Paige Bueckers has always been known as the one who sets the tone for jokes, pranks, and lighthearted moments on and off the court. If there’s a trick to be pulled, usually she’s the one pulling it. But this time, the tables turned on her-and it came courtesy of someone who knows her just as well as she knows herself.
The dab that shocked Paige
Before the Dallas Wings faced the Golden State Valkyries, Bueckers reunited with her former UConn teammate Kaytlin Chen. As Paige approached her with what seemed like a friendly pregame handshake, Chen pulled a slick move. Instead of returning the gesture, she dodged and broke into a dab, leaving Bueckers wide-eyed and stunned. Fans quickly pointed out that this was exactly the kind of playful antic Paige herself would normally orchestrate.
The moment instantly spread online, with people laughing at how perfectly Chen flipped the script. For once, Paige was on the receiving end of the kind of playful tease she’s become famous for. And when you think about it, who better to pull that off than someone who shared the court-and the locker room-with her?
Now on opposing sides in the WNBA, the two still carry that bond from their time together at UConn. Chen, who transferred from Princeton for her senior season, only played one year with Paige, but it was more than enough to learn all her quirks. In fact, she may know Bueckers better than most, which is why she was able to one-up her with a move Paige never saw coming.
Friendship that goes beyond the court
That year together at UConn was special. Chen ran the offense as a traditional point guard, freeing up Bueckers to thrive at the two-guard spot where she feels most comfortable. Their chemistry helped bring the Huskies back to national championship glory, ending a nine-year title drought. Off the court, Chen often praised Paige’s selfless nature and the way she uplifted teammates and coaches alike, a sign of how much she valued her friendship.
And even after college, the respect has stayed strong. When Chen was drafted by Golden State, Bueckers celebrated the moment with visible excitement. More recently, when Paige dropped a record-setting 44 points in her rookie season, Chen was one of the first to post about it, applauding her former teammate with a message that showed their bond is still alive and well.
Just a perfectly-timed prank
So while some fans online speculated whether the viral handshake-dodge meant something deeper, it’s clear this was nothing more than a friendly reminder that Paige doesn’t always get the last laugh. If anything, Chen pulled a page straight out of the Bueckers playbook, proving that she can match her in humor just as well as she did on the court.
In the end, Paige Bueckers got what she usually gives-a perfectly-timed prank. And judging by her reaction, she might still be laughing about it too.
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