The easiest thing to do in a game is shoot the basketball every single time you touch it, especially when you’re the best player on the court. And Paige Bueckers is the best player on the court 99.99% of the time because she’s so gifted offensively, defensively—she disrupts so much. The hardest thing to do is pass the ball. Paige does it, and that’s what sets her apart.
She is living in a world where there are so many commitments, so many opportunities. But she works hard, and she does so in a way that encourages growth for everyone. I love watching her play. I love the way she carries herself on the court with her teammates. When we talk about great competitors and champions—to get there, your teammates have to like you. And she gets the best out of her team because they love her.
I got to see her win the NCAA championship for UConn this past year, shortly before she was drafted first overall by the Dallas Wings. She was beaming, because all she wanted to do was win a championship for our team, for our school, for herself, for her teammates. That’s what makes her special: she wants to do it for everyone.
Taurasi is a three-time WNBA champion and six-time Olympic gold medalist
