Inside Paige Bueckers’ NIL Deals With Nike and StockX
"Joining the Nike family is a childhood dream come true. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together on and off the court," said Paige Bueckers when her deal was announced in September 2023.
Paige Bueckers is one of the brightest stars in women’s college basketball, and is one of the biggest names remaining who is competing in 2024 March Madness, having led UConn to the Final Four. She also has name, image and likeness (NIL) deals with two sneaker industry powerhouses.
In September 2023, Nike announced it had added Bueckers to its loaded roster of top-tier athletes. The brand, however, did not reveal terms of the agreement. “I am blessed and honored to announce my partnership with Nike,” Bueckers said at the time of the announcement via statement. “Joining the Nike family is a childhood dream come true. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together on and off the court.”
At the time of the announcement, Nike said Bueckers will wear its court-ready G.T. Hustle 2 basketball shoe. However, during this year’s March Madness tournament, Bueckers has laced up the Nike Sabrina 1, the signature shoe of WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu. The Nike Sabrina 1 is available via Nike.com and retails for $130.
Two years before she linked up with Nike, Bueckers signed with StockX to become a brand ambassador in November 2021. “StockX has great ideas, I have great ideas, and I’m glad that we’re able to come together,” Bueckers said in a story published on the StockX website.
Like with Nike, terms of Bueckers’ deal with StockX were not disclosed.
Bueckers is one of college basketball‘s most decorated athletes. During her freshman season in 2020-21, the guard earned both Associated Press Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year and United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year honors. She is the first freshman ever to win each of these awards.
Bueckers and UConn will face Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Final Four round on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET via ESPN.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.