Hoops star Paige Bueckers shares her Christmas traditions and holiday-glam game plan

Paige Bueckers, the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year and current guard for the Dallas Wings, is preparing for a January debut in the Unrivaled league with Breeze BC Miami on Jan. 5 while sharing her Christmas traditions and holiday-glam game plan. The season has already seen her recognized as a top rookie, and she remains focused on balancing family time with a demanding travel schedule as a professional athlete.

Growing up in Minnesota, Bueckers says the holidays are a time to reconnect with family. She looks forward to decorating the Christmas tree together, then winding down with board games and card games. Her family’s favorites include Skyjo, Uno, Sorry!, and Yahtzee, and they often watch seasonal films like Elf. For meals, she cites creamed corn, mashed potatoes, Snickers salad and honey ham as go-to dishes. She notes that while she doesn’t personally prepare the meals, she’s confident in helping pull them off when the moment calls for it. The Wings guard is known for leadership on the court, and she carries that same sense of togetherness into holiday traditions, using the off-season to recharge with loved ones.

In addition to family time, Bueckers reflects on gifts and recovery. She recalls the best holiday gift she’s received as a foot massager from Cloud Massage, which she says aided her recovery after tearing her ACL the summer before her junior year. Experiences, she adds, can be the most meaningful gifts, noting she once gave someone a cruise. These reflections underscore how she blends practical care with generous moments for others in the holiday season.

Her holiday glam is a focused, understated look with a festive twist. She described her latest hair transformation as a pink ombre created with Madison Reed ColorWonder demi-permanent hair color in “Pink Orchid,” with subtle blond hints still visible. The result is bold yet true to her, and she says she’s kept makeup changes minimal while leaning into a touch more pink. For holiday beauty, she favors a natural base with a light glow, using powder, foundation and mascara, complemented by perfumes such as Santal & Vetiver’s Salt & Stone or Louis Vuitton’s Attrape-Rêves to finish the look.

On the court, Bueckers remains one of the WNBA’s most dynamic players, known for elite scoring and clutch performances. She describes the off-season as lengthy but full of opportunity, particularly with the chance to play 3-on-3 in the Unrivaled league. “I love playing any kind of basketball,” she said, adding that the 3-on-3 format presents a chance to sharpen quick decision-making and team chemistry with Breeze BC Miami’s young squad. The milestone rookie season has positioned her as a rising leader, and she is eager to build on that momentum when the league resumes.

Her career milestones have been punctuated by formal recognition as well. In September, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert surprised her with the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award on the Jennifer Hudson show, an acknowledgment Bueckers says reinforces the work she has put in, both on and off the court. As she prepares for the January 5 debut with Breeze BC Miami, she emphasizes the importance of family, transformation, and staying true to her style while continuing to compete at a high level.

The star guard’s story blends a professional trajectory with personal traditions, illustrating how a high-profile athlete balances travel, competition and celebration. As the 2025 season advances, Bueckers’ combination of on-court prowess, off-court warmth and a growing fashion-forward identity continues to shape her evolving public profile in the sports world.