Paige Bueckers, a prominent basketball player who gained fame as a five-star recruit and the National Girls Basketball Player of the Year in 2020, is set to make her highly anticipated WNBA debut this Friday. In honor of this occasion, the city of Hopkins, Minnesota, where Bueckers played her high school basketball, will temporarily rename itself Paige Bueckers, Minnesota, for the day. City officials announced that signs on major entrance routes will reflect the new name, and street signs along Main Street will be changed to Bueckers Boulevard.
Bueckers is playing her first regular-season game with the Dallas Wings against the Minnesota Lynx at 6:30 p.m. in Dallas. Her remarkable journey began at Hopkins High School, where she excelled as a player and was recognized as one of the best female high school players, even featuring on the cover of Slam Magazine—the first female high school athlete to achieve this recognition.
Her talent was evident well before high school, with early praise from local reporters highlighting her skills as a standout sixth-grade player. After her successful tenure at Hopkins, Bueckers continued to shine at the University of Connecticut, contributing significantly to her team’s national championship victory last season. The Dallas Wings selected her as the first overall pick in the recent WNBA draft, marking the beginning of what many believe will be a stellar professional career.
Bueckers’ debut not only highlights her individual achievements but also serves as a point of pride for the community that nurtured her talent. It reflects a hopeful narrative for the future of women’s sports and the growing recognition of female athletes on national platforms.