The Dallas Wings guard is coming off her rookie season, in which she played in all 36 of 44 game missing time for injury and illness. She was the seventh UConn player to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, receiving 70 out of 72 first-place votes.
Although the Wings finished the season with a 10-30 record and missed the playoffs, Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She led all WNBA rookies with a total of 692 points, third in the record books after Caitlin Clark (769) and Seimone Augustus (744).
‘The easiest thing to do in a game is shoot the basketball every single time you touch it, especially when you’re the best player on the court. And Paige Bueckers is the best player on the court 99.99% of the time because she’s so gifted offensively, defensively—she disrupts so much. The hardest thing to do is pass the ball. Paige does it, and that’s what sets her apart,’ Diana Taurasi wrote about Bueckers for Time.
Here are other notable athletes that have made the Time 100 Next list:
Taylor Fritz
American Taylor Fritz comes from a family of professional tennis players who are actively involved in shaping his career. He has expressed he has no surface preference and in 2016 was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year. His highest career ranking was No. 4 in 2025, and he is currently ranked No. 5, after going 13-2 run on grass and winning titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourn and advancing to the Wimbledon semifinals.
‘He’s an incredible tennis player (currently in the global top five after winning two ATP Tour titles this year), which makes it easy to talk about all the great things he’s capable of on the court—but I also know that he’s an even better person off of it,’ Kygo, a music producer, DJ, and entrepreneur wrote for Time.
Yashasvi Jaiswal
India’s cricket sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal is a left-handed opening batter and a right-arm bowler. He has followed in the footsteps of legendary cricketers like Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli. Jaiswal pursued his cricket dream by moving from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai at the age of 12. During this time, he slept in tents and sold pani puri to earn money. A local coach eventually took him under his wing, marking the beginning of his cricket career. Jaiswal has participated in multiple cricket formats and has become an important contributor for India on the international stage.
‘Jaiswal is the first Indian player in history to score 1,000 runs in test cricket—the most prominent form of the game on the international level — in a calendar year before turning 23. As fans attest, he’s making his mark as the future of the game,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.
Jeeno Thitikul
Jeeno Thitikul, a native of Thailand and a rising star on the LPGA Tour, was introduced to golf by her father and quickly developed a passion for the sport. She turned professional in 2020 and earned her LPGA Tour membership in 2022. Throughout her career, she has achieved five victories on the LPGA Tour, including the 2022 JTBC Classic, the 2024 Dow Championship and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open.
‘Most professional golfers are really good at one thing. For some, it’s their long game or iron shot, for others, it’s putting or chipping. But for Jeeno Thitikul, it’s everything. She’s really good at all parts of the game, all throughout the bag. She’s so consistent that even on her off days, she’s not that far off at all,’ Ko, a professional golfer and Olympic gold medalist wrote for Time.
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal joined FC Barcelona at a young age and has advanced through the ranks thanks to his versatility as a player. He is adept at creating chances as a striker and an attacking midfielder on the right wing. In 2023, he made his debut for the first team at 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, becoming the youngest player ever to represent Barcelona. During the 2023/24 season, Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 21 assists, setting the record as the youngest forward to make 100 appearances and becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in El Clásico.
‘Spanish soccer phenom Lamine Yamal, 18, holds a list of ‘youngest’ records longer than any road to Barcelona: youngest goal scorer in the men’s European championships; youngest ever to win a major international trophy (at Euro 2024, beating Pelé by 248 days); youngest goal scorer ever and assist man this century in the history of La Liga, Spain’s top pro level; and more,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.