STORRS, Connecticut — UConn women’s basketball rising star Paige Bueckers has signed a multi-year name, image and likeness (NIL) endorsement deal with Gatorade. She is the first NCAA student-athlete to sign with the company.
The announcement on Monday comes fewer than three weeks after the 20-year-old basketball star announced her first major NIL deal with StockX.
“A point guard. A leader. A Bucket and now, the newest member of the Gatorade Family. Welcome to the squad (Paige Bueckers),” the company said in an announcement on Twitter.
“It was a blessing to win Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, and now it’s truly surreal to be an official member of the Gatorade Family,” Bueckers said in a statement. “I know this is just the beginning of our partnership and can’t wait to get to work with Gatorade to drive impact in the community and on the women’s game.”
As part of the agreement with Gatorade, Bueckers will promote the brand in television commercials, social media posts, product collaborations and events, according to Bloomberg.
The Huskies star is one of the top student-athletes in all of college sports. She is projected to be the top pick in the Women’s National Basketball Association draft when she becomes eligible in 2023.
Bueckers joins a Gatorade athlete roster stacked with the most elite female athletes in the world, including tennis icon Serena Williams, Olympic medalist Sydney McLaughlin, and two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne.
She was previously named the Gatorade Player of the Year in high school. Earlier this year, she filed a trademark for her 'Paige Buckets' nickname.
The sophomore helped lead the Huskies to the Final Four last season as a freshman.
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