Paige Bueckers’ New Deal Surpasses Whole WNBA Rookie Salary Even Before Entering League

WNBA is ready for Paige Bueckers. It’s just a matter of time fans will see Cathy Engelbert handing over the Dallas Wings Jersey with 25 written over it to Paige. The Conn is also ready for the next chapter of her career after winning the Natty. But even before making her WNBA entry, the projected first-overall pick stunned everyone with one move. Paige Bueckers signed a three-year deal with Unrivaled.

The new three-versus-three women’s basketball league, founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, snatched the biggest gem of the 2025 WNBA draft. Though Paige will still be able to play in the WNBA, her deal with Unrivaled, just before the draft night, raised many eyebrows. And it’s for multiple reasons.

First and foremost, salary. The Unrivaled League is built with an eye toward equitable payment. Meaning the participating players receive equity in the league and will receive a salary in six figures per season. To put it in perspective, with an $8 million salary pool, the average salary comes out to be $220,000 per player. Interestingly, it is the same amount as the maximum base pay in the WNBA.

So, by signing with Unrivaled, Paige will already earn the equivalent of WNBA’s top earners. But that’s not it. Even if Paige becomes the top pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, she will be eligible for a rookie contract worth $348,198 for four years. ESPN’s Kendra Andrews explains the commercials of the Bueckers’ Unrivaled deal and mentions that the value is much higher than Paige’s first four years’ salary in the WNBA.

Also Read: WNBA Draft 2025: Full List of Prospects Invited to 2025 WNBA Draft

She wrote, “Bueckers’ first-year salary for the 10-week Unrivaled season will exceed what she would make in all four years of her WNBA rookie contract, sources said. If Bueckers is the top pick in the draft, she is set to earn $78,831 in her first year, according to the WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement.”

Was this a shock? No. Those who followed Paige must be familiar with her NIL deal with Unrivaled. Rather, Bueckers was the first NCAA athlete to receive ownership equity in the professional league. This step already indicated her intentions to play in Unrivaled alongside WNBA.

There is no question that WBB is on the rise with players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, and Juju Watkins pulling the crowd and overall viewership – let it be in WNBA, Unrivaled or NCAA.

Kushal

Passionate about the game and driven by storytelling, Kushal is a seasoned sports news and analysis writer with a knack for breaking down the big plays and spotlighting rising stars.

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