Paige Bueckers solidifies future with Unrivaled before draft

Paige Bueckers (5) reacts during the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks of the national championship of the women's 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers solidifies future with Unrivaled ahead of 2025 WNBA Draft

By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 5:06 PM ET

After an impressive college career at UConn that was capped off with a national championship, Paige Bueckers is making the jump to the WNBA. Ahead of being the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, the star prospect has inked a deal with another notable women's league.

Earlier this year, Unrivaled kicked off its first season in league history. Following a successful 2025 campaign, the rapidly growing venture has already secured a high-profile name for 2026 and beyond.

On Sunday morning, reports emerged that Bueckers and Unrivaled have agreed on a multiyear contract. The UConn star has long had connections with the league, as Unrivaled signed her to an NIL deal ahead of its inaugural season.

There are no confirmed figures for Bueckers' Unrivaled deal, but it is believed she'll make more in her first year there than she will during the entirety of her WNBA rookie contract. This is a major acquisition for the new league as it continues to grow in popularity.

Breaking: Paige Bueckers, projected to go No. 1 in tomorrow’s WNBA draft, has signed a 3-year deal with Unrivaled, sources tell ESPN. Her first-year salary with Unrivaled exceeds what she would make in her entire four-year rookie scale contract in the W. https://t.co/KiVs14yYhD
— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) April 14, 2025

With the first pick in the 2025 draft, the Dallas Wings are expected to select Bueckers in hopes of her becoming a franchise cornerstone. She is coming off a strong senior season at UConn, averaging 19.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 4.6 APG.

Now signed with Unrivaled, Bueckers has a busy road ahead of her. Between the college, WNBA and Unrivaled seasons, the highly touted prospect will practically be playing competitively for a full year with minimal breaks.

Kevin McCormick

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer for Yardbarker with years of experience in the journalism field. Based out of Philadelphia, he graduated from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management in 2019. Since then, Kevin has gone on to build a career in sports writing

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