![Run For Cover](https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/5801/412394/5e452092303b1/Run-For-Cover.jpg)
THIS PAST December, when SLAM reached out to Paige Bueckers to tell her that she was going to be on the next cover, she responded with just two words: “Why me?” Bueckers, the No. 1 high school girls basketball player in the country and UConn commit, had just received a wave of honors, including the prestigious USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year award. But SLAM cover star? She didn’t see that coming.
“Seeing all the people who were on [the cover] before, I was like, Why me? I’m just a little white hooper from Minnesota,” she laughs. “Seeing that I was going to be on the cover as a high school athlete, it was just amazing, especially because the women’s basketball game doesn’t get as much love.”
Fewer than a handful of high school athletes—Bueckers included—have appeared on a solo SLAM cover over the course of the brand’s 26-year history. That could be some added pressure for an 18-year-old who is already viewed as one of the rising stars of women’s basketball.
But Bueckers has a different relationship to pressure. She seeks high-stakes situations because, quite simply, she wants to be great. Pressure is baked into the path she’s taken.
So when Geno Auriemma told reporters that he expects Bueckers to bean integral part of a UConn title run next season, the pressure didn’t faze her. “Coach told me pressure is when someone’s asking you to do something that you can’t do,” Bueckers says.
This story is from the March - April 2020 edition of Slam.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March - April 2020 edition of Slam.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![The SUMMER THAT WASN'T](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7d8f4ed093/crp_The-SUMMER-THAT-WASNT.jpg)
The SUMMER THAT WASN'T
Playground entry fences chain locked. Rims removed. Leagues canceled. Summer basketball just stopped in 2020. And as its effects extended beyond the blacktop, we were reminded why it's so important.
![METAMORPHOSIS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7bf423c695/crp_METAMORPHOSIS.jpg)
METAMORPHOSIS
The sport of basketball speaks to so many people in so many ways. Dan Peterson, the founder of Project Backboard, has teamed up with artists to use the beauty of the sport to turn local courts into works of art that are accessible to all.
![WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7d45d0f053/crp_WHERE-THERES-SMOKE-THERES-Fire.jpg)
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE'S Fire
For former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton, the last three years have had their ups and downs. Now that he and the Phoenix Suns are back on the way up, DA wants everyone to know that's where they're planning to stay.
![Now What?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7ce67ea13e/crp_Now-What.jpg)
Now What?
As North Carolina rapper J. Cole transitioned from up-and-comer to full-blown vet, he came to a realization: staying sharp and fighting off complacency ain't easy. Inspired by his love for basketball and his desire to remain on top of the game, the 36-year-old has been treating music like a competitive sport while he readies his next project: The Off-Season.
![ONE STEP AT A Time](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7d7449ea3e/crp_ONE-STEP-AT-A-Time.jpg)
ONE STEP AT A Time
NBA and G League vet Jeremy Lin and Loyola Marymount's Anthony Yu speak candidly about the ups and downs of being Asian American in the basketball world.
![THE GARDEN Blooms](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7c1fa7b043/crp_THE-GARDEN-Blooms.jpg)
THE GARDEN Blooms
The Knicks are back. Deadass, they're back. A return to the tough, gritty, resilient style that made the teams of the past so dominant has allowed Saba Julius Randle and RJ Barrett and the Knicks an opportunity to compete for homecourt advantage in the 2021 playoffs. Facts.
![CITIZEN OF THE World](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7d055b2801/crp_CITIZEN-OF-THE-World.jpg)
CITIZEN OF THE World
Congolese native Yannick Nzosa played for professional teams in Italy and Spain before he turned 17. Now that his name is moving up the 2022 pre-draft boards, the former soccer player has one thing front and center in his mind—succeeding for his family back home.
![STRONG Island](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7d26387580/crp_STRONG-Island.jpg)
STRONG Island
Mental fortitude and physical toughness are what's helped Long Island's Arella Guirantes make it all the way to the W.
![KICK IN THE Door](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7ca64a42c6/crp_KICK-IN-THE-Door.jpg)
KICK IN THE Door
The WNBA, now in its 25th season, is the longest-running women's sports league ever. SLAM sat down with four of the most influential players of all time Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Sue Bird to discuss their part in making the League the force it is today.
![Can't YOU SEE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/5801/692801/60f7c5d99242e/crp_Cant-YOU-SEE.jpg)
Can't YOU SEE
It ain't hard to tell that supernatural vision has established Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as a clear candidate for the 2021 MVP Award.