Paige Bueckers Has The Chillest Tunnel Walks

In Bustle’s The Pregame, we ask athletes about their pregame rituals. How do they get in the zone? What do they wear for the tunnel walk? Do they have any superstitions before a big game? Here, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers shares her go-to warm-up, must-have playlists, and the dance she does with her team.

Instead of napping or watching a movie like everyone else on planes, Paige Bueckers likes to play UNO with her teammates. Throughout her rookie season as one of the guards for the Dallas Wings, Bueckers, 23, has been making the most of the constant travel.

“We went to the State Fair in Minnesota as a team, which is where I’m from,” she tells Bustle. “I’m a quality time person, so being able to bond and share those experiences are some of the moments I cherish most [on the road].” Between games, she says the players also hang out at each other’s homes in Dallas, where she moved after being drafted to the Wings for the 2025 season.

On the court, she’s clearly close with her teammates — that mind-meld connection is one thing that makes her so successful within the game — but she can also lock in as a fierce competitor on her own. The former UConn star averages about 18 points per game, one of the highest in the league, and she recently became the second rookie in WNBA history to reach 500 points, 150 assists, over 100 rebounds, and over 50 steals in a season. The first person to do so was Caitlin Clark in 2024.

Bueckers’ success led to an onslaught of brand deals, including pro endorsements with Nike, Bose, and CeraVe, as well as an NIL deal with Gatorade, aka “name, image, and likeness,” when she was still in college.

It was a lot to take on at once, she says, which is why she’s working with Intuit for Higher Education, a program designed to help college and grad students build real-world financial and career skills.

Intuit partners with schools to offer financial literacy resources, including a digital simulation that teaches users about credit, budgeting, taxes, and saving — something Bueckers says she wished she had while at UConn.

“I feel like I got kind of thrown into the NIL space, and I didn’t really have the tools that Intuit now supplies for student athletes and people in college,” she adds. She loves to travel, so she’s also using Intuit to help her set aside money for vacations.

Here, Bueckers talks about what it’s like behind the scenes before a game and the one sandwich she has to have before taking the court.

How do you get in the zone before a game?

After the tunnel walk, I do 45 minutes of manual treatment, like massage, to get my muscles ready to play. Then I go to the court to stretch, lift, and do bodyweight exercises, and then follow that up with a 15-minute on-court workout with game movements and shots.

What do you eat to fuel up?

I usually have a PB&J or Jimmy John’s. I get the No. 1 with no tomatoes. It’s just a basic ham sandwich and is always my go-to.

What do you listen to?

I start with gospel music in my hotel, then I’ll do some slow R&B, and then right before the game, I’ll listen to hype music. I like SZA, Summer Walker, Drake, Giveon, and Mariah the Scientist.

How do you get dressed for those famous tunnel walks?

I wanted to ease into my rookie season with clothes that feel like me. When I’m packing for away trips, I usually bring two different outfits. I’ll try them both on in my hotel room, look at myself in the mirror, and then decide which one I like better. I also check the weather. I’m not going to be wearing a sweat suit when I’m in Phoenix.

What’s your go-to skin care for the court?

Definitely need Aquaphor for my lips. I also wear mascara and foundation just to give myself some color and cover up any blemishes. I like Starface pimple patches, too, but for mascara, I never know what to buy, so I just use whatever my friends get me as a gift.

How about your hair?

I do a slicked-back bun or a ponytail with a gel wax stick that I get at CVS. I used to flat-iron my hair, but I got lazy, so now I just let the waves go. Oh, and I have to shave my armpits before a game to make sure they’re fresh.

Are there any pregame rituals the Wings do as a team?

We chat with the coaching staff about what we want to do that game, then we do a pregame chant and a dance circle. Somebody’s got to get in the middle and dance.

How do you stay focused during the game?

I pray beforehand and keep in mind that anything that goes wrong is so minimal compared to what really matters in life. I also remind myself that I’m so lucky to be playing the game I love. It’s all about gratitude.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.