UConn women's basketball star becomes first student-athlete to ever sign Gatorade NIL deal

Gatorade has always been synonymous with some of the biggest athletes in the world. Now, Paige Bueckers is joining their team. The UConn women’s basketball star became the first student-athlete to ever sign an NIL deal with Gatorade.

This won’t be Bueckers’ first foray with the company. Last year, she was the recipient of the 2020 Gatorade High School Player of the Year award. Now, she’s taking her brand to the next level.

“It was a blessing to win Gatorade Player of the Year in high school. Now, it’s truly surreal to be an official member of the Gatorade Family,” Bueckers stated. “I know this is just the beginning of our partnership and I can’t wait to get to work with Gatorade to drive impact in the community and on the women’s game.”

Moreover, Bueckers announced the deal in style. The UConn star used a photoshoot where she was wearing a Gatorade logo varsity jacket, paired with a Gatorade collaboration edition of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High to let the world know. The “Lemon Lime” themed color-way was part of a four-shoe pack released in recent years that celebrated Michael Jordan’s iconic “Be Like Mike” campaign from the early 1990s, according to ESPN.

Moreover, ESPN reports that Bueckers is slated to be featured in national campaigns and community activations during UConn’s current season. The potential future No. 1 overall draft pick isn’t draft eligible until the spring of 2023 — she’s in it for the long haul.

“From her electrifying performances on the court to fueling change off of it, Paige exemplifies everything it means to be a Gatorade athlete,” said Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade, per ESPN. “Partnering with her is a statement to the next generation of our continued commitment to women in sport.”

More on Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers committed to UConn after being named the No. 1 player in her high school recruiting class. In choosing the Huskies, she continued their unparalleled recruiting dominance — becoming the 11th No. 1 recruit to choose UConn since 1998.

Moreover, Bueckers wasted no time in becoming a premier player in her sport. At the end of the season, Bueckers swept award season — winning all the major awards she was eligible for, including the John R. Wooden Award.

In her freshman season, Bueckers averaged a gaudy 20 points. Moreover, she also averaged 5.8 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game, shooting 46.4 percent from three-point range.

Paige Bueckers wasn’t able to bring a championship to UConn during her freshman season. However, her play and tenacity lends belief to the idea that there’s plenty more success coming her way during her time with the Huskies.