The year 2025 came to an end with many highlights, including the Las Vegas Aces’ championship run and Paige Bueckers’ rookie season. A’ja Wilson received many accolades for her performances in the year, and the new entrant also won praise from her peers and critics.
Harvard Crimson even showcased Bueckers’ comeback in visuals, giving her a special tribute. But Bleacher Report’s recent ranking of the best Under-25 athletes shocked many.
Surprising Ranking For Paige Bueckers
After impressing the league in her very first season, the UConn prodigy earned an All-Star call and also a place in the All-WNBA second team. She was the only player ranking in the top 10 for multiple primary categories in the league.
Amid this, the Bleacher Report’s list ranks her at the 23rd position, well below Caitlin Clark (sixth on the list) and even Iga Swiatek (19th on the list), making her the only female athlete on the list.
Bleacher Report ranks Paige Bueckers 23rd on its Top 25 Athletes Under 25 list for 2025 🎉
— Dallas (@paigebeckybaby) January 1, 2026
With the number of accolades and records in 2025, the ranking seems surprising for the former UConn star, who will be entering her second season in the league, expecting more support from the draft and free agency.
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While there are different rankings for the athletes’ performances by various outlets, PB ranks higher in most of those ‘analyses’. USA Today puts the Wings’ guard at the third position in the Top Ten Women Athlete of the Year, while the player was the Female Athlete of 2025 by Outsports.
Paige Bueckers Earns Female Athlete Of The Year Accolade
Although there are many rankings showcasing the impacts of different players on women’s sports or on a game in general, Outsports ranked PB as the Female Athlete of the Year. The outlet highlights the players’ achievements with UConn and their incredible rookie season for the accolade.
WNBA rookie star Paige Bueckers is Outsports' Female Athlete of the Year.https://t.co/6Kp3jmNJrV
— Outsports (@outsports) December 27, 2025
In her rookie season, Bueckers matched or broke multiple records, including the single-game highest point scored by a rookie. The player will also be on the radar of Team USA for the World Cup qualifiers.
Currently, the player aims to start the 2026 season with strong performances in the Unrivaled.