A Number Carries More Than Digits
Freshman guard Marine Dursus has elected to wear the number 5 jersey for the upcoming season, a digit that belonged to UConn legend Paige Bueckers.
The number has been retired in honor of Bueckers, who guided the Huskies to their twelfth national championship in 2025 and is now pursuing a professional career with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA while remaining a leading candidate for the U.S. national team.
UConn’s tradition of retiring jersey numbers stretches back decades, having honored trailblazers such as Rebecca Lobo, Swin Cash, Sue Bird, and soon Maya Moore, each of whom left an indelible mark on the program.
The practice of assigning retired numbers to new players is not new; several athletes have briefly worn the digits before the numbers were officially retired, a fact that adds nuance to Dursus’s choice.
Social media users have responded with a mixture of surprise, admiration, and nostalgia, reflecting the deep connection fans feel toward the program’s history.
The criteria for retiring a jersey at UConn involve sustained excellence, impact on the game, and contributions beyond the court, standards overseen by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the university’s athletic department.
Looking ahead, the next former star eligible for Hall of Fame consideration is Diana Taurasi, while longtime staff writer Carl Adamec continues to chronicle the program’s evolution after nearly four decades of coverage.