Paige Bueckers Makes College Basketball History With Nike Announcement
Over the last decade, we’ve seen the game of women’s basketball reach a new level of exposure and fandom, and it’s because of players like Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, and Caitlin Clark.
There’s a new star in the mix, though, and she’s taking on the torch in an impressive manner.
UConn Huskies’ star Paige Bueckers is lighting up the college basketball world once again this year, and on Monday morning, she made history off of the court with a huge announcement in conjunction with Nike.
According to The Athletic, Bueckers was named as the first NIL athlete to design and launch a Nike player edition sneaker, with the brand debuting Bueckers’ Nike G.T. Hustle 3.
The shoe is set to be released on December 7.
The shoe design is flawless from Bueckers, with a blue and purple colorway that features pink and white accents.
“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe,” Bueckers said in a statement. “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.”
There are several details on the design of the shoe that are personal to the UConn star. For instance, the area codes for both Storrs, Conn. and Bueckers hometown in Minnesota are on the tongue of the shoe, with a nod to her father on the left heel.
Bueckers, a redshirt senior, is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, should she declare and not use her final year of eligibility with the Huskies. The Dallas Wings won the WNBA Draft lottery this past month, so they would likely get her if Bueckers ends up going pro after this season.
