In celebration, she got a one-of-a-kind outfit from fashion designer Dapper Dan, along with some words of wisdom.
“The best advice that I can give to people is a cautionary thought, and that is, ‘Think closely about what you want to say,'” Dapper Dan told CBS Sports.
Dapper Dan didn’t know this at the beginning of their project, but lilac happens to be Bueckers’ favorite color.
When asked what she would consider her “mission,” Bueckers said it’s simply being “confident” and hopefully inspiring others in the process.
Dapper Dan has worked with actors, musicians and star athletes such as Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and Jalen Ramsey.
On Wednesday night, Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers will play her first game in her home state of Minnesota, one week into her WNBA career. Fashion designer Dapper Dan gave her a unique ensemble and some advice as a way to celebrate.
“‘Think closely about what you want to say,’ is the best advice I can give people because it’s a cautionary one,” Dapper Dan told CBS Sports. I’m frequently asked, ‘How do you decide what you’re going to wear?’ I respond that it’s because I always dress for the occasion. “.
He created an outfit for Bueckers that uses a very particular color: Radiant Lilac SW 0074 from Sherwin-Williams. Known as The Loneliest Color of 2025, it is officially the least popular color of the year. Bueckers’ favorite color is lilac, something Dapper Dan was unaware of when they started their project.
“I would say God did it for sure,” Bueckers told CBS Sports, adding that he doesn’t really believe in coincidence.
In addition to basketball, Bueckers’ return to Minnesota and her wearing an ensemble created by a fashion icon represents a full circle moment for her in terms of her personal style and self-expression. When questioned about her “mission,” Bueckers stated that it is to simply be “confident” and, ideally, to inspire others.
“I believe I had difficulties growing up. Bueckers recalled, “When I was younger, I was constantly teased for being a tomboy and always dressing like a boy.”. Now, I’m really proud of it rather than ashamed of it. In my opinion, it’s not necessary to conform to stereotypes about what a girl or boy should wear, what toys they should play with, or anything else like that in order to show a young child, boy or girl.
“Just encourage people to be their most self-assured selves and not worry about what other people think because nobody can affect you when you’re at your best. That seems like the cause I want to support. Being cool—whatever is cool at the moment is a matter of opinion. Since you are free to create your own descriptions, who even has the authority to decide that? “.”.
Dapper Dan has collaborated with well-known musicians, actors, and athletes like Floyd Mayweather, Jalen Ramsey, and Mike Tyson. Even though Bueckers is just beginning her career, he already finds her to be unique. He claimed that Bueckers was so “gentle” and “warm” that he felt as though he had known her for a very long time. Right now, all he can think about is how much more the world will discover about her.
Dapper Dan stated, “I’ve worked with a lot of stars, and the energy that she set off with the way she was acting and interacting with me was just truly amazing.”. “I believe that in the future, people will find a wonderful person because she really is. “.
