Paige Bueckers Surprises Jimmy Fallon with NCAA Championship Trophy
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Just days after leading UConn to its first national championship since 2016, Paige Bueckers took her victory lap to new heights—making a surprise appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The star guard didn’t just walk onto the stage—she walked into a moment of pure magic that perfectly captured her team’s journey and rising cultural status.
Fallon, in the middle of his opening monologue, jokingly lamented that he’d never get the chance to hold the national championship trophy. Seconds later, Bueckers strolled onto the stage, trophy in hand, to thunderous applause. Fallon lit up: “Look at that! Paige Bueckers!” After joyfully cradling the trophy, he asked, “May I?” and paraded it before the audience like a fan living out a dream.
.@paigebueckers1 crashes Jimmy’s monologue to celebrate @UConnWBB's March Madness National Championship win! #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/2hlvHjX0Qr
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) April 10, 2025
But Bueckers brought more than just hardware to Fallon. She brought the heart that has symbolized this UConn team's run to a national title.
Earlier that day on the Today show, she admitted she’d only taken the championship net off from around her neck the day before. “It’s my favorite necklace ever,” she said with a laugh.
She spoke about the long, emotional road to the title: “It was a journey of resilience, of overcoming adversity. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” She even embraced a viral fan theory that UConn’s success came from “the power of friendship.” According to Bueckers, “It’s so accurate. That bond carried us.”
With a 37–3 record, an 18–0 conference sweep, and now a monologue-crashing moment that captured America’s heart, Paige Bueckers has become more than just a champion—she’s a symbol of what happens when talent, love, and perseverance come together.
And just like her UConn teammates, Bueckers has earned every celebration that comes with being a champion.
Evan Dammarell is a credentialed, award-winning sports journalist who has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA for nearly a decade right off the shores of Lake Erie. His work has appeared on Forbes, ClutchPoints, SBNation, FanSided, Heavy, The Locked On Podcast Network, and Right Down Euclid, among others. Evan is committed to his vision to go beyond the scores and so much more so that every fan can always keep up with what’s going on with their favorite teams on and off the court.
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