What All of Us Can Learn From Paige Bueckers Remarkable NCAA Tournament
In a world of performative everything, an extraordinary example of true greatness
Paige Bueckers is on an absolute roll in the NCAA tournament. What she’s overcome to arrive at this point is just as remarkable. Her story is an example of excellence and greatness that not enough people are talking about.
First, some context: Across the first four rounds of the NCAA tournament, Bueckers is averaging 29 points per game. At the same time, she’s shooting over 50% from the field. It’s an insane combination of scoring, shot selection, selflessness, and efficiency.
She’s also playing shut-down defense, being scrappy on loose balls, and logging over 30 minutes per game.
It’s truly extraordinary—even more so when you consider the long and rocky road she walked to get here.
In 2020, Bueckers became the first-ever freshman to earn major national women's college player of the year awards, including the AP Player of the Year and the Naismith College Player of the Year.
She was the biggest deal in women’s college sports, and by far.
But then Bueckers succumbed to a string of injuries, including an ACL tear that forced her to miss an entire season. At the same time, Caitlin Clark arrived on the scene and took over the spotlight.
Bueckers had countless opportunities to become resentful, sour on the sport, or lose her hunger and drive.
But she didn’t.
She could have moped around, blamed other people, and transferred schools.
But she didn’t.
She could have let the negative media coverage (she’s just too injury-prone; it’s the Caitlin Clark show) erode her confidence.
But she didn’t.
It’s worth stressing this point: Imagine what it would feel like to be an 18-year-old FRESHMAN and the BEST player in your sport, to have all the pressure in the world on you. And then to fall from that pedestal a thousand times more quickly than all the hard work it took you to rise.
The amount of grace and grit needed to press on is truly hard to imagine.
Now Bueckers is in the spotlight again, playing for an NCAA championship, and unlike when she was a Freshman, there’s arguably even more pressure.
There is NIL money. There is the explosion in popularity of her sport. There is the fact that she’s now in her senior year, at the best program, and with the best coach in the history of her sport.
And she’s delivering.
And not only on the court, but off the court too.
She’s a fan favorite, and is known for taking the time to sign autographs for young girls at ever opportunity she gets. She is also waking up early to make her teammate Jana El Alfy breakfast during Ramadan, which El Alfy observes.
“I’m her roommate, so just to be able to be there to support her, let her know we’re here for her through everything, and we know what she’s going through is tough to do,” Bueckers says. “To be able to do Ramadan, fast and play basketball at such a high level right now. So just anytime you can support somebody, especially when they’re going through something; it’s a lot better when you’re going through something with somebody.”
Regardless of what happens in the finals (though I wouldn’t bet against her), Paige Bueckers is a remarkable example of genuine excellence. Here are some lessons for all of us:
Love and commit to the craft—not the fame and popularity and external validation, but the craft itself.
Focus on the process and let the outcomes take care of themselves.
Expect it to be hard; expect challenges; dig in and show grit.
Run your own race—you can’t control who else is in the arena and what they are doing; all you can control is your own effort.
Being good teammate—and being a good person—is core to genuine excellence.
Work to keep a growth mindset.
Remember that resilience is not separate from greatness; it’s a part of it.
Even if we never pick up a basketball, let alone shoot anywhere as accurate as Paige Bueckers, observing an athlete like her at the height of her ability can take us out of our day-to-day and remind us of what is possible.
It’s akin to tasting the creation of a master chef, walking around a celebrated architect’s stunning building, or hearing a genre-bending singer’s perfect pitch. In all these instances we feel greatness and we are reminded of an impulse to create, to make progress, and to strive for our own peak potential.
In a world of performative everything, it’s vital to keep shining a light on the real thing.
— Brad