Paige Bueckers' teammates DiJonai Carrington and Maddy Siegrist react to her teary-eyed reaction to former coach's heartfelt compliment

Paige Bueckers played for Tara Starks in AAU when the Dallas Wings star entered fifth grade in 2007. On Sunday, Verizon brought the two again in the brand’s ad featuring the people the WNBA player helped with her food market program. Starks emotionally told Bueckers how the point guard stood for her when the Metro Stars wanted to replace her with another coach.

Starks said Bueckers risked a lot for doing what she did. The Hopkins coach thanked her former player for always standing up for what was right.

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Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings teammates DiJonai Carrington and Maddy Siegrist could not hold back a reaction. Siegrist used an emoji to praise the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft while Carrington tossed in her thoughts.

“🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 doin the Lord’s work 🩷”

DiJonai Carrington and Maddy Siegrist react to Paige Bueckers' emotional meeting with former AAU coach Tara Starks. [photo: @paigebueckers/IG]

Per the ad, Bueckers started her work in 2022 to help communities battle “food insecurity.” Since then, the former UConn star has impacted the lives of people struggling to choose between school and sustenance. A few of those who have benefited from her generosity showed up to show their appreciation.

Tara Starks was not a beneficiary of the food program from Paige Bueckers, but she was nonetheless grateful for having coached her. Starks could not be more appreciative of the WNBA player’s support of her as a Black woman.

Paige Bueckers is still looking for her first WNBA win

The Dallas Wings opened the 2025 campaign with a 990-84 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on May 16. Paige Bueckers struggled in that game, scoring 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting, including 0-for-2 from deep.

Bueckers and Co. improved in their last three games, but a breakthrough has yet to happen. Two nights after the loss to the Lynx, they wilted and suffered a 79-71 setback against the Seattle Storm. The rookie scored a career-high 19 points with eight assists and six rebounds.

In the rematch with the Lynx on Wednesday, Paige Buckers had her first double-double, recording 12 points and 10 assists but the Dallas Wings came up short 85-81. On Saturday, they had a good start against the Atlanta Dream but still lost 83-75.

Bueckers has been playing well but she is still looking for her first WNBA win.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Michael Macasero