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I felt so isolated': Paige Bueckers reflects on panic attacks and lost identity post-ACL tear
‘I felt so isolated': Paige Bueckers reflects on panic attacks and lost identity post-ACL tear originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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Basketball players often recover from serious injuries long before the mental burden disappears. Paige Bueckers has already returned to the top of the sport with a national title and a strong rookie WNBA season.
Yet her latest comments show that one chapter from her college career continues to influence the way she plays today.
Paige Bueckers says ACL trauma still affects her
Bueckers revealed that the emotional impact of tearing her left ACL in 2022 has not completely faded. Speaking on WNBA legend Sue Bird's podcast, the Dallas Wings guard said the injury left her feeling isolated, anxious, and uncertain about her identity outside basketball.
She explained that those feelings still appear during games. Bueckers admitted she remains uncomfortable attacking crowded lanes because of the fear of landing awkwardly on one leg.
"When I tore my ACL, I just felt so isolated and alone. Like I felt like I was forgotten, like I wasn't important anymore. I lost my identity," she said .
She added that the lasting trauma also explains why she does not drive to the basket as often as many fans expect.
The injury came after one of the strongest starts to a college career in recent memory. Bueckers became the first freshman to win the national women's player of the year award after leading UConn to the 2021 Final Four. Her momentum slowed after a tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear, followed by the ACL tear in August 2022 that forced her to miss the entire 2022-23 season.
Bueckers eventually returned, helped UConn win the 2025 NCAA championship, and became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
She has continued to produce despite those lingering effects. She is averaging 20.9 points per game while taking 3.6 free throws, a number that reflects her limited trips to the rim compared with many high-volume scorers.
Bueckers said she has adapted instead of forcing her old style back. "It helped me really learn how to get to my spots efficiently and work smarter and not harder," she added.
Earlier this season, she also said attacking the basket and drawing more free throws remain key areas she wants to improve as her confidence continues to grow.
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Paige BueckersACLWNBADallas WingsThe Sporting NewsAdd The Sporting NewsPreferred SourceBasketballYetBueckersSpeakingSue Bird
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