UConn Star Bueckers' Return to Boost NIL Potfolio

Huskies' Paige Bueckers gave her fans and NIL partners a surprise during senior night

UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers surprised many when she participated in senior night activities for the Huskies and then told the crowd that she would use her additional year of eligibility to return.

She even rope-a-doped the crowd just a little bit during her speech.

“I know everybody wants me to address the elephant in the room,” Bueckers said. “This will not be my last senior night for UConn basketball. I’m coming back.”

With that, many of Bueckers’ Name, Image and Likeness partners probably felt a wave of happiness.

The fourth-year UConn player is one of the college game’s most marketable players. Per On3.com she has an NIL valuation of $650,000, though that isn’t an accurate reflection of how much Bueckers has made in the space.

“This will not be my last senior night.”

Paige Bueckers will STAY at UConn!

pic.twitter.com/mmabyz25RB

— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) February 17, 2024

In fact, since college athletes were allowed to begin tapping into NIL as a source of revenue, Bueckers has combined her elite playing ability with UConn’s elite brand in women’s basketball to strike deals with a range of national and regional partners.

One of her latest deals, with Dunkin’, saw her participate in a pep rally at Enfield High in Connecticut. During that event, she played a game of H-O-R-S-E with Enfield school leadership, referred a Unified Sports game and handed out donuts.

Bueckers was the first student athlete in any sport to sign an NIL deal with Gatorade back in 2021. Since then he’s inked partnerships with crocs, Bose, Nerf, The Players Trunk, Nike, GoArmy, Leaf Trading Cards and the UConn NIL store.

Her deal with Nike included a campaign around their G.T. Hustle 2 shoe.

Bueckers, who is listed on UConn’s website as a reshirt junior but is in her fourth year of college basketball, can return for another season because she has a COVID waiver since she started her career in 2020-21. She used her redshirt after an ACL tear caused her to miss the entire 2022-23 season.

Bueckers is among the top players in the game again this season, averaging 20 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game for the Huskies.