Hopkins senior Paige Bueckers scores a magazine first for Slam

She is the first high school girls' basketball player treated that prominently.

January 30, 2020 at 5:17AM
(Brian Stensaas/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Wednesday was a good day to be Paige Bueckers.

The Hopkins star became the first high school girl to be featured on the cover of Slam magazine, a national basketball publication.

The Connecticut-bound senior is the top-ranked player in the nation in the class of 2020, according to HoopGurlz, a national recruiting website.

Slam calls her "the most electrifying high school player in the world.''

In a Twitter post Wednesday, Bueckers wrote, "I never want to let all this attention get to my head, but I do want to use my platform to inspire and be a great role model for girls and hoopers watching.''

Bueckers, a 5-11 guard, is trying to lead the Royals to a second consecutive undefeated season and Class 4A state championship.

Later on Wednesday, Bueckers and her Hopkins teammates were invited to a McDonald's restaurant near their high school to honor her recent selection for the McDonald's All-American Game on April 1 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Last year, Bueckers was named the Female Athlete of the Year by USA Basketball.

She led Team USA to a gold medal in the FIBA Under-19 World Cup and the Royals to a 32-0 record.

Hopkins beat Minnetonka 81-53 on Tuesday for its 18th straight win this season and 50th a row.

PAUL KLAUDA

Hopkins guard Paige Bueckers is on the cover of the latest issue of Slam, a national basketball magazine based in New York City. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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