Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers is poised to enter the 2024/25 season as the hottest property in NCAA women’s basketball. In a new era without Caitlin Clark, Bueckers immediately becomes the favorite to win Naismith Player of the Year honors next season — in addition to a potential national championship run with UConn.

Regardless of whether she is able to lead the Huskies to the promised land next season, Bueckers will be turning pro in the spring of 2025, when she is expected to be the #1 overall selection in the WNBA draft. Newly-released summer workout videos demonstrate why the Minnesota native Bueckers is so highly-regarded.

Paige Bueckers might be the next Kyrie Irving

Bueckers was in Atlanta this past weekend to visit players in Overtime Select — the top summer league for elite high school girls’ basketball players. During the visit, Bueckers found an opportunity to impart some wisdom and get in workouts that elicited comparisons to her favorite NBA player — Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.

In the videos uploaded to Overtime Select’s Instagram page, Bueckers displays the dribbling ability and change of pace that has long been Irving‘s calling card. That change in direction makes Bueckers, like Irving, a nightmare for defenders — she averaged 21.9 points per game last season, after missing all of the 2022/23 campaign through injury.

Bueckers has previously stated that Irving is an inspiration for how she plays. Irving has won plaudits during the NBA playoffs for his contributions to the Mavericks‘ success — he has formed a devastating backcourt partnership with Luka Doncic, and the pair guided Dallas into the NBA Finals after a 13-year absence.