Paige Bueckers Opens Up About Ground-Breaking NIL Journey

Despite winning National Player of the Year as a freshman at UConn and drawing millions of views on social media, Bueckers started her NIL journey just like every other college athlete, learning everything from scratch.

“You don’t even think about making money in college because it was never a thing,” she said.

Fast-forward four years: Bueckers leaves UConn as a national champion, a three-time first-team All-American, and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She also exits the college stage with a staggering $1.5 million On3 NIL Valuation, the second-highest among all women’s basketball players.

But it wasn’t just about money for Bueckers. From day one, she prioritized building her brand around values, values she made sure to set alongside her inner circle.

“I set my values straight with my team. I just want to work with people who have the right intentions, have the right values of giving back and not making everything about me,” she said.

That mindset led her to deals that benefited not just herself, but her teammates too, something rare in the competitive world of NIL. From creative shoots to collaborations with Fortnite, Bueckers made sure to bring others along for the ride.

“The stuff I’ve been able to do with my teammates and for my teammates, that’s been the coolest stuff to me,” she shared.

Even with stylists, cameras, and endorsement deals, Bueckers never lost sight of the bigger picture: using her platform for good.

“Once I started to learn about it … it became, for me, how can I give back and use this platform on social media to do something good with it?”

In an era where athletes are becoming brands, Bueckers is showing that it’s possible to be both marketable and meaningful. Her journey through NIL wasn’t just about capitalizing, it was about creating impact.