Paige Bueckers Withdraws From 2022-2023 Basketball Season Because of a Knee Injury

On Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, the UConn Women’s Basketball team announced on Twitter that star point guard Paige Bueckers will have to sit out the 2022-2023 season because of a knee injury.

Paige joined UConn in 2020, demonstrating unparalleled talents in games against the likes of the Baylor Bears, the Marquette Golden Eagles basketball, and the St. John's Red Storm. How will the new knee injury impact her career? What happened to Paige's knee?

Paige appears to have torn her anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL) — the same injury leaving Noah Centineo with no choice but to treat the internet to videos showing his shower routine in 2019 — while playing a heated game of pick-up basketball.

Paige is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at UConn Health in Farmington, Conn. The incident marks a particularly unlucky turn of events for the mightily talented basketball star. Paige already missed the 2021-2022 season because of a knee injury.

"We're all devastated for Paige," Geno Auriemma, the UConn coach told the The Oregonian. "She's worked really hard to get stronger and healthier this offseason, and this is an unfortunate setback. Paige is obviously an amazing basketball player, but she's a better person and teammate and it’s really unfortunate that this has happened to her."

"We’ll miss her presence on the court, but she’ll do everything she can to still lead and help her teammates this season," Geno added. "Our program will support Paige through her healing process to help her come back better and stronger."

Paige issued a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. As she wrote, she refuses to give up in light of the dire circumstances, focusing on her recovery instead.

"It’s so so crazy because you work so hard to get back healthy, you feel stronger than ever, and you are playing your best basketball, and with one sudden movement it all shifts," Paige captioned a post. "I’ve worked too hard for the little kid in these pictures to keep going for the dreams I've had since I first picked up the ball, so why would I stop now?"

"The prayers and love means so much to me and the doubts that I won’t get back to where I was might mean even more," she added. "God put a dream in my heart and even if I have to walk through a nightmare to get it I’m going to keep believing."

Paige missed the 2021-2022 season after suffering an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball on Dec. 5, 2021. She underwent surgery on Dec. 13, 2021, per ESPN.