Sue Bird Notes Key Qualities That Help Paige Bueckers “Bring Everybody Together”

Team USA basketball camp had been the talk of the town. There were two key questions: first, why was Caitlin Clark not part of Team USA camp, and second, why is Paige Bueckers attending the third training camp?

PB had been one of the top players throughout the offseason. The star played in the Unrivaled league and also shone for the Team USA qualifier games. Still, the player had to attend the third USA camp, raising questions over her possible selection. But the managing director, Sue Bird, cleared the air.

Sue Bird Praises Paige Bueckers’ Charisma

Ahead of the 2026 WNBA Season, Team USA held a training camp with nearly a whole new team. The Wings star had been constant in all three training camps.

Talking about her impact and importance on the side, Bird said, “Paige has been great. Paige has a type of personality, a type of charisma as a basketball player, as a teammate, which really brings players together. She is friends with everybody, plays well with everybody.”

I asked USA Women's Basketball managing director Sue Bird about what she has seen from Paige Bueckers throughout training camp. @ThePodiumFinish

Credits- James Harris (?) pic.twitter.com/Hapd1Vc8P1

— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) April 3, 2026

While she praised the 2025 WNBA rookie for her connections, she also added that she is competitive on the court. Bird also praised Caitlin Clark for her maturity at such a young age.

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Both stars are the future of the national side, and the praise from Bird indicates that the side is in safe hands.

One example of her connection with other WNBA Stars is her fun bet with league MVP A’ja Wilson. Both players’ college teams faced off in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

Paige Bueckers Loses Bet Against A’ja Wilson

The UConn Huskies vs South Carolina Gamecocks game was not only a high-profile game on the court but also a prestige game for the ex-players. Bueckers, Kaitlyn Chen, Napheesa Collier, and Aliyah Boston were in attendance, too.

Interestingly, PB had bet with Wilson that a player of the losing side would have to wear the other team’s jersey. Wilson agreed to wear a UConn PE jersey for the first half of a preseason game and vice versa.

It will be interesting to see how Bueckers follows through on her words after the Gamecocks’ win over UConn.