Projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers is reportedly signing a three-year contract with the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
According to sources, Bueckers will earn more in her first season with Unrivaled which lasts 10 weeks than she would over four years under her rookie WNBA contract. If selected first in the draft, she would make $78,831 in her rookie season, per the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Bueckers had previously agreed to an NIL deal with Unrivaled, which granted her equity in the league. However, she didn’t participate while completing her collegiate career at UConn, where she helped the Huskies win the NCAA title on April 6. In her final season, she posted averages of 19.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game, shooting 53.4% overall and 41.9% from beyond the arc. Bueckers is expected to be a game-changer for the Dallas Wings, who hold the top pick in the draft.
Unrivaled wrapped up its debut season in March, and sources say acquiring Bueckers along with targeting stars like Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson has been central to the league’s strategy for continued growth.
The league, launched in 2023 by WNBA standouts Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, generated over $27 million in revenue in its first season more than double its forecast, according to sources. Rather than expanding by adding teams, Unrivaled aims to build on its early success by attracting elite players and offering strong financial incentives and top-tier resources. Bueckers’ multiyear deal is part of the league’s mission to provide a reliable and lucrative offseason platform for WNBA talent.
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