Breanna Stewart salutes Paige Bueckers’ massive deal that flattens entire $348K WNBA rookie salary

Modified Apr 14, 2025 14:06 GMT

Breanna Stewart tips her hat to Paige Bueckers’ following her massive Unrivaled deal — Breanna Stewart salutes Paige Bueckers’ massive deal that flattens entire $348K WNBA rookie salary (Credits: Getty)

According to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, projected No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, Paige Bueckers, has signed a massive contract with the Unrivaled League. According to Andrews’ report, Bueckers' salary from her first season with Unrivaled will be enough to dwarf her entire rookie deal in the WNBA.

If she goes first, like everyone expects her to, Bueckers’ salary from her first WNBA season will be $78,831, the same as the other lottery picks. Furthermore, her entire contract, which will be four years long, will see her earn $348,198. According to Front Office Sports, Buckers’ deal with Unrivaled will net her more than $350K per season.

Unrivaled co-founder, Breanna Stewart, reacted to the news of Bueckers’ arrival. She took to X and wrote:

“🫡”

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Bueckers will come into the WNBA as one of the best players in college this season. She led the UConn Huskies to the national championship by defeating South Carolina in the final.

She made 38 regular-season appearances, recording 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Bueckers was also efficient, shooting 53.4% from the field and 41.9% from beyond the arc.

Even though the draft is yet to happen, fans have begun to look toward Paige Bueckers as the Wings’ savior. As such, the 23-year-old will arrive in the WNBA with tremendous pressure to perform.

Paige Bueckers will earn more than Caitlin Clark did during her rookie year

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Caitlin Clark arrived in the WNBA as the biggest player in college and the most extensively covered player in women’s basketball. Her impact led the WNBA to break viewership records throughout the season. However, Clark only made $76,535 in salary during her rookie year, as per Spotrac.

Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers’ rookie contract will see her earn $78,831 during her first year in the WNBA. Furthermore, her lucrative contract with Unrivaled will further supplement her income. Bueckers’ higher salary is a direct result of Caitlin Clark’s impact on the league.

Without her, the WNBA wouldn’t be going through a major shift, a new CBA might not be under negotiation, and the league wouldn’t have expanded to a 44-game season. It’ll be interesting to see what new horizons await Clark and the WNBA in 2025.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman