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Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 pick in this year's WNBA draft, is set to sign a three-year deal with Unrivaled. One of the 3-on-3 league's co-founders, Napheesa Collier, dropped a reaction to the news on social media. Both Bueckers and Collier went to UConn and won at least one NCAA championship.
ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported that Bueckers is close to finalizing a three-year contract with Unrivaled. Her first year salary there would be bigger than the rookie scale deal she's going to sign with the Dallas Wings when they draft her first overall on Monday.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Collier reacted to the latest development on Bueckers with a pawn emoji. It signals another chess move for Unrivaled, which had a successful first season from January to March. WNBA players are also negotiating a new CBA that would increase salaries starting in 2026.
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Paige Bueckers was already part of Unrivaled when she signed an NIL deal with the league last year. Bueckers had equity but was unable to play due to her college status. She played her final year of eligibility at UConn, resulting in her first and only NCAA championship.
Bueckers averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists in her final year with the Huskies. She also shot 53.4% from the field, including 41.9% from beyond the arc. She's predicted to go first to the Dallas Wings in Monday's WNBA Draft, giving the city a new basketball star following the Luka Doncic trade.
Kendra Andrews added that Unrivaled's revenue was around $27 million, which was more than double the projections made by its investors. The league's management plans to increase more star power next season by adding players such as Caitlin Clark and A'ja Wilson, who turned down offers last year.
Paige Bueckers opens up ahead of WNBA draft
It has been a very busy week for Paige Bueckers, starting with UConn's triumph and national championship win. Bueckers then returned to Connecticut to celebrate the title before making short preparations for the 2025 WNBA draft.
The 23-year-old guard opened up about her hectic week with an interview with Women's Health. She explained how she's juggling between celebration and preparation, which is a hard thing to do since she also had to do some pre-draft activities.
"There's a couple different modes I'm in, still in celebration mode, getting prepared for the draft mode, and just being present in between that," Bueckers said. "There's definitely pre-draft stuff that I'm doing."
The 2025 WNBA draft is scheduled for Monday in Manhattan, New York, at The Shed at Hudson Yards. It will be televised on ESPN in the United States and TSN in Canada.
