Paige Bueckers says her ESPYs message for Black women still holds
Paige Bueckers says the fight for equal media coverage of Black women athletes is far from over, five years after her viral 2021 ESPYs speech. The Dallas Wings guard told reporters Tuesday, ahead of a WNBA game at Barclays Center against the New York Liberty, that the problem she called out then still exists today.
Key Takeaways
- Bueckers used her 2021 ESPYs acceptance speech to spotlight coverage gaps for Black women in sports media.
- Five years later, she says the daily fight for equal coverage, justice, and representation continues.
- She spoke before a Liberty–Wings matchup at Barclays Center, with both teams sitting at 13-8.
- Since that speech, Bueckers became the 2025 WNBA No. 1 pick, Rookie of the Year, and a second-time All-Star.
- In 2021, she cited data showing Black WNBA award winners received half the media coverage of white athletes.
What did Paige Bueckers say at the 2021 ESPYs?
During an outdoor 2021 ESPYs ceremony held during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bueckers accepted the award for best female college athlete of the year. Two months earlier, she had won the Naismith Trophy as a UConn freshman — the first freshman to do so in the award's then 39-year history.
After thanking God, her coaches, teammates, and family, the then-19-year-old shifted tone. "With the light that I have now, as a white woman who leads a Black-led sport and is celebrated here, I want to shine a light on Black women," she said, according to Andscape. "They don't get the media coverage that they deserve."
She pointed to the 2020 WNBA postseason, noting that 80% of award winners were Black but received half the coverage of white athletes. The speech drew widespread praise on social media for its courage before a national audience.
Why does Bueckers say the fight is still the same today?
Speaking in New York on Tuesday, Bueckers said coverage disparities persist. "I feel like that's a fight that we fight every single day, a fight for equal coverage, a fight for equality in general, justice, and just no discrimination for sex, for color, for sexuality," she told reporters.
She added that athletes keep pushing for a "judgment-free environment" where everyone can live freely. Reflecting on 2021, Bueckers said she was receiving heavy media attention and wanted to redirect the spotlight. "It's something that meant something to me to be able to spread the light on others, as I've gotten a lot my entire career playing basketball."
How has Bueckers changed since that ESPYs moment?
Much has changed in five years. Bueckers finished at UConn as a three-time All-American and 2025 national champion. The Dallas Wings selected her No. 1 in the 2025 WNBA draft. She was named Rookie of the Year, earned All-WNBA second-team honors, and is set for her second All-Star appearance in Chicago later this month.
On the court Tuesday, she entered averaging about 20 points and six assists on efficient shooting splits, per Yahoo Sports. She was chasing a sixth straight game with at least 20 points on 50% shooting or better — a WNBA streak that would surpass Katie Smith's five-game run from 2003.
What was at stake in the Liberty vs. Wings game?
Both teams entered at 13-8, with New York looking to gain ground in the playoff seeding race. The Liberty, fresh off a Commissioners Cup win, hosted Dallas at Barclays Center in a top-five WNBA matchup. Covers.com noted Bueckers had scored 21 or more points in five straight games and dropped 24 in her first meeting with New York this season.
For more stories where sports, culture, and unexpected angles collide, browse our Bizarre World coverage. Bueckers' return to Brooklyn bridged a landmark speech and a still-unresolved debate about who gets seen — and who gets celebrated — in women's basketball.