Paige Bueckers is reportedly still unsure whether she will declare for this year’s WNBA Draft or continue playing at UConn. “I think that’s what it’s all about. It’s not about teams in the draft; who’s got what pick. 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. And so that’s I think the deciding factor — just wanting to be here longer and not anything necessarily that’s already picked and chosen in the draft,” Bueckers told reporters. Bueckers is currently projected as the No. 3 pick in ESPN‘s latest WNBA mock draft.
Bueckers has two years of eligibility after this season. However, she and UConn have never been able to enjoy the full promise of the Huskies’ new “golden generation”. Bueckers, in her fourth season in Storrs, is in the middle of her first healthy season since her freshman year. However, the team has been consistently devastated by injuries. Five players are currently out with indefinite injuries, leaving major questions about UConn’s longevity this season, especially come March Madness.
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Caitlin Clark Eyes History
Another player unsure about her draft declaration is Caitlin Clark. However, Clark, a senior at Iowa, is chasing history. After hitting 3000 points earlier in the season, Clark is closing in on the all-time scoring record at the NCAA level. At the time of writing, Clark is fifth in all-time scoring with 3218 points. The record, held by the Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum, stands at 3527. According to current projects, Clark will surpass Plum sometime in February.
However, as mentioned, Clark is not yet fully committed to the WNBA draft. “I’m going to know when I need to know. I think it’s very similar to my college decision. It’s like I’m in the recruiting process again. It’s really not something I think about every day or let weigh on me. I’m focused on helping this team be the best they can be. The biggest thing is I’m just going to trust my gut. I’m not going to do a lot of research on what’s better. I’m going to trust my gut and go with that,” Clark said in October.
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