Paige Bueckers completed her time at UConn as a national champion, experiencing only three losses during the 2024-25 season. Now, as she joins the Dallas Wings in the WNBA, she acknowledges that her expectations must evolve.

“I think I’ve come to that realization that I’ve been extremely blessed and fortunate to be in great situations in high school and in college,” Bueckers mentioned at the Wings media event. “It’s different in the W. You don’t see teams going undefeated; you don’t see a lot of single-loss seasons, which is something that the teams I’ve played on have not been used to, so it’s definitely going to be an adjustment.”

UConn women’s basketball boasts six seasons without a loss—something never achieved in the WNBA. The Las Vegas Aces recorded the best franchise season with a 34-6 record in 2023.

Bueckers is joining a team that has had its challenges, finishing 2024 with a 9-31 record compared to UConn’s consistency of not exceeding eight losses since 1992-93.

“You never want to get used to losing,” she said. “But you want to get used to learning from games, learning from lessons, and moving forward. Take whatever you learned from the last game, the last practice, and continue to improve for the future.”

Bueckers understands there will be many adaptations to make in her new journey in the WNBA. However, she has received valuable advice to help frame her mindset for the season ahead.

“I’ve talked to both my old coach (Geno Auriemma) and my new coach (Chris Koclanes),” she stated. “I also work with a sports psychologist who helps keep me focused in the present, emphasizing improvement rather than fixating on wins and losses.”