Two UConn Legends Named to Forbes 30 Under 30

The Forbes 30 Under 30 list honors some of the best UConn Huskies players ever.

Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers looks on during the second quarter between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies women's basketball alumni are no stranger to being the best of the best, and Forbes Magazine can't help but agree.

UConn alumni Paige Bueckers and Napheesa Collier were both named to the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Bueckers is listed under the sports section, while Collier is looped under "All Star Alumni" after being named to the list in previous years.

Other entrants in the categories include tennis champion Coco Gauff, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and fellow basketball stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama.

Paige Bueckers Championship Run with UConn

Bueckers, who currently plays for the Dallas Wings are being selected as the first overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, is a UConn legend. She quickly rose to a leadership role on the team during her freshman season in 2020, a role she held on to through the end of her college career and has passed on in part to girlfriend and UConn senior Azzi Fudd and freshman star Sarah Strong.

Sep 11, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) celebrates after the game against the Phoenix Mercury at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Bueckers was a massive part of leading UConn to their first championship in nine years in her final season. She holds the record for scoring average as a Husky, with 19.8 points per game. She also holds the record for the most points scored by a Husky in the NCAA tournament with 477. Bueckers is sponsored by Nike was the first college NIL athlete to have a Player Edition sneaker, per Forbes.

Napheesa Collier's Time with UConn

Bueckers just missed sharing time with Collier, another UConn legend. Despite initially vowing to beat the three time back-to-back champions during her high school recruitment, she joined the team in Storrs in 2015. Collier, who was a member of UConn's 2016 championship team, ranks third all-time in career scoring, fourth in rebounds and seventh in blocks for the school.

Sep 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) shoots against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half during game two of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

These records and consistent high level play earned her high praise from coach Geno Auriemma, both as a professional and during her time in the NCAA.

"It's hard to find somebody who competes as hard as she does," Auriemma said during Collier's senior year in 2018. "She does a little bit of everything really, really well."

After being drafted by the Minnesota Lynx in 2024, Collier partnered with fellow UConn alumni and New York Liberty power forward Breanna Stewart to create the Unrivaled basketball league, of which Bueckers has an equity stake. She is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

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