UConn women’s basketball star, NIL trendsetter Paige Bueckers tears ACL, out for 2022-23 season

Paige Bueckers, the star UConn women’s basketball junior who led the team to the Final Four in 2021, will miss the 2022-23 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Monday, the team announced.

Bueckers suffered the injury during a pick-up basketball game, the team said. An MRI Monday evening confirmed the injury.

Bueckers will undergo surgery on Friday at UConn Health. 

“We’re all devastated for Paige,” Head Coach Geno Auriemma said. “She’s worked really hard to get stronger and healthier this offseason, and this is an unfortunate setback.”

Auriemma went on to call Bueckers “an amazing basketball player” and “a better person.”

“It’s really unfortunate that this has happened to her,” he said. “We’ll miss her presence on the court, but she’ll do everything she can to still lead and help her teammates this season.”

The team said it will provide an update on her recovery timetable following the surgery.

In November, Bueckers signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Gatorade, making her the first NCAA athlete signed by the company.