UConn starlet Paige Bueckers has admitted that she has a “picky” disposition as she tries to lead by example for her younger teammates during her senior year.

The women’s college basketball sensation decided against declaring for the WNBA Draft in 2024 – despite being projected as a top-three pick. Embracing her leadership role with the Huskies, she demonstrated her talent and experience during a virtuoso display in her team’s recent 86-49 win over South Florida.

The one-time Naismith Player of the Year contributed 22 points during her 28 minutes on the floor en route to the victory against the Bulls. Following on from the contest at Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers opened up on how she is looking to help her younger teammates progress this season.

During a revealing conversation with SNY’s Chelsea Sherrod, the 23-year-old point guard provided some insight into her approach to her role in Connecticut. She said: “Just trying to get the tone with how hard I play, I’ve been trying to be disciplined.

“[To] take great shots, get the ball moving, get everybody involved, make sure everybody is playing together. For me to be the team leader, me to want to show that, show the younger guys, show how we play here at UConn, it’s everything that I want to do.

“I’m very picky with what I’m doing right now because I’m showing the younger guys what we’re supposed to do here,” she continued, as she opened up on feeling the need to take responsibility both on and off court, saying: “And so I’m just trying to lead and be an example in that way.”

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Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma has spoken of his admiration for Paige Bueckers' impact

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma has spoken of his admiration for Paige Bueckers’ impact ( 

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Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)

Her mature approach will likely make the powers-that-be at a number of WNBA teams sit up and take notice ahead of next year’s draft. For now, her head coach at UConn has spoken of the youngster’s significance to the NCAA as he waxed lyrical about Bueckers on the Make a Difference With Phil Martelli podcast.

Assessing the player’s star power, Geno Auriemma said: “Where are we going next? If we think that one kid, one Caitlin Clark, is going to be enough to take this where it needs to go, it’s not. Or one Paige Bueckers, it’s not.

“What [Clark and Auriemma] do is they show you the way. They show you what’s possible. And then the people that run the operation have to capitalize on it, and then the younger generation, the high school people, have to prepare these kids so that when they get to college, we have something good to work with.”

He added: “And then we send them up to the WNBA and then they have something good to work with. And it just keeps on growing and growing and growing. So it still comes back to those of us that are in charge of the game. Are we making the game better every day? Are we making our players better every day?”