Think packed schedule, think Paige Bueckers’ week and a few days following her natty win. A fruition of 5 years. Of the resilience that kept her coming back to do it all over again every autumn. The UConn star was there to win, and more than a few knew it would be an incomplete story until that was ticked. So we followed, thousands of us, through wins, hopes, tears, and setbacks. And when the trophy was finally lifted on the 6th of April, it called for a parade– across events, shows, and cities. Bueckers obliged, and seemingly with the help of a luxury brand.

Paige Bueckers’ victory lap started soon after the confetti fell and Storrs lit up for the 3rd consecutive time. A walk around the arena, yes. But the star guard took off when shows came calling just hours in. 3 days after the UConn Huskies had managed a dominant 82-59 victory over South Carolina, Paige was with Today for an interview. Hours later, she was heading to a taping of “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. In between, she had also snuck in an interview with the New York Times.

“It’s so surreal,” she’d say then. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet.” 

By the end of her collegiate career, Paige was reportedly, the third most valuable woman in college sports, had the second largest social media (2.3 million) following, and the highest engagement from her followers. So you can guess the demand. The walk around Fallon’s show, holding the trophy was just the start.

In the following days, after meeting with Alicia Keys, pairing with her teammate Azzi Fudd, Paige appeared on Good Morning America and ABC News. She would also make trips to Connecticut, one for the victory parade outside the XL Center. Soon, it was the WNBA draft keeping her in New York.

Predictions came true, her name was called for the first pick, and she admitted, “You just have a level of excitement, nervousness, bittersweet feeling knowing that my journey at UConn is over.” But the tour wasn’t. Post-draft, Paige was out sigining autographs for her fans. Speak about a busy week! But through all the travels, Paige had a solid companion. And the Wings star couldn’t sign off without a few nice words.

“Thank you Cadillac, for ride for this past week,” Bueckers shared on her Instagram story. It is important to note that Paige is not a brand ambassador of Cadillac nor remotely related to the brand, at least as far as the official announcements are confirmed. But when you have an NIL valuation of $1.4 million and are a No.1 draft pick, having already signed with the league’s official banking partner, anything would be possible.

For now, she was just being grateful. As for the drive…

Cadillac, a flagship brand of the General Motors (GM) company, is the newest member of the F1 races and will be seen racing from the 2026 season. GM has a net worth of $ 60 billion and is known for its finest automobiles. Paige using and especially mentioning it in her comments will surely add feel feel-good factor to it.

Now, after all the fanfare and greets, how can Paige uplift her new team, the Dallas Wings?

Dallas Wings hoping to form a dynasty with Paige Bueckers

When the Dallas Wings landed the first overall pick of the 2025 WNBA draft, all eyes were set on Paige Bueckers. And once the ‘dream’ collaboration was confirmed on April 10, Dallas now has a solid piece to build around. Bueckers, a UConn prodigy, has the program’s winning mentality, game IQ and ability to impact games in multiple ways.

Though Wings’ roster is stacked with some veteran talent, led by guard Arike Ogunbowale, Paige’s inclusion put them at a different level, both commercially and performance-wise. Paige is not only the one of the most marketable athlete in the WNBA, but she is also a talent magnet. Wings clearly landed a gem who can change the team’s direction for years to come.

While it could be too early to expect quick influence on the WNBA from season one, the effects are already visible with ticket sales, media attention going up and opposition preparing for the ‘Paige effect’. Dallas Wings could be a whole different team in one or two seasons with Paige Bueckers playing the catalyst role. There should not be many opposing arguments about this.