UConn star basketball player Paige Bueckers suffers torn ACL, will miss the 2022-23 season

UConn women's basketball player Paige Bueckers, the the 2020-21 AP national Player of the Year, tore the ACL in her left knee and will miss the 2022-23 season.

It's the same knee the junior guard suffered an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear in early December last season. She missed 19 of UConn's 36 games but was able to lead the Huskies to the Final Four. UConn lost to South Carolina in the championship game.

Bueckers' injury happened during a pick-up basketball game, and she underwent an MRI Monday night to confirm the injury. Bueckers will have surgery on Friday at UConn Health.

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"We're all devastated for Paige," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in a statement. "She's worked really hard to get stronger and healthier this offseason, and this is an unfortunate setback. Paige is obviously an amazing basketball player but she's a better person and teammate and it's really unfortunate that this has happened to her. We'll miss her presence on the court, but she'll do everything she can to still lead and help her teammates this season. Our program will support Paige through her healing process to help her come back better and stronger."

Tennessee is scheduled to play UConn at Thompson-Boling Arena this season.

Bueckers signed a multi-year NIL deal with Gatorade last year, becoming the first college athlete to represent Gatorade. Bueckers is a former No. 1 player in her high school class and a John R. Wooden Award winner in 2019-20, becoming the first freshman to win the honor.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn star basketball player Paige Bueckers suffers torn ACL, will miss 2022-23 season