There’s something deeply comforting about realizing that even your idols wrestle with the same everyday struggles you do. Moreover, it becomes genuinely empowering when they choose to humanize themselves in front of the media by openly sharing their healthy coping mechanisms and challenging the taboos that surround these struggles. That’s exactly what Paige Bueckers did. “Yeah, I work with a sports psychologist,” Bueckers said. “I know a lot of people on the team do. But it’s just a grounding point of a person who you can go to and there’s no judgments, it’s a judgment-free zone.”

That openness extends even further. Paige Bueckers vulnerably admitted that “You wake up sometimes and you’re just anxious and you’re not in the state of how I normally am, like a little kid just happy to play basketball. I’m sort of like, ‘Man, I can’t wait for the game to be over today.'” The thing is that the pressure of a pro league can get to even the most resilient players, and being the #1 draft pick in a media-driven era just adds to it. However, it’s not something recent for Paige. She has been dealing with such mental health aspects before even stepping into the WNBA.

Paige Bueckers revealed it in an interview with WFAA. She said, “I always had a ball in my hand. I was always playing catch could never sit still very fidgety.” By now, you’ve probably guessed it: she had a short attention span, like many other kids today. She added, “Probably had a little bit of ADD (Attention-deficit-disorder) or something like that. But basketball was the one I chose and fell in love with”. Out of almost 7 million kids, she is one of the few lucky ones to be able to do that.

The National Library of Medicine defines ADD (now medically categorized under ADHD: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) as “A psychiatric condition that has long been recognized as affecting children’s ability to function. Individuals suffering from this disorder show patterns of developmentally inappropriate levels of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.” This condition impacts emotions, self-confidence, and even getting simple things done.

It’s way more than just being restless or unmotivated, which is how some people see it. The data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that the number of kids diagnosed with ADHD has been climbing over the years. Back in 2003, roughly 7.8% of children in the U.S. had an ADHD diagnosis. By 2016, that figure had risen to 10.2%. Now, it affects around 1 in 11 kids between the ages of 2 and 17 in the U.S. alone. For some, finding an outlet through sports, art, or physical activity can make a huge difference. It helps them focus and manage their emotions better.

That’s what Paige’s story is all about. She unknowingly overcame an issue that is persistent in a huge chunk of the population, battling through it every day. There has to be a driving force behind that, and she found it in watching a dynasty unfold in real time. At an age when most kids watched cartoons, she had the Seimone, Maya, Syl, and Whay teaching her lessons in greatness with every pass, every title. Yep, Paige Bueckers runs on the legacy of the Minnesota Lynx dynasty, which won four WNBA titles from 2011 to 2017. She admitted it during an interview with the WFAA. When the interviewer asked, “So what motivated 11-year-old Paige?”, she didn’t hold back.

Paige said, “Just the the want to be great. And the Minnesota Lynx dynasty was everything to me when I was young. You just saw them winning winning winning and that just created a winner in me.” It was the Lynx Dynasty that pushed her through all the unknown mental and severe physical battles towards greatness. And it shows every time she steps on the court.

Not Just Paige Bueckers…

Professional sports take a heavy mental and emotional toll on many women, yet only a handful can speak out. This situation mostly exists because of the stigma surrounding mental health, especially in high-stakes settings like basketball. While Paige Bueckers hinted at her personal struggles, other elite athletes have openly shared their stories. They were able to be bold enough to shed light on issues that often stay hidden.

Chamique Holdsclaw, the 1999 #1 WNBA draft pick and six-time All-Star, was among the first to reveal her battles with bipolar disorder and depression. Her emotional struggles included an attempt at ending her life. All of this was first documented in the powerful film Mind/Game. She later revealed, “I was dying inside.” Today, Holdsclaw is a strong advocate for mental health in sports.

Another one of basketball’s most accomplished players, Breanna Stewart, has spoken about her PTSD from childhood trauma. In a raw Players’ Tribune piece, she wrote, “It’s not something you ever forget. But I wanted to take my voice back.” Whereas Layshia Clarendon has been vocal about the anxiety and emotional strain of fighting for acceptance in a rigidly gendered sports world. They are the WNBA’s first openly nonbinary and transgender player.

In a league interview, Layshia shared, “That I wasn’t able to be seen in my fullness and wholeness was actually really difficult.” Even a rising star admitted that early in her college career, she privately struggled with severe anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Haley Van Lith revealed, “I was heavily medicated and felt trapped… and you’d never know because I was having success.” Skylar Diggins also opened up about her postpartum depression after giving birth. She confessed that she played an entire season while hiding her pregnancy and received no support from her team.

These athletes prove that true mental strength isn’t just about winning. It’s all about speaking out in hopes that it will empower someone else who’s struggling.