UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers was 92 seconds away from earning her first national championship and forever etching her name into record books.
Bueckers exited the court following her final college game, a title bout with the South Carolina Gamecocks . As the arena erupted into thunderous applause and cheers, she sauntered off the court and melted into the arms of coach Geno Auriemma for a deep embrace.
One of the most prolific players in women's college basketball history earned a much-deserved storybook ending to her college career before likely becoming the No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick Monday night. The UConn senior guard didn't need a championship to validate her legacy ― she was already a legend without it .
But Bueckers revealed she leaned on some former Huskies superstars to help her get to that NCAA championship. As Bueckers and the Huskies' NCAA title run came to a close Sunday, those former UConn staples, like Sue Bird, Napheesa Collier , Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart , sat proudly watching Bueckers cement her UConn legacy before her WNBA one began.
"I've leaned a lot on, obviously, UConn alums," Bueckers said while promoting her new partnership with Ally Financial . "Phee [and] Sue have been two that have been very present in just being able to be available for me to chat. They've been very open and communicative about that."
UConn legend and four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore also had an impact on Bueckers during her title run. Moore was recognized on Sunday for her recent induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and as fate would have it, Bueckers surpassed Moore that day for the most career NCAA tournament points (477) by a UConn player.
"Maya Moore was like my idol growing up," Bueckers said. She's far from the only one to put Moore on a pedestal. A Minnesota native, Bueckers recalled watching the Lynx dynasty unfold in person and how what they built was remarkable. For the now-former UConn star, Moore "was everything.""To be a part of that network, it's insane and you're just like ― you feel so accomplished when you win that national title. And, then you're standing next to people who've got three, four, two, one. So it's like you're just surrounded by greatness, and it's just a crazy room to be in."
However, Bueckers isn't just surrounded by greatness. She's considered by many fans to be one of the greatest college players in recent memory. Furthermore, her journey to the WNBA will likely be remembered as one of the best stories in sports this year . Unsurprisingly, if you ask her, the amazing feat she accomplished with UConn this season hasn't set in yet.
"[It's] still super surreal and just to be able to say that we're national champion national champions ― it's like what dreams are made of," Bueckers said. "And to be able to share that with that specific team, after all of our journeys and ups and downs."
"It makes you so grateful for everything that's come my way. Just super grateful, super blessed, and living in my childhood dream, and I thank God for this for this month of March and April in advance because I knew it was gonna be special."
This article originally appeared on For The Win: How Paige Bueckers leaned on past UConn greats to get to an NCAA title
