Paige Bueckers is one of 12 elite players named to the USA Basketball roster for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, taking place in Germany from September 4 to 13.

Team USA is chasing its fifth consecutive World Cup title and 12th overall. But for Bueckers personally, there's something else driving her before the biggest stage of her young career.

"Uh, so much," Bueckers said when asked what she hopes to take away from the tournament experience.

Alongside winning the championship, the Dallas Wings guard wants to use the stage to learn, grow, and act as a sponge around the best players on earth.

"I want to ask a ton of questions, just be a sponge. There's so many legends, Hall of Famers, and players that I've looked up to there, and an amazing coaching staff," she added, per a video shared by Rob Tiongson on X.

USA Basketball's 12-player roster for Berlin includes Aliyah Boston, Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Plum, Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, and Jackie Young, coached by Kara Lawson.

Between them, this group has combined for 14 Olympic gold medals and nine World Cup titles.

And seven players made their World Cup debuts alongside veterans like Wilson, Stewart, and Gray, who are all returning from the 2022 championship squad.

So, it is easy to see why Bueckers is so eager to listen and observe from that group. In fact, she is ready to keep asking questions until someone tells her to stop.

"I'll probably be annoying, so I'll be asking so many questions that people might get tired of me, but I want to learn a lot," Bueckers admitted with a smile during the same interview.

Paige Bueckers has something special in mind for Chelsea Gray

While Bueckers is excited to learn from everyone in Berlin, there is one particular teammate she has singled out. Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray.

"I've always looked up to Chelsea Gray as a point guard. She's one of my favorite players. So just being a sponge for her, asking questions, seeing how she reads the game, just kind of picking her brain a little bit," Bueckers added during the same interview, per the video shared by Rob Tiongson on X.

Gray, also known as 'Point Gawd,' is widely regarded as one of the smartest playmakers in basketball history. A four-time WNBA champion, Gray also won WNBA Finals MVP in 2022.

She won two Olympic gold medals from Tokyo and Paris. And she was the only American player to start all five games during the World Cup qualifying tournament.

Bueckers, for her part, is no less than others. After her remarkable rookie campaign in 2025, she is averaging 20.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds while leading the Wings back into playoff contention this season.

Still, the desire to learn from veteran leaders is a consistent trait in her.

Just last week, she expressed similar excitement about teaming up with Minnesota Lynx superstar and fellow UConn alumna Napheesa Collier.

"Probably Napheesa; I haven't gotten to play with her yet. She's one of the UConn legends, one of the greats of our game, and I really admire her game. So I would probably say her, along with everyone else," she said during a recent appearance in Texas, per CTINSIDER.

Written by

Md Saife Fida