Basketball Star Paige Buckers Makes Big New Announcement

Paige Bueckers is making waves. The UConn Huskies star is one of the most popular college athletes today. She is generally regarded as one of the top prospects in the nation today, and fans are looking forward to her next move.

This Thursday, it was announced that Bueckers is signing a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with the new basketball league Unrivaled. Unrivaled is a 3x3 basketball league that was founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.

"UConn’s Paige Bueckers is signing an NIL deal with the new women’s basketball league Unrivaled that makes her the first NCAA athlete to receive ownership equity in a league," Charania reports. "Bueckers is expected to play in Unrivaled, along with the WNBA, after her college career is over."

Bueckers is one of the most talented college basketball stars in the nation. A former AP Player of the Year and FIBA MVP, the UConn star was projected to be a top-three pick in the loaded 2024 WNBA draft. However, Bueckers elected to return to the Huskies for another year.

The UConn star already has some familiarity with Unrivaled's 3x3 format. Bueckers was a former gold medalist in the Summer Youth Olympics in 3x3 basketball. She also played with Collier in the 2019 World Beach Games and finished as the second-leading scorer for the team.

Bueckers will be joining some familiar faces in the Unrivaled basketball league. Aside from co-founders Collier and Stewart, other players signed to the league are Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese, USWBT members Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jewell Loyd, and 2024 WNBA All-Star Game MVP Arike Ogunbowale.

The Unrivaled basketball league is set to tip off in January of next year. Fans are now looking forward to seeing Bueckers face off against the best players the WNBA has to offer in a different format.