It did not take Paige Bueckers long to win over the WNBA. She excelled on the court as a rookie for the Dallas Wings, winning Rookie of the Year honors in a near-unanimous vote. She also charmed fans with her down-to-earth, "iPad kid" personality, embracing the city of Dallas and demonstrating a professional attitude as the Wings struggled to a 10-34 record.
Bueckers was a celebrity long before the Wings picked her first overall in the 2025 draft. A phenom out of Hopkins High School in Minnesota, Bueckers exploded onto the national consciousness as the star guard for the UConn Huskies, whom she led to a national championship in 2024/25. Bueckers' UConn career overlapped with that of Stephon Castle, the star guard for the men's team during the 2023/24 season.
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In a new interview, Castle revealed that he is "super cool" with Bueckers, and the two Huskies have bonded over a shared accolade: Rookie of the Year, the NBA version of which Castle won last season after he averaged 14.7 points per game for the San Antonio Spurs.
“She texted me when I won Rookie of the Year, and I told her she was next and here we are. We both won it," Castle said. "Super happy for her, I was happy she actually got out of UConn with a natty too. We’ve been on the same path.”
Though Bueckers and Castle did not spend a ton of time together on campus in Storrs, their connection through UConn basketball is poised to last for life, with both players seemingly primed for long, fruitful careers in the state of Texas.
“Our practice facility was split up, so we didn’t see each other as much unless we were in the training room or getting food," Castle said. "But we’re still super cool.”
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