Just 24 hours before the 2025 WNBA draft, the projected No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers, agreed to a three-year deal with Unrivaled, according to ESPN, who first reported the news.
The news comes a year after the guard signed an NIL deal to give her equity in the 3-on-3 league, which takes place during the WNBA offseason. Although she did not play in the 10-week league in order to finish out her college career at UConn, she led the Huskies to a national title in the NCAA tournament championship, defeating South Carolina 82-59 on April 6.
This deal with Unrivaled will exceed what she would make in the first four years of her career in the WNBA—which is set at $78,831 in her rookie campaign, per the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement. The exact details of the deal have not been disclosed.
Unrivaled was co-founded in 2023 by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart as a way to give themselves and other players in the league a way to compete during the offseason and make money without leaving the United States. The first season of Unrivaled wrapped up in March and brought in $27 million in revenue—more than double what investors initially projected, ESPN reports.
Unrivaled is made up of the 36 best WNBA players who compete at the highest level, making it the perfect fit for Bueckers, who averaged 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game in her 2024-25 season at UConn, according to ESPN.
While the 2025 Draft class is full of stars, Bueckers is expected to be selected by the Dallas Wings, who were awarded the No. 1 pick. This is great news for a team like Dallas, who had a record of 9-31 in the 2024 season. However, The Next’s Howard Megdal has previously reported that the franchise has not heard from Bueckers or her representatives about her plans for the draft. Since winning her first national championship, this may have changed.
As for where Bueckers would like to end up, she previously told Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, “Nowhere specific.” She added, “Wherever I end up.”