HARTFORD, Conn. – UConn women's basketball sensation Paige Bueckers has made her first splash into name, image and likeness partnerships, and it was a big one.
Bueckers, the reigning national player of the year, has signed a multiyear partnership with StockX, a footwear and apparel marketplace, where she'll serve as a brand ambassador, the company announced Wednesday.
"My partnership with StockX is about equity and authenticity," Bueckers said in a statement. "It's about product I love and about shining a light on all the creatives that drive culture. I'm here to celebrate them, and together with StockX, invest in making sure women and women athletes are prioritized, elevated and recognized for their style and their leadership."
"We're committed to providing a platform for female athletes to not only showcase their personal style, interests and values, but also to amplify their voices and connect with their communities," added StockX chief marketing officer Deena Bahri. "Paige isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and speak out for change, which is perfectly aligned with our cultural values of remaining committed to what's right and building a legacy. We're excited to partner with this rising star as she continues to drive impact both on and off the court."
A wave of state legislation over the summer pushed the NCAA to change its own policies that had long restricted college athletes from profiting off their name, image and likeness. UConn's school-specific NIL policy took affect on July 12.
According to ESPN's Nick DePaula, Bueckers is in talks with several other companies, and more NIL deals could be announced during the basketball season.
DePaula also reported more of what Bueckers' deal with StockX will entail.
"Bueckers will also help design exclusive products for the platform's DropX portal for limited edition exclusive launches. These products could include third-party clothing brands or collaborators, and incorporate her Paige Buckets nickname which she trademarked this summer," DePaula reported. "There will be an emphasis on community-driven initiatives and highlighting Black women and BIPOC creatives in upcoming projects. For the entirety of the deal, Bueckers will also be provided access to limited edition footwear and apparel from all brands available on the platform."
"I'm huge on fashion, huge on clothes, huge on shoes," Bueckers said in a video announcing the partnership. "Everybody that I sign with, I want to make sure my values align with them and theirs align with mine. I want to do great stuff in the community. I want to be able to reach people that don't have the same opportunities that I had growing up and didn't have the same blessings that I had, spreading awareness, spreading change. StockX has great ideas, I have great ideas and I'm glad we're able to come together."
