Paige Bueckers Becomes The First College Athlete Of NIL Era To Ink Nike Signature Shoe Partnership Deal

Connecticut basketball star Paige Bueckers is set to make history with her own Nike signature shoe. This comes after fellow basketball player Caitlin Clark signed a huge $28 million deal with the brand earlier this year. Bueckers, who is projected to be the first pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, has partnered with Nike to release a player-edition sneaker on Saturday, becoming the first college athlete of the NIL era to do so with the sneaker giant.

While Clark, the WNBA’s Rookie of the Year, is also expected to release her own Nike sneaker as part of her reported eight-year, $28 million deal with the brand, Bueckers’ shoe will hit the market this Saturday. The details of her deal are yet to be disclosed.

Bueckers expressed her excitement about the opportunity, stating that wearing her signature shoes is a great motivator for her. Growing up as a fan of Nike and their signature shoes, she feels it is surreal to now have her own Player Edition model.

Bueckers said in a statement said;

‘It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe. I grew up wearing Nikes — all the signature shoes — so it’s surreal to have this Player Edition model. I just want to show out in it.’

‘Blessed from the 612 [Minneapolis’ area code] to the 860 [Storrs, Connecticut] – my PE of the Nike GT Hustle 3 will be available on December 7,’ she added online. ‘From the PB Bucket design to the text bubble from my dad to the colorway, every part of this shoe aligns with the player and person I am. Can’t wait for you to check it out.’

The Nike GT Hustle 3, which is Bueckers’ signature shoe, will be available on December 7. The shoe design includes elements that align with Bueckers’ style and identity, such as the PB Bucket design, a text bubble from her dad, and a colorway that reflects her personality. Bueckers is excited for fans to check out her shoe and see how it represents who she is as both a player and a person.

Flip to the next page for photos of Paige Bueckers’ Nike signature shoes…

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