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Paige Bueckers Shares Thankful Message To Diana Taurasi In ESPYs
Paige Bueckers Gives NSFW Thankful Message To Diana Taurasi In ESPYs 3 Paige Bueckers (left) and Diana Taurasi (right). Photo credits: Imagn images

Paige Bueckers found herself an inspiration in Diana Taurasi, one of her greatest predecessors at UConn. As Taurasi received the ESPY’s Icon Award honoring her 20-year career, Bueckers immediately showed love for the legend, who also supported her as one of the WNBA’s new faces.


Paige Bueckers Gives NSFW Thankful Message To Diana Taurasi In ESPYs 14 Jul 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) warms up before a WNBA game against the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bueckers, now a Dallas Wings rising star, surprisingly showed up in a tribute  video honoring Taurasi on Wednesday night. And she didn’t just mince words, dropping a cheeky line she could only pull.

“Dee is unapologetically herself,” Bueckers said in one of the segments. “Because of you, I can be an a--h--- and be proud of it.”

Immediately after Paige Bueckers’ message, there were more of Taurasi’s highlights, a rightful transition given their solidified bond.


Jul 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) tries to go past Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso (10) during the first half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers and Taurasi aren’t just popular in the pros. They were deemed as prodigies even during their collegiate stints at UConn. They were in completely different eras, but the hype remains the same. Months before her rookie year in the WNBA, Bueckers won the national title with the Huskies along with head coach Geno Auriemma, the same HC where Taurasi won three consecutive championships from 2002 until 2004.

Paige Bueckers: Future Face of the WNBA for Diana Taurasi

Diana Taurasi notably brought the once-failing Phoenix Mercury to a championship early in her career, and now, as she retires, she believes that Paige Bueckers can also have the same effect with the Dallas Wings. Speaking to the Athletic last June, Taurasi believes that Bueckers’ cool-headed personality and drive make her the cornerstone of the WNBA.

“The WNBA, it’s a different beast. There’s different challenges, you know, as an individual, as a team,” Taurasi said. “You take the wins as far as getting better every single game, and as you can tell already Paige, from game one to game two she was a different player. And from game two to game 10 she’s going to be a different player.”

“The one thing I know about Paige is she’s so grounded, she’s so patient, she’s so prepared. And I think she’s learned that in the last four or five years and all those things that she learned at Connecticut, they’re going to change the way you look at that team. One day she’s going to end up being the best player in the league, for sure.”

Taurasi’s words are indeed a big pressure on Paige Bueckers. But given how she performs on the court right now, it’s clear that she doesn’t feel any negativity at all, continuing her grind in her rookie year. 

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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