Paige Bueckers Reiterates Plan to Go Pro After UConn Loss to Tennessee

Paige Bueckers once again stated that it was her intention to turn pro following the season after UConn's loss to Tennessee.

Tennessee guard Samara Spencer (7) defends UConn guard Paige Bueckers (5) during a women's college basketball game between the Lady Vols and UConn at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville on Thursday, February 6, 2025. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

UConn's status as a national championship contender suffered another blow at the hands of Tennessee on Thursday night, as the Lady Volunteers defeated the Huskies for the first time in 18 years by a score of 80-76.

The loss was UConn's third of the season, all coming in high profile matchups. The No. 5 ranked Huskies had previously dropped contests to Notre Dame and USC.

Of course UConn's biggest star is Paige Bueckers, who has yet to win a national title in her tenure in Connecticut. So one would think all the focus after the loss to the Lady Vols would be on what she and her squad can do to eventually achieve that goal.

However, a question Bueckers was asked took things in a different direction. Specifically toward what her intentions are for after the season ends.

Bueckers has been the presumed number one pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft for a while, but rumors about her reluctance to play for the Dallas Wings (who have the top pick) and speculation that she could use her remaining year of eligibility as leverage have muddied the waters a bit.

As a result, Paige was asked after the game if she was thinking of turning pro following the season.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Bueckers responded, per an X post from SNY.

Paige Bueckers was asked about going pro next season:

"Yeah, that's the plan" pic.twitter.com/ZDBZn0Z0Tr

— UConn on SNY (@SNYUConn) February 7, 2025

This answer should not come as a surprise, as it is consistent with what Bueckers has been saying all along. Still, it is noteworthy to hear the UConn star reiterate said plan given the aforementioned speculation

Perhaps Bueckers can now turn her full attention to capturing that elusive national championship for UConn, without further questions about her future intentions.