By W.G. Ramirez
The Sporting Tribune
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
Depending on how one defines “greatest,” a majority of critics would consider Paige Bueckers as one of college basketball’s GOATs.
Starring for the University of Connecticut, Bueckers did something almost unheard of, winning National Player of the Year as a freshman. She led the Huskies to the Final Four while averaging elite efficiency to the tune of 50/40/90-type shooting splits.
Very few players – men or women – have ever won National Player of the Year as freshmen. As the nation’s No. 1 recruit out of high school, she immediately placed herself on an all-time trajectory.
What separated her wasn’t just stats; it was firm control of her game, as she had an elite shot creation, was a three-level scorer, exhibited playmaking under pressure, was clutch with her late-game shot-making and was poised beyond her years.
Bueckers, the 2021 Wooden Award recipient, played with the feel of a veteran and the skill of a pro, again, as a freshman.
Her collegiate career included major knee injuries, two lost seasons, overcoming adversity and maintaining high expectations of returning.
Rather than fading, Bueckers came back as a leader and a closer. It was the type of resilience that added to her legacy.
The truest debate people have about her when placing her in the conversation as one of the greatest ever, as players such as Diana Taurasi, Breanna Stewart and Maya Moore all have multiple national championships.
Championship rings often define “greatest ever” conversations, and Bueckers had just one.
Had Bueckers never suffered knee injuries, many believe she would led the Huskies through multiple titles, and her case strengthens dramatically. Then again, had she not won the title dominantly her senior year, she might be sitting outside the conversation and find herself outside the top-tier list, though still considered among the most talented ever.
Regardless of where she ranks, Bueckers will long be remembered for pure talent and impact as one of the most skilled guards ever in women’s college basketball.
She’s assuredly one of the most influential modern stars, especially shining a light on the NIL-era.
Paige Bueckers, who was the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2025, will always go down as one of the most gifted players the women’s college game has ever seen.