Fame can be a double-edged sword. When 16-year-old sophomore Paige Bueckers first tasted fame at Hopkins High School in Minnesota, she got her first viral mixtape posted on big platforms like Courtside Films and Overtime. She was stunned watching her Instagram follower count climb from 9,000 to 9,999, then suddenly hit 10,000 followers. Now, standing at 3 million followers and having made it into the WNBA as the 2025 #1 WNBA Draft pick, she’s realized something about this side.
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In a video post that sports journalist Melissa Triebwasser shared on her X page, she asked Bueckers for her perspective on the issue. And of course, Bueckers did allude to the point Wilson made:
“I’m not gonna lie, it gets annoying. Like sometimes, it gets annoying. The people are constantly in your business. The paranoia of always being recorded, knowing every single move you make is going to get analyzed,” she said.
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson had this same conversation with USA TODAY some days earlier, sharing her own thoughts on the less glamorous side of life under the microscope.
A’ja Wilson, while addressing this issue earlier, mentioned that she had even seen people posting fake sonograms of her on social media claiming she was having twins. And all of that speculation was simply because she is in a relationship with NBA star Bam Adebayo.
Wilson, however, acknowledged that dating a prominent NBA player naturally amplifies the scrutiny she already faces as a WNBA star. But that, in her view, doesn’t begin to excuse the behavior.
“I’m dating a whole NBA player, so I know that’s a whole different side, but I just think it’s really strange that people feel so comfortable to talk about other people’s bodies,” she said.
But at the end of the day, living in the public eye makes this kind of intrusion difficult to escape entirely. What ultimately matters is how a person chooses to navigate it.
For Paige Bueckers, the answer lies in holding onto the positive dimensions of the attention even when the extremes wear thin.
As she explained, “On the human side, it’s not ideal, but pressure is a privilege. To have so many people look up to me, I really take that with pride. I’ve always wanted to be a role model. To be somebody that people look up to.”
Ultimately, the attention that comes with stardom is unlikely to disappear anytime soon. And while there can be frustrations that sometimes come with it, sometimes, it’s just easier to ignore and focus on the positive aspect, just like Paige Bueckers said.
Paige Bueckers Once Had a Stalker Who Wanted to Marry Her
Speaking of the uncomfortable realities that come with life in the spotlight, A’ja Wilson having fake sonograms posted about her online was alarming enough. But in terms of extreme incidents that illustrate just how dangerous public attention can become, Paige Bueckers’ own stalking experience in 2024 takes it to an entirely different and deeply unsettling level.
The stalker was a 40-year-old Washington State man named Robert Parmalee, who claimed to be a member of a royal family and demanded to marry Bueckers. He went as far as posting fake wedding invitations online alongside photos of an engagement ring. Even worse, he consistently posted severe, implicit threats toward Bueckers and anyone who tried to go against him.
The situation escalated when he actually bought a plane ticket and flew across the country to Connecticut. His goal was to find Paige Bueckers, who was then still at UConn. He even posted TikTok videos stating his intentions.
He never made it to his destination. State troopers apprehended him walking along a highway near Bradley International Airport before he could get any further. Even upon arrest, he did not attempt to conceal his intentions and openly admitted to authorities that he had traveled across the country with the specific purpose of proposing to Paige Bueckers. He later pleaded guilty to the stalking charges.
Incidents like this, alongside a broader pattern of threats and harassment directed at women’s basketball players, have played a meaningful role in shaping the WNBA’s approach to player safety in recent years.
The league permanently introduced full-season charter flights for all teams and expanded physical security perimeters at arenas. These steps improve player safety and limit the risks that come with growing visibility and fame.
