It's hard to feel bad for a team who has lost a total of six games in six seasons and have made twelve straight Final Fours, but for the first time in recent memory, the UConn Huskies were having some struggles that raised some eyebrows.
The struggles weren't on the court, but rather on the recruiting trail. The mystique of UConn, it seemed, no longer guaranteed a commitment from the players they pursued.
Aliyah Boston, the No. 3 player in the 2019 class, opted for South Carolina, as did No. 10-ranked Laeticia Amihere from Canada. UConn only had No. 33 Aubrey Griffin committed in the 2019 class through the entire 2018-19 season and no one in the 2020 class.
Until Paige Bueckers.
The No. 1 recruit in the 2020 class and one of the most hyped prospects in the past five years, Buckers shut up the critics and sparked a fanbase.
"Paige is a rare talent," said Kevin Lynch, a national evaluator for Blue Star Basketball and a McDonald's All-American committee member. "She is extremely efficient in all aspects of the game and she plays with a unique flair that makes her fun to watch. How many 5'11 point guards do you know that effectively score on all three levels?"
