BEAVERTON, Ore. — It's nothing but up for former Hopkins High School hooper and current University of Connecticut star Paige Bueckers, who announced a new deal with international sports apparel and equipment giant Nike on Wednesday.
According to ESPN reporter Nick DePaula, the University of Connecticut basketball phenom Bueckers was tapped to work with Nike on her latest Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) endorsement, which includes promotion of the merchandiser's GT Hustle sneaker brand campaign.
“Joining the Nike family is a childhood dream come true,” said Bueckers. “I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together on and off the court.”
Back in November 2021, Bueckers signed her NIL deal with footwear and apparel marketplace platform StockX, and later that month, became the first college athlete to make an NIL deal with Gatorade. Earlier in 2021, the basketball star also trademarked the term "Paige Buckets," which she said she intended to use for a future clothing line. All three of those dealings were made during the now-21-year-old's first two years at UConn.
As a freshman, Bueckers averaged 20 points, 5.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, setting her up to win several awards including the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, AP Player of the Year and USBWA Player of the Year.
While various injuries have plagued Buecker throughout her college career — including a season-ending ACL injury in 2022 — Bueckers made it clear last September that she intends to play again in a UConn Huskie uniform this upcoming season.
The Huskies open their season at home on Wednesday, Nov. 8 against the University of Dayton Flyers.
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