Paige Bueckers inks blockbuster Unrivaled contract ahead of WNBA entry

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament - National Championship - Source: Getty

Projected 2025 WNBA No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers has inked a lucrative deal with the 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported on Sunday. The three-year contract reportedly pays her more in just the first year than she would earn in her first contract as a WNBA rookie.

Bueckers wrapped up her college career at UConn with a national championship, leading the Huskies to an 82-59 win over South Carolina and cementing her status as one of the sport’s brightest stars.

Rookies selected in the top four of the draft are slated to earn $348,198 over four years, starting with $78,831 in Year 1. But Andrews noted that Bueckers’ deal with Unrivaled — a league founded by UConn legends Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier — already tops that figure.

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While she had previously signed with Unrivaled during her college days, Paige Bueckers didn’t compete in the league’s debut season, which saw a Rose BC squad led by Angel Reese, Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Brittney Sykes, Azura Stevens, and Lexie Hull win the title.

In her final year at UConn, Bueckers averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, shooting an efficient 53.4% from the field and 41.9% from beyond the arc.

Paige Bueckers opens up about earning from NIL as a college star

With NIL deals turning college athletes into millionaires, Paige Bueckers ranked among the top earners, according to On3, which valued her NIL worth at $1.5 million — the third highest among female college athletes, trailing only Olivia Dunne ($4.1 million) and Flau’Jae Johnson ($1.5 million).

Speaking with Pop Sugar in a March interview, Bueckers admitted she didn’t initially know what to do with her NIL earnings and eventually decided to hire a financial advisor.

"When I first got [my first NIL check], I was like, does this go to my parents? How does this work?" Bueckers was quoted as saying. "It still doesn't seem real to me to have all this money in college and become an adult so quickly."

Over her college career, Bueckers partnered with several big-name brands for NIL deals, including Nike, Unrivaled, Gatorade, Dunkin', Bose, and Chegg.

Bueckers is projected to go No. 1 to the Dallas Wings in Monday’s draft, where she’s set to make $348,198 across four years — beginning with $78,831 in her rookie season and climbing to $100,510 by the fourth year.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro