UConn's Paige Bueckers lights up WNBA Draft with glamorous photos featuring former teammates Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards: "My hype woman era"

UConn Huskies guard Paige Bueckers was the toast of the college sports world due to her actions during Monday's WNBA draft at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Bueckers, dressed in a dazzling white suit, was there to support her former UConn teammates, guard Nika Muhl, who was picked No. 14 by the Seattle Storm, and forward Aaliyah Edwards, who was picked No. 6 by the Washington Mystics.

Bueckers posted the pictures from the night on Instagram with the caption:

"My hype woman era."

The trio of basketball friends led by Paige Bueckers

Guard Nika Muhl and forward Aaliyah Edwards became immediate friends during the 2019 NBA Academy Women’s Program and were assigned to the same room during the duration of the tournament.

The duo then committed to playing for the UConn Huskies during the same year, where they went on to meet No. 1 recruit Paige Bueckers, and the trio formed a tight bond as friends.

Bueckers had an immediate impact during her freshman season, where she swept all the individual accolades, including the Naismith Player of the Year, leading coach Geno Auriemma's team to the Final Four of the Big Dance.

Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards did not immediately make an impact, with the latter being a potent bench option for the Huskies after being named Big East Sixth Player of the Year.

In year two, disaster struck for Bueckers as she suffered an ACL tear a few weeks into the season, which ruled her out for the rest of the season. Ironically, the player to benefit was her close friend, Nika Muhl.

Before UConn played the Iowa Hawkeyes during this year's NCAA Tournament, Paige Bueckers revealed just how close the trio had grown over the years.

“Nika and Aaliyah are like my sisters. They're my bridesmaids. I want them to be like my kids’ godparents, like godmoms,” Bueckers said. “We've built such a strong relationship ever since we came into UConn together as freshmen and it means everything to be here, especially with all the blows we were dealt.

“The adversity that we went through to really come together and find strength within each other and lead this group of freshmen here to the Final Four."

Paige Bueckers opted to remain in college basketball for a fifth year, taking advantage of her extra year of eligibility granted to student-athletes by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards departed for the WNBA, where they got favorable picks during the draft, thus breaking up the trio of friends, all of whom will likely end up in the WNBA once Bueckers declares next year.