www.espn.com
“I just want to be 110% healthy before I ever play basketball again.”I’m reading between the lines here but, to me, it says she wasn’t at that point when she returned last season. There was a weakness there that caused the current injury. Even though they were different injuries, it was the same knee. I wish her well and can’t wait to see her talent back on the court. But, some poor decisions may have occurred last year.ESPN also has an article. Hopefully this will ease some concerns for the fans
UConn's Bueckers to return for 2023-24 season
UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers said Thursday that while she will be age-eligible to declare for the 2023 WNBA draft, she will return to UConn for the 2023-24 season despite being sidelined this upcoming season with an ACL injury.
I caught that as well. It was also mentioned multiple times in broadcasts and by both Geno and Paige that she wasn’t at 100% at various points throughout the tournament. I don’t think it was necessarily a poor decision seeing as the two injuries were apparently unrelated, freak accident type of situations. Just a risk-reward assessment and Paige’s desire to return to play taking precedence over 100% healthiness. Also, the consideration of what is 100% has a significant mental component to it. According to the UConn staff, the knee was 100% at Paige’s point of return but the mental feeling of 100% wasn’t quite there til probably the offseason.
I agree that it comes down to the players mentality but it pretty clear - as you say - the desire to return took precedence over health. Her statement says she won’t let that happen again. Although they were 2 seperate injuries, they were on the same knee. I believe they are related. There is a weakness in that knee. I hope she doesn’t return until she attains that 110%.
Since none of us are apart of Paige’s medical team, I don’t think anyone can claim the injuries are related. Especially if Paige & co. claim they are unrelated injuries. Being the same knee could just be mere coincidence. Consider that the injury also happened about 5 months after she returned from the initial left knee injury. That’s pretty much twice as long as the recovery for that initial injury. Had the injury occurred during the NCAA tournament it would be a different story and the relation of the two injuries would be much more obvious. However, with the break she had in between (returning from the first knee injury to tearing the ACL), I do believe she was fully healed and just caught a tough break.
I think you got this wrong, she is coming back.Well damn, I was really looking forward to seeing her play for UCONN again. This pretty much puts the nail in the coffin.
In her presser, she said during the summer right before the injury, she was feeling stronger and playing better than she ever had. Her smile said it all. She was not fooling herself and Geno is on record as saying the same thing. . She will use this time to further improve her strength and her mind. I would put her firmly in the coaching circle (as she only half joked) and really have her continue her deep dive into the details of the game.
She’s eligible age-wise for the next WNBA draft in 2023. However, Paige has never wavered from her intention to stay (at least) 4 years and complete her degree.
If anyone is out of NYT articles, I posted this above as a gifted article.Bueckers Says She’ll Stay in School. (That’s Where the Money Is.) (Published 2022)
UConn guard Paige Bueckers could jump to the W.N.B.A. when she recovers from her knee injury. But experts said she may be better off financially by staying in college.www.nytimes.com
“I mean, she’s going to make well over a million dollars. It’s not even a question,” Jason Belzer, the chief executive of Student Athlete NIL, an agency that works with brands doing campaigns for student athletes
Schoenthal said Bueckers would have marketing opportunities if she jumped to the W.N.B.A. But he added: “I think there is an argument to be made that she’s more marketable while at UConn because UConn women’s basketball is probably more popular than most W.N.B.A. teams. So I think it’s fair to say that one of reasons she’s coming back is name, image and likeness.”
You obviously have no concept of how much post surgical rehab is done on knee injuries. The doctors and trainers would not clear a player for contact practice until all those muscles test out to 100%.
What is your source for this assertion? I haven't seen it stated in any news article.
