Paige Bueckers was asked about Gigi Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s late daughter who passed away with him in the dreadful helicopter crash, after her UConn Huskies secured their NCAA championship win against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday. To this, Bueckers had a beautiful response, which surely tugged at heartstrings everywhere.
Before she passed away, Gigi Bryant had stated that she would love to play for the UConn Huskies someday. Bueckers was asked about this, whether she had thought that Gigi Bryant could have played her team if she were alive today. Paige Bueckers mentioned that she surely felt Gigi Bryant’s presence in the team, along with her father Kobe Bryant, and even her late friend Abby.
“There have been times this whole weekend and throughout the whole tournament I feel like God has really shown himself. My mom staying in room 824 which are both of Kobe’s numbers and stuff like that. Kobe’s watching over us. Gigi’s watching over us. Abby… and everybody. I felt their presence for sure.” Paige Bueckers said to reporters after her win against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Paige Bueckers was asked if she’s thought about that Gigi Bryant could have been on this team. She says that there have been a lot of things this week where she’s felt that connection, including her mom staying in room 824.
“God’s presence has really been showing out”@UConnWBB pic.twitter.com/8xZ4EqUCgL
— Claire Foley (@clairefoleytv) April 6, 2025
Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant lost their lives on January 26th, 2020, in a helicopter crash. Gigi Bryant was just 13 years old when she and her dad passed away along with seven others. The climatic conditions were just not right for travel and the pilot eventually lost control. Gigi Bryant had always expressed an interest in playing for the UConn Huskies, and if she were alive, she would have played alongside Paige Bueckers.
Barack Obama Drops His Congratulations For Paige Bueckers And UConn Huskies
Barack Obama, former President of the United States, was one of the many who tweeted their congratulations for Paige Bueckers and the rest of the UConn Huskies after the team won the recent NCAA championship.
During the weekend, the UConn Huskies locked horns with the South Carolina Gamecocks for the finale of the NCAA tournament and won with an incredible 82-59 final score. Paige Bueckers scored 17 points for the team, while Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd each matched 24 points on the scoreboard.
“Congratulations to Coach Auriemma, Paige Bueckers, Sarah Strong, Azzi Fudd and all the Huskies for winning the NCAA Championship!” Barack Obama congratulated the UConn Huskies on winning the recent NCAA championship. Obama has been very focused on developing sports, especially basketball, and is even building a state-of-the-art basketball court in his new community center in Chicago.
For more basketball content, click on Hardwood Heroics. Sabel Reyes can be reached through sabelreyes22@gmail.com. Other websites under the Sports Heroics umbrella are Gridiron Heroics and Wisconsin Heroics.
Sabel has been working as a field reporter for People’s Television Network (PTV), mainly about the Philippine Basketball Association since 2016 and has been elevated to Executive Producer for sports in 2022. Aside from being on top of the Philippine sports scene, she is also a running enthusiast. You can also follow her on X at @SabelReyes2 and Instagram at @msabelreyes.
