UConn star Paige Bueckers has stunned the basketball world by announcing that she will remain at UConn for at least one more season. “I know everybody wants me to address the elephant in the room. Unfortunately this will not be my last senior night here at UConn. Just the family camaraderie here, just loving it here, loving my teammates, loving my coaches, me not having the four years that I planned on, not being able to play as much,” Bueckers told SNY following a routine win over Georgetown for the Huskies.
Bueckers was a projected lottery pick in April’s WNBA Draft. However, there was also the chance that the vaunted prospect and 2021 National Player of the Year might stay in college another season. Bueckers’ collegiate career has been consistently plagued by injury, including missing most of her sophomore year and the entirety of her junior year. Furthermore, the move makes Bueckers the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. ESPN‘s most recent mock draft for 2024 had Bueckers being selected third overall.
Read More: Paige Bueckers Signs Multi-Year Deal With Nike
Caitlin Clark Shatters WBB Scoring Record
“This will not be my last Senior Night”
PAIGE BUECKERS IS RETURNING TO UCONN NEXT YEAR
pic.twitter.com/o4b0wQYSPX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 17, 2024
Meanwhile, presumptive No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark officially became the NCAA women’s scoring record holder this week. It was only fitting that Caitlin Clark hit a signature logo three to break Kelsey Plum‘s record. Iowa opened their Big Ten matchup against Michigan with Clark eight points shy of the record. Clark scored all eight of Iowa’s opening points to pause the game less than two-and-a-half minutes after it started to let her soak in her achievement. However, she wasn’t finished. Clark scored a career-high 49 points as Iowa routed the Wolverines 106-89, shattering Plum’s record in the process.
The record might be hers, but Clark is far from done. Iowa are second in the Big Ten standings with a 12-2 conference record. They have four games remaining in the regular season, including conference-deciding matchups against No. 14 Indiana and No. 2 Ohio State. After that comes the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness. With Clark expected to become the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, it would be only fitting for her to end her college career by avenging last year’s National Championship defeat. However, there is another record well within Clark’s sight. Thanks to her massive game against Michigan, Clark is now just 98 points behind the all-time NCAA scoring record. That has stood since 1970 when LSU legend Pete Maravich ended his college career with 3,667 points.
Read More: Caitlin Clark Still Undecided About Declaring For WNBA Draft
Reactions To Paige Bueckers Staying At UConn
I was ready to see Paige Bueckers in the WNBA
— mouseonfeet (@mouseonfeet) February 17, 2024
[via]
The post Paige Bueckers Forgoes WNBA Draft To Play Another Year At UConn, Basketball World Stunned appeared first on HotNewHipHop.