Paige Bueckers
There’s something to the mental part of the game that is rarely talked about in scouting circles, yet every class there are examples of once celebrated middle school kids that supposedly didn’t pan out.
To her credit, Paige Bueckers of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, isn’t that player. The 5-foot-11 guard is closing out her sophomore season of high school with her mind in the right place, in spite of all the expectations leveled on her. Perhaps the biggest one is right in front of her, re-making the USA Basketball team for her age group.
Paige Bueckers is focused on becoming a complete
player. *Photo by Chris Hansen.A year ago she was electric at the U16 national team trials, ultimately making the team that would restore American dominance at the youth level by winning gold in Argentina. It’s that gold medal that has qualified the USA U17 team for the FIBA World Championships in Belarus this summer.
But does that success lead to the trap of complacency? Overconfidence?
“If I’m being honest, I feel more pressure because it’s an expectation for us to make the team again,” Bueckers said after the final camp session of the trials Friday. “So yeah definitely I feel more pressure than I did last year.”
Buecker’s has a plan coming into this pressure-packed weekend at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
“Try to do the same things I did last year but show I’ve improved,” Buecker’s said of her plan. I don’t know, just stay strong mentally and not get the fact that I have a lot pressure on me, just try to ignore the pressure.”
A year later, everyone is better than they were at the last trials. And Paige is no exception. One scout watching her play this morning called her “Pistol Paige”, a reference to Pistol Pete Maravich and his flare for making plays.
She has honed her skills by dominating her high school season competition, and her focus and energy at the Check Me Out Showcase in Minneapolis this past fall she showed she was committed to impacting both ends of the floor.
Paige Bueckers raises up for a mid-range jumper at the
USA U17 national team trials. *Photo by Chris Hansen.“Oh, I think I’ve gotten stronger,” she said. “People may not see it but I definitely feel it. I try to play through a lot more contact now. Usually I just scored at the basket or behind the 3-point line and so I’ve tried to improve my mid-range game as well.”
She showed that in her team’s first 5-on-5 game Friday night, getting into the heart of the defense and raising up for a couple of 15 footers. Saturday she was throwing no-look passes and making plays defensively. She’s becoming a complete player.
On the recruiting front Bueckers has made a lot of progress as well. The five-star rated guard made visits to Maryland, Minnesota and Notre Dame in October and Connecticut in November.
“I feel like I’m narrowing it down,” Bueckers said of her recruitment process. “So I think it won’t take long to complete the process and make a decision. I definitely still want to go visit some schools and just compare them.”
Whoever gets Paige at the next level will get a hungry playmaker who wants to be great. And her future success is going to come down to her continued mental strength.
#BrandonClayScouting
— Brandon Clay (@BrandonClayPSB) May 26, 2018
‘20 PG Paige Bueckers has been the topic of conversation on my phone line multiple times this week.
She’s one of my favorite players regardless of class, does a little of everything. @ChrisHansenPSB says she’s back at it again in Colorado this weekend. pic.twitter.com/by2XrnWScL
Chris Hansen is managing editor of ProspectsNation.com and serves on the McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Trophy selection committees. He was a co-founder of and the national director of scouting for ESPN HoopGurlz from 2005 until 2012 and is the director of the Check Me Out Showcase. He can be reached at chris@chrishansenbasketball.com.
