When Top Draft Picks Meet: Paige Bueckers Has Memorable Encounter With "Favorite Player" Kyrie Irving

Paige Bueckers’ basketball story has been a unique journey of navigating the heights of the sport. If there’s anyone who can relate to her, it’s a fellow No. 1 draft pick who’s been spotlighted by the media for years.

When Bueckers ran into Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving at a recent NBA preseason game, they were seen having a spirited conversation. From the looks of it, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was enjoying her brief chat with Irving.

Talking to reporters at this preseason game, the Dallas Wings court general recalled her first interactions with the nine-time NBA All-Star.

“It was through social media back in high school. He kinda reached out and offered the support, offered a mentorship position,” Bueckers said of Irving. “I’ve looked up to him since I was young. He’s my favorite basketball player ever.”

More than a dozen years before Bueckers headlined the WNBA Draft, Irving was a highly touted guard out of Duke who was selected first overall at the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The pressure that Bueckers has faced over the past year is not that far off the level of expectations that Irving encountered when he was an NBA rookie.

The similarities between the two basketball stars don’t end there. Both Bueckers and Irving are prolific combo guards who can dominate games with their scoring and playmaking. They also have the shared experience of sustaining major knee injuries that have sidelined them for an extended period.

Irving, in fact, is living this experience right now as he recovers from an ACL injury that he suffered in March. Though the one-time NBA champion’s timetable for recovery is uncertain at this point, he remains engaged in the Mavericks’ endeavors.

The meeting between Bueckers and Irving may have been a chance encounter, but it’s clear that both of them have every intention in the world to strengthen their unique bond.

“To be able to build that relationship, he’s just an amazing, genuine human being,” the Wings star said. “He really cares about the next generation and women’s basketball. He has kids, so he understands the importance of pouring into the next generation.”