Paige Bueckers described watching Stephen Curry represent Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as a “heavenly experience,” speaking ahead of her own senior national team debut.
While much of the current WNBA conversation centers on the possibility of a lockout amid stalled negotiations between the league and the WNBPA over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Bueckers is focused on international competition. The young star has been selected for the U.S. roster for the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.
The event begins on March 11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Bueckers will share the court with standout players including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Although the U.S. women’s team has already secured its place at the 2026 World Cup in Germany after winning the 2025 AmeriCup, the qualifying tournament still offers valuable preparation. Under head coach Kara Lawson, the competition is expected to help the squad build rhythm and chemistry ahead of the global tournament.
Speaking to reporters before the event, Bueckers reflected on the basketball stars she admired while growing up. She mentioned legends such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Sue Bird, and Diana Taurasi.
However, she reserved special praise for Curry’s electrifying performance at the Paris Olympics. His displays in the semifinal and final stood out to her as unforgettable moments of basketball brilliance.
Curry scored 36 points in Team USA’s narrow 95–91 semifinal victory over Serbia, shooting 12-of-19 from the field and connecting on nine three-pointers. He followed that with another standout performance in the gold-medal game against France, contributing 24 points and eight triples as the Americans secured a 98–87 win.
The triumph also marked Curry’s first Olympic gold medal after missing the 2012 and 2016 Games due to injury and opting out of the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.
Bueckers also singled out Devin Booker as another player she admires. She said Booker’s willingness to accept any role for Team USA in Paris serves as inspiration for her own approach with the national team.
According to Bueckers, she is prepared to contribute in whatever way the coaches require whether that means starting, coming off the bench, or filling different roles on the cour because simply representing the United States is an honor.
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