemplifying what it means to be a loyal friend.
