Paige Bueckers sees her first major tournament for the U.S. women's national team alongside fellow newcomers Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese as the natural course of one generation replacing another.
The Dallas Wings star wants to be clear, though. This FIBA World Cup — not to mention any Olympic or other international event that might follow — isn't some sort of entitlement.
"We don't take it for granted and think we're entitled to it just because we feel like it's our time now," Bueckers said. "We had to earn it, we had work for it and we're all extremely grateful for that. We've been competing with and against each other our whole lives, and something that I admire is their work ethic and what it took to get here."
Team USA begins pursuit of a fifth consecutive World Cup ***** le against China on Friday in Berlin in the first of three games in group play. The WNBA is taking a nearly three-week break to accommodate the tournament.
For Bueckers, Indiana's Clark and Atlanta's Reese, it means putting aside thoughts of the looming WNBA playoffs to start what each would hope is a long international career. They were together when the U.S. won a World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico in March.
#bueckers
The Dallas Wings star wants to be clear, though. This FIBA World Cup — not to mention any Olympic or other international event that might follow — isn't some sort of entitlement.
"We don't take it for granted and think we're entitled to it just because we feel like it's our time now," Bueckers said. "We had to earn it, we had work for it and we're all extremely grateful for that. We've been competing with and against each other our whole lives, and something that I admire is their work ethic and what it took to get here."
Team USA begins pursuit of a fifth consecutive World Cup ***** le against China on Friday in Berlin in the first of three games in group play. The WNBA is taking a nearly three-week break to accommodate the tournament.
For Bueckers, Indiana's Clark and Atlanta's Reese, it means putting aside thoughts of the looming WNBA playoffs to start what each would hope is a long international career. They were together when the U.S. won a World Cup qualifier in Puerto Rico in March.
#bueckers
2 months ago
