Many hoops fans ask how much does paige bueckers make, as they scroll through headlines and wonder where her big paydays come from. They want to know if her rookie WNBA salary or her Unrivaled league deal brings in more cash.
She joined the Dallas Wings as the No. 1 pick and signed a four-year contract worth about $348,000.
We will unpack her WNBA rookie contract, her three-year Unrivaled salary, and her top NIL deals with Nike, Gatorade, Dunkin’, and Bose. We will break down her jersey sales and her best-selling Streetwear collection from 2024.
You’ll see clear numbers and learn how she could boost her earnings with overseas games and more endorsements. Keep reading.
Key Takeaways
- Paige Bueckers signed a four-year, $348,000 WNBA rookie deal with the Dallas Wings in 2025. She will earn about $78,831 in year one under the collective bargaining agreement (Spotrac).
- She earned over $1.5 million in NIL deals in 2023–24. On3 valued her 2024–25 NIL at $1.4 million. NIL Store named her the top-paid female college athlete in 2024.
- Bueckers joined the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. She will earn over $350,000 in her rookie season and hold equity that could grow.
- Major brands back her: Nike (multi-year), Gatorade (first NIL-era college deal), Dunkin’ (plus a $25,000 donation to Husky Harvest), Bose, StockX, Leaf Trading Cards, Crocs, GoArmy, Chegg, and Nerf.
- Her UConn white jersey hit #2 in 2024 sales (navy #5, pink #19). Her 2024 streetwear drop led all college lines. She can boost earnings by playing overseas in Spain, Turkey, Australia, and Asia.
Paige Bueckers’ NIL Earnings
Paige Bueckers earned over $1.5 million in NIL deals last season, thanks to big athletic brands and social apps like Instagram and TikTok. Her valuation for 2024-25 could top $2 million, as she signs fresh partnership deals and charity projects.
Estimated NIL valuation for 2024-25 season
On3’s model tagged Paige Bueckers’ NIL at $1.4 million for the 2024-25 season. NIL Store named her the top-paid female sportswoman in 2024. UConn women’s basketball fans saw her jersey top charts until Boise State rookie Ashton Jeanty claimed number one in December 2024.
Nika Muhl joined Bueckers among the Huskies who hit the top 10 earners list. UConn kept exact 2024 earnings private. The white jersey soared to second in sales. Navy designs finished at five.
Pink gear reached nineteen.
Key endorsement deals and partnerships
Paige Bueckers leads college basketball in brand deals. She turned her star power into top partnerships.
- Nike signed her to a multi-year deal in September 2023, boosting her profile across footwear and sports apparel.
- Gatorade tapped her as the first college player in the NIL era, marking a big win for Huskies and sports drinks.
- Dunkin’ chose her to promote coffee and donuts, and she gave $25,000 to UConn’s Husky Harvest food pantries.
- Bose hired her to promote wireless headphones after her ACL recovery, and she filmed commercials at UConn facilities.
- StockX features her in sneaker auctions, mixing her game with hype in the shoe market.
- Leaf Trading Cards launched a Paige Buckets series, fueling demand for college basketball cards.
- Crocs used her in casual wear ads, blending her play style with laid-back shoe designs.
- GoArmy named her a recruitment ambassador, linking her court leadership to army values.
- Chegg highlighted her study routines, tying her success to education support for students.
- Nerf put her in foam basketball demos, merging her skills with toy ball fun.
WNBA Salary Breakdown
Paige Bueckers inks an entry-level pact under the labor deal with the Dallas squad. Spotrac plots her pay above the tier for top selections but still behind stars like Stewart.
Rookie contract details with the Dallas Wings
Selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, she signs a four-year rookie deal under the collective bargaining agreement. The opening-year base salary is about $78,831.
Rookie stars like Caitlin Clark and Jewell Loyd started with similar pay scales.
This agreement guarantees roughly $348,000 over four seasons. Luci Gardner cited a rumor about rookie pay near $78,000, though that differs from her Unrivaled salary. The WNBA rookie contract reflects those of other top draft picks in women’s basketball.
Comparison with other top draft picks
This table compares Paige Bueckers to other top first-year choices.
| Player | Draft Pick | Team | First-Year Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paige Bueckers | 1 | Dallas Wings | $75,000 |
| Aliyah Boston | 1 (2023) | Indiana Fever | $75,000 |
| Kamilla Cardoso | 2 (2023) | Los Angeles Sparks | $72,000 |
| Maddy Siegrist | 3 (2023) | Dallas Wings | $70,500 |
Additional Income Sources
She lands deals with shoe labels and taps a photo-sharing app and a short-video platform to boost her profile and income. She teams with content creators and music streaming sites for co-branded promos that put more cash in her pocket.
Sponsorships and collaborations
Paige Bueckers taps high-profile brands to grow her income. She pairs her on-court talent with off-court deals.
- One sportswear alliance gives Paige top shoes and gear. It features photo shoots and promo videos with a global athletic label.
- Another partnership with a performance drink company shows her on billboards and social reels. Fans learn her training tips and snack hacks from those spots.
- A key move in 2023 includes joining Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. She will earn over $350,000 in her rookie season and also holds equity that could climb in value.
- A tech tie-up led her to front a fitness tracker campaign. She hosts live demos of drills on Instagram and TikTok, driving gadget interest.
- Lifestyle deals send her to events with the Dallas Wings rookie crew. She tags sponsors in stories, landing fees for each post.
Social media and branding opportunities
Her streetwear line led UConn to second place in program sales for 2024, behind Purdue. Fans bought that exclusive drop and made it 2024’s top sellout. A groundbreaking shoe hit stores after she guided a Nike Player Edition design.
That sneaker marked her as the first NIL athlete to launch a player shoe.
Social posts spark hype with sneak peeks and drop dates. Dallas Wings followers cheer each drop and share branded content. Fans flock to Paige Bueckers’ photo feed, video hub, and microblog channel.
She taps a scheduling tool to plan posts, track reach, and boost engagement. That data drives new partnerships with sports brands and lifestyle labels.
Future Earnings Potential
She could hit the jackpot with fresh deals from overseas clubs and big brands. The CBA gives her more pay power, and a brand analytics platform tracks her value.
Impact of being a top WNBA player
Being a top WNBA player boosts salary and name value fast. Paige Bueckers leaps into the league with Dallas Wings after UConn women’s basketball fame. Her initial WNBA rookie contract sits near the max under the collective bargaining agreement.
Name, image, likeness deals could dwarf her base pay, Jim Hampton says. Scott Olinghouse frets paying stars more from endorsements than salaries. Media voices praised her court IQ and smart career moves.
Fans thrill to A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier too.
Unrivaled league adds playing chances and higher pay too. Athletes like Nalyssa Smith, Cameron Brink, Cooper Flagg gain global exposure. Caitlin Clark’s buzz pulls more eyes to the sport.
Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics grab top talent with savvy partnerships. Sponsors eye social media glow and real world clinics. Women’s basketball rides this wave into bigger deals.
Opportunities for international play and endorsements
Paige Bueckers has big global pull. She can land deals in Europe, Asia, and beyond.
- Her rookie season with the dallas wings under the wnba rookie contract and collective bargaining agreement lets her tour top leagues in Spain and Turkey.
- Australian WNBL seasons offer extra income, similar to napheesa collier’s off-season trips and caitlin clark’s summer tours.
- Audio brand partnerships can echo at global concerts, letting fans connect with her voice far beyond the court.
- Sports drink sponsor invites her to training camps in Japan and South Korea, boosting her presence in women’s basketball hotspots.
- Coffee chain deals position her for meet-ups in London and Paris during big tourneys, driving fan buzz.
- Footwear maker might launch her signature clog in China, using her uconn women’s basketball fame to fuel sales.
- Resale platform collabs can release limited-edition collectible card pacts across Germany, Italy, and France, tapping die-hard fans.
- Toy gun creator could host charity shooting contests in Berlin parks to spark youth programs.
- Education platform tie-ins let her fund girls’ hoops clinics in Mexico City, growing grassroots women’s basketball.
- Military recruitment alliance might feature her in ad spots across Asia, showing her as a role model beyond hoops.
Takeaways
She signed a WNBA rookie contract that pays about $78,000 a season. A separate 3-on-3 league deal brings over $350,000 yearly. Big brands send her checks for ads and jersey sales. A sports site lists her net worth near $1.5 million.
The pact caps her rookie salary but frees her to sign outside deals. This mix of pay sources points to even larger deals ahead.
Discover more about this basketball phenom by exploring how tall Paige Bueckers is and how it influences her game.
FAQs
1. What does Paige Bueckers earn in her rookie season?
She is fresh from UConn women’s basketball. She signed a WNBA rookie contract after the WNBA draft, on the pay scale set by the collective bargaining agreement. She makes about 75,000 to 85,000 base, plus small bonuses. She hit the ground running, no small potatoes for year one.
2. How does that pay stack up against Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart?
Napheesa Collier made around 75,000 in her first WNBA season. Breanna Stewart earned closer to 150,000 in hers. Paige lands near Collier’s range. She got into the league strong.
3. Can Paige make more from outside deals like Caitlin Clark?
Yes, she can earn big bucks off the court. Caitlin Clark has name, image and likeness deals, shoe contracts and sponsor money. Paige can secure similar deals, and boost her total earnings fast.
4. Does the collective bargaining agreement cap her rookie contract?
Yes, the collective bargaining agreement sets firm limits on rookie pay, bonuses and raises. It creates a clear rookie contract scale for all women’s basketball rookies. That keeps things fair, but it caps first-year salaries.
5. What could her next deal look like, and could teams like the Dallas Wings push her pay higher?
If Paige proves her worth, she will chase a second contract above the rookie scale. A team like the Dallas Wings might bid more for her skills. She could follow peers like Cooper Flagg into bigger money on year two.
