Getty Image / M. Anthony Naismith
It’s a golden age right now for female college athletes in terms of being able to earn a ton of cash. And, UConn Huskies star point guard Paige Bueckers just made a bunch more, as she signed a signature shoe deal with Nike.
Bueckers missed all of last season and most of 2021-2022 with injuries. But, with phenoms like LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark fresh in the minds after great NCAA tournaments, many forgot how good Paige Bueckers is.
Bueckers was the unanimous top recruit in the 2020 recruiting class, and the Minnesota-native and childhood friend of Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs wasted no time making a huge impact when she got to Storrs. Playing in the shadows of so many great players before her under head coach Geno Auriemma, she was named national player of the year as a freshman, willing a young UConn team all the way to the Final Four.
Her 2021-2022 season saw her miss over two months with an injury, but she came back just in time to help a struggling UConn make it all the way to the national title game, where they fell to a loaded South Carolina team, 64-49.
But, her career had a huge setback when she announced early last August that she tore her ACL. UConn missed Paige Bueckers dearly, as their streak of an astounding 14 straight final fours was snapped.
But, she will be ready to play for this upcoming season, which is as anticipated as any the sport has ever seen. And, she will have one more sponsor than she does already, as the guard and Nike agreed to a deal.
As part of her official NIL shoe deal, Paige Bueckers will help headline Nike’s new GT Hustle sneaker this season across brand campaigns. pic.twitter.com/94MPhJV8V5
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 6, 2023
Pretty cool for Paige Bueckers, who has an NIL valuation of over $600,000, according to On3.