“God didn’t play at all about year 23. Forever blessed and highly favored. Thank you God!” were the words Paige Bueckers used as the caption on her birthday post. The only player in women’s college basketball history to win National Player of the Year as a freshman has just turned 24, and while you would expect a big party to be in store for her, she has received a heartfelt message from one of her teammates.

It was no surprise that Paige Bueckers’ birthday brought a flood of messages from across the basketball world. From Arike Ogunbowale to Flau’jae Johnson, NaLyssa Smith, and Kaitlyn Chen, stars from near and far took to Instagram to send their love to the Dallas phenom. But among all the birthday wishes, one wish stood out, and we will tell you why!

“Happy birthday boogers. Love and miss you,” wrote her former Huskies teammate KK Arnold, sharing a heartfelt collage of photos capturing their time together at UConn. The two weren’t just close off the court; they made history together earlier this year, helping the Huskies capture their 12th national championship and ending a title drought that had lasted since 2016.

While Paige Bueckers clearly led the Lady Huskies from the front last season, the spotlight is shifting to the player ready to step into her shoes: KK Arnold. The junior guard averaged 5.5 points and 2.8 assists per game, but her true value shone during the tournament, especially with nine key points in the win over UCLA. To ease the transition and bolster the roster, UConn added sophomore transfer Kayleigh Heckel, who contributed 6.1 points and 1.9 assists per game in her debut season at USC.

Of course, it will be Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong’s team this season. They are both expected to be among the top 5 players in the country this year, and Strong is expected to compete for the National Player of the Year award as well. But when it comes to being the floor general for the Lady Huskies, expect the responsibilities to be shared by KK Arnold and Kayleigh Heckel. Even without Paige Bueckers, UConn is stacked with talent, and the Lady Huskies are more than capable of chasing down last year’s success once again.

Of course, you can expect Paige to show up at some UConn games this season while the WNBA is in its off-season. The Minnesota native is making the most of her downtime and has been turning heads with her off-court adventures lately.

Paige Bueckers attends a Dallas Cowboys game

Living in a city home to one of the most famous football teams in the world certainly has its perks. On Sunday, October 19, Paige Bueckers was front and center at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, soaking in the energy as Brian Schottenheimer’s Dallas Cowboys took on Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders.

Paige gave fans a peek at her day at the stadium, posting a photo on her Instagram story with her view from the stands while holding a football. She even gave a shoutout to Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. It was a perfect day to be there, as the Dallas Cowboys dominated the Washington Commanders 44-22, bringing their season record to 3-3-1.

This is a time to rest and reset for Paige Bueckers, who just came off a grueling stretch of back-to-back college and WNBA seasons. Now 24, she may not have had the rookie season she dreamed of, but finishing it with the Rookie of the Year award while averaging 19.2 points and 5.4 assists gives her a solid foundation to build on next season. For now, she’s taking a well-deserved break–and fans can be sure she’ll be there cheering on her UConn teammates along the way.