UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers is signing an NIL deal with Unrivaled that will give her an ownership stake in the forthcoming professional women's basketball league, according to The Athletic's Shams Charnia.
Why it matters: Bueckers, widely expected to be next year's top WNBA draft pick, becomes the first collegiate athlete to own a stake in a pro league.
Zoom in: As part of her deal, Bueckers will commit to playing in the league, as well as the WNBA, after her college career is over next spring, Charnia reports.
- Unrivaled, an offseason women's league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, begins its first season in January.
- The league, which will use a 3-on-3 format, was formed to give WNBA players a domestic league to play in during their offseason, while seeking to bridge the pay gap between them and their NBA counterparts.
- Unrivaled will feature 30 players across six teams and already has commitments from Stewart, Collier, Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Kelsey Plum and Angel Reese to play in the inaugural season.
Catch up quick: In May, Unrivaled secured financial investments from a cadre of celebrities and athletes including Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Ashton Kutcher.
- John Skipper and David Levy, two longtime sports TV veterans from ESPN and Turner, respectively, are also investors in the league and will spearhead its media rights business.
