Paige Bueckers is showing support for one of her biggest competitors — and now one of the sport’s biggest crossover stars.
The Dallas Wings guard, whose team finds themselves at a crossroads again, publicly congratulated Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese after Reese became the first professional athlete to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, a milestone moment that merged sports and fashion on a global stage.
On social media, Bueckers, the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year and No. 1 overall pick, commented on Reese’s post from the event with a simple message: “Strutted your stuff,” while Reese gave her unfiltered opinion on swapping basketball for a full-time modeling career.
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Reese reflected on the experience in an interview with ‘E! Online,’ calling it a moment she had long dreamed of.
“It means everything to me,” Reese said. “I’m just really excited to be here. There are so many great people and women who have done this. I get to sit in the room with the top, top, top models. Just being here and being in this moment — I’m grateful and graceful and I’m really gonna enjoy it.”
The 23-year-old forward said the opportunity represented more than a personal milestone.
“I’m not just doing this for me,” Reese added. “I’m doing it for everyone who looks like me. And know that you can be anyone you want to be in this world. People are going to tell you ‘no.’ You’re going to get a thousand ‘no’s, but that one ‘yes’ is going to get you in the door and let you be whoever you want to be.”
Reese’s comments appeared to resonate with Bueckers, who experienced a breakout rookie campaign of her own.
After a decorated career at UConn, Bueckers transitioned seamlessly into the WNBA, leading Dallas in scoring and helping re-energize the Wings franchise. She earned Rookie of the Year honors and quickly became one of the league’s most marketable young stars.
Reese’s success off the court has paralleled her emergence as one of the league’s top rebounders and personalities. Alongside her fashion debut, she has appeared in ‘Vogue,’ collaborated with major brands, and continued to expand her influence beyond basketball.
Both Reese and Bueckers endured challenging seasons with their respective teams, as the Wings and Sky each finished with 10–34 records, but their individual accomplishments stood out in a year of transition for the league.