Apr 6, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers (5) speaks to the media after the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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WNBA Star in the Making, Paige Bueckers Inches Closer to Record Unrivaled Deal

Paige Bueckers is having the year of her life. According to multiple media reports, the point guard is now all set to sign a blockbuster deal with the Unrivaled. Paige is also scheduled to make her appearance at the WNBA draft event. She is expected to come around as the first draft pick.

Despite multiple struggles, Paige Bueckers kept going to get where she is now. Right at the center of the storm that Caitlin Clark was during the same period last year. Paige, who suffered injuries and, heartbreaking loss right at the pinnacle, guided her college team, the UConn Huskies, towards the NCAA Championship.

Paige Bueckers showing up to the WNBA Draft still wearing the net 🙌 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LkzsjTKBOq
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) April 8, 2025

With the championship success as a backbone, the 23-year-old is set to make another big decision in her basketball career. The guard is reportedly going to sign a three-year deal with the Unrivaled. The women’s basketball league has a unique format, unlike the WNBA, where competition takes place 3-on-3 and even among individual players across different positions.

Also Read: Paige Bueckers WNBA Draft Projection – Where Will Paige Bueckers Go?

The Unrivaled league, founded in 2023 by Naphessa Collier and Breanna Stewart, took the landscape of women’s basketball by storm. It had a massive viewership in its inaugural season due to the unique nature of the league. Naphessa Collier and Breanna Stewart have been clear that the reason behind the existence of the Unrivaled is to provide financial security to WNBA players in the off-season.

Paige Bueckers will be the latest big name to make her way into the coveted league. Reports suggest that Bueckers’ earnings from the 10-week Unrivaled season will cross whatever she manages to earn in her rookie WNBA contract of four years. Apart from getting the rookie sensation on the board, the Unrivaled is also working on bringing Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson.

Paige Bueckers Already Has a Stake in Unrivaled

The 23-year-old guard already has an agreement with the Unrivaled league dating back to the previous year. Paige Bueckers signed a NIL contract with the league. Naphessa Collier and Breanna Stewart were so interested in getting Bueckers on board that they also included an undisclosed percentage of equity of the league in the NIL agreement.

Paige Bueckers’ value is also set to rise after this week’s WNBA draft event. The former UConn Huskies player is likely to be the first draft pick of this year. The Dallas Wings have the number one pick and they will not waste any time to make the historic move. If she gets picked as the first draft pick, the 23-year-old will earn $78,831 in her first year. Paige, like Caitlin Clark, is being seen as a rookie who can become the face of the game for decades.