UConn star Paige Bueckers signs NIL Deal with StockX By DJ Hamilton

 

       On Wednesday, Paige Bueckers, the reigning John Wooden Award winner, and the first freshman woman to win the award since its inception in 1976 signed her first NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) endorsement deal: a multiyear partnership with footwear and apparel marketplace platform StockX.  She will become the centerpiece of StockX's upcoming focus on women's sports and basketball. 

    Bueckers expressed why she joined StockX, stating "My partnership with StockX is about equity and authenticity, It's about products 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."

StockX was launched in 2016 and  features more than 125,000 items across its marketplace from over 500 brands. The company saw sales of items total $1.8 billion in 2020, up dramatically from $1 billion in 2019. StockX chief marketing officer, Deena Bahri stated, "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.” 

Bueckers is focused on an emphasis on community-driven initiatives and highlighting Black women and BIPOC creatives in upcoming projects. When accepting the 2021 ESPY for Women's Collegiate Athlete of the Year, she thanked Black women specifically for their impact across the game of basketball and the culture of the sport.

In August, Bueckers signed with Wasserman agency and longtime leading WNBA agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas to represent her in all NIL negotiations, leading to the multiyear StockX partnership. She also came up with her official trademark called “Paige Buckets.” As part of the deal, 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, collaborators, and incorporate her Paige Buckets nickname.

For the entirety of the deal, Bueckers will also be provided limited access to other various limited-edition footwear and apparel from all brands available on the platform. In her first official photoshoot with StockX, she rotated between items such as Nike, New Balance, the Essentials line from Adidas-associated Jerry Lorenzo, and the OVO clothing line from the Nike- and Jordan Brand-associated Drake.

Bueckers swept every award she was eligible for last season from the AP Player of the Year, Nasimith Player of the Year, National PLayer of the Year, and a host of other awards. She will continue to wear a variety of different brands as it will be a bidding war for the projected No.1 pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft as her platform continues to grow.

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