Swimsuit

Paige Bueckers’s ‘GQ Hype’ Cover Proves She’s a Fashion and Sports Powerhouse

The basketball star is gearing up for the NCAA championships and WNBA draft in April.

Ananya Panchal

Paige Bueckers
Paige Bueckers / Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Paige Bueckers is no stranger to the spotlight. The University of Connecticut basketball star has been one of the most electrifying players in the sport since her freshman year, redefining what it means to be a modern-day athlete. With a brand new (super stylish) GQ Hype cover story, aptly titled “Welcome to the Paige Bueckers Era of March Madness,” adding to her portfolio today, the 23-year-old is proving she’s more than just a basketball phenom—she’s a cultural force at the intersection of sports, fashion and star power.

The shoot, styled by Brandon Tan and photographed by Quil Lemons, showcased Bueckers’s versatility. She donned everything from oversized power suits to pastel cardigans, baggy jeans with boxers peeking through, rugby polos, jorts, track pants, barn jackets, loafers and cropped bra tops. Yet, no matter the look, she wore each with an undeniable confidence—proving not just her ability to look good in anything, but her instinct to wear the clothes, rather than letting them wear her.

The NCAA star has been a household name since she arrived at the University of Connecticut in 2020, quickly becoming the first freshman in history to win the prestigious Naismith College Player of the Year award. She helped lead the Huskies to the Final Four in her debut season and has continued to dominate despite battling injuries in the years since. Now fully healthy, she’s back in action and widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft this April, where the Dallas Wings hold the first stop. It’s a slam dunk—just as Caitlin Clark’s selection last year was so certain that it instantly drove record-breaking ticket sales and jersey sellouts for the Indiana Fever.

Bueckers, currently in her fifth year at UConn, is eligible for a sixth season due to the NCAA’s COVID-19 waiver, keeping the door open for a potential return. As one of the most marketable athletes in college sports and a trailblazer in the NIL era, with 2.1 million followers on Instagram and 3.2 million on TikTok, she has the flexibility to delay her professional career if she chooses. And thanks to her endorsements—including her historic 2021 deal with Gatorade, making her the first college athlete to sign with the brand—she doesn’t really need a WNBA contract immediately.

But Bueckers isn’t just shaping the future of women’s basketball—she’s influencing culture in a way few athletes do. Her GQ cover cements her crossover appeal, showcasing her blend of athleticism, confidence and style. She’s been making waves in the fashion world, attending New York Fashion Week and collaborating with Nike to release her own Player Edition sneaker, the G.T. Hustle 3.

“My style is definitely a mix of feminine and masculine,” the Minnesota native shared. Her ability to move between high fashion and streetwear reflects her larger influence and ability to bridge aesthetics in a way that feels both fresh and authentic.

On the court, Bueckers is as dynamic as they come. “A competitor who can score at all three levels, defends, plays both sides of the court—can really do anything the game calls for and the team needs,” she described. She’s fearless, locking eyes with coaches, teammates, reporters, fans and even the refs she’s unafraid to challenge. And off the court? She’s just as charismatic—after all, she confidently claims she has “top rizz.”

Despite the pressures of being one of the most recognizable names in college basketball, the CeraVe ambassador remains grounded, motivated by her love for the sport and her desire to push boundaries. “You can’t really be great unless you’re confident,” she said. “[But,] in no way, shape, or form have I gotten here by myself—I’ve had so many people invest in me. That definitely keeps you humble as well.”

With the WNBA on the horizon and her influence extending beyond basketball, Bueckers is poised to be a powerhouse in every arena she steps into. For now, she’s just focused on an NCAA championship in April.

Published
Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

Home/Fashion