UConn Star Paige Bueckers was expected to be a top-three pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Bueckers made the announcement that she would be returning to UConn Friday during the Senior Night celebration.

“I know everybody wants me to address the elephant in the room,” Bueckers said. “Unfortunately, this will not be my last Senior Night here at UConn. I’m coming back.”

She missed all of the 2023 season with an ACL injury but has led the Huskies to a 22-5 record, after Friday’s 85-44 victory over Georgetown Hoyas. Through 26 games, Paige Bueckers has averaged 20.0 points per game while shooting 54.1 percent.

“Obviously, these four years didn’t go how I planned or how I wanted it to go but wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Bueckers said. “I wouldn’t be able to get through what I went through without everybody here. Thank you to best fans in the country.”

After recovering from her ACL injury, Bueckers has proved to be one of the most dominant players in college basketball. She was projected to be drafted within the top three behind Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink.

If she so chooses, Bueckers does have two more years of eligibility left. There’s still time to decide what she wants to do. Though, staying at UConn would allow her to play with one of her best friends in Azzi Fudd.

“It’s not about teams in the draft, who’s got what pick,” Bueckers told reporters on Jan. 9, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. “It’s all about me loving playing here, me loving my teammates and wanting to get more experiences and more time with them and more time in the program.”

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