STORRS, Conn. — UConn star Paige Bueckers, the 2020-21 national player of the year, is «very close» to being fully cleared as she makes her way back from an August 2022 ACL tear that sidelined her for her entire junior season. «I'm feeling really good,» Bueckers told reporters at UConn on Wednesday. «I'm just past the 10-month mark [following the injury and surgery].
So I'm definitely starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the finishing mark. But there's a long way to go. ACL recoveries take a long time.
Bueckers said she's playing 3-on-3, 2-on-2 and 1-on-1 in individual and team workouts but hasn't been cleared for 5-on-5 work, which she called „the last little benchmark to be fully cleared.“ »But I'm in no rush," Bueckers said. «Our whole team and staff is in no rush.
We have a lot of time.» Entering her senior season, Bueckers is making her way back from her second significant knee injury in two years.