Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers has quickly become one of the WNBA‘s most recognizable faces. From her dazzling play at UConn to her pro debut, she’s been spotlighted alongside the likes of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese as part of a new wave of women’s basketball stars reshaping the league. But with stardom also comes scrutiny, and Bueckers is learning to navigate that reality with humor and grace.
During a recent appearance on Deja Kelly‘s podcast Nilosophy, Bueckers addressed some of the bizarre online rumors she’s encountered since rising to fame. One rumor in particular caught her completely off guard, as it claimed that she was pregnant after missing time due to injury. The 22-year-old couldn’t help but laugh while recalling the experience.
“The internet is so unserious. I just can’t believe the stuff that be happening,” Bueckers said. “I don’t know if it was you [Deja Kelly], Malu, or Callie showed me like, what did it say, ‘concussion-like symptoms, she’s sick, see you in 9 months’. Like bro, this is so unserious and I really get a kick out of it now.”
She and Kelly shared a laugh over the absurdity of the post, highlighting just how far some fans and trolls will go to invent stories. The rumor appeared to stem from her time on the sidelines due to injury concerns, which fans wildly speculated about with no factual basis.
Fame brings assumptions
Later in the podcast, Bueckers got more candid about what it’s like living in the public eye as a young female athlete. She explained how people often mistake visibility for familiarity, assuming they understand who she is based solely on what they see during games or on social media.
“People think they know me because they’ve seen me on TV for two hours,” she said, reflecting on how false narratives and assumptions spread so quickly online.
Rather than trying to constantly correct misinformation or respond to critics, Bueckers takes a different approach. She chooses to let her performance on the court do the talking.
Her mature perspective isn’t surprising to those who have followed her career. After all, Bueckers has dealt with intense media attention since her high school days in Minnesota. From being the No. 1 recruit in her class to leading UConn deep into the NCAA Tournament multiple times, she’s had cameras on her every move for years.
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