The historic WNBA season that ended over a month ago with the New York Liberty’sfirst-ever championship hasn’t stopped the conversation about women’s basketball. Attention has now shifted to college basketball, where USC sophomoreJuju Watkins stands out. Watkins’ docuseries “On the Rise: JuJu Watkins” premiered yesterday on NBC and Peacock, chronicling her journey on and off the court. Meanwhile, Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, recently made headlines by defeating Caitlin Clark in a Nike-sponsored “competition,” further cementing her status as the top player to watch.
Paige Bueckers Beats Caitlin Clark to the Signature Shoe Game
Nike has announced the release of Paige Bueckers‘ custom Nike GT Hustle 3 sneaker, which will be released on December 7, 2024 with a price tag of $190. This makes Bueckers the first college basketball player ever to receive a signature shoe – not even Caitlin Clark can claim that milestone. But Clark, who had one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history and was named Rookie of the Year, also has her own signature shoe in the works. She signed an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike, but Bueckers won that particular race.
Paige Bueckers x Nike Zoom GT Hustle 3 🪣
🚨 OFFICIAL IMAGES 🚨
Release Date: December 7th, 2024Full details: https://t.co/faCplBju34 pic.twitter.com/hyD5f1W5RQ
— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) November 23, 2024
It’s highly likely that Clark will debut her signature shoes before the start of the 2025 WNBA season. A potential season opener featuring Clark and the Indiana Fever against the Dallas Wings, who are expected to draft Bueckers, could create a perfect marketing moment for Nike – a great photo opportunity and slogan in the making.
Nike is set to sign Caitlin Clark to a $28 million contract that will span eight years + include a signature shoe 💪 pic.twitter.com/CjhF4AI8Ch
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) April 23, 2024
As for the timing of Bueckers’ sneakers, she signed her Nike deal in 2023, earlier than Clark, so it’s no surprise that her release came first. However, in terms of impact and relevance, it’s hard to argue that Clark deserves the spotlight. Still, Clark probably isn’t losing any sleep over it. Meanwhile, Bueckers will showcase her sneakers on her way to her first national championship, surpassing Clark in this as well, and i expect other NCAA players are to wear them, a first in college basketball. Congrats to Paige!
Paige Bueckers Eyes First National Championship
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Paige Bueckers, the only freshman ever to win the AP Player of the Year award (2021), leads UConn (4-0) to an undefeated start in the young season. The Huskies are looking to replicate the success of their men’s basketball team, the reigning NCAA back-to-back champions. At just 23 years old and with four years of collegiate experience, Bueckers has her sights set on winning the national championship before heading to the WNBA. Her journey has been one of perseverance and dominance, and this season could finally bring the ultimate accolade to her illustrious collegiate career.
Injuries have plagued Bueckers from the start. As a freshman, she led UConn to the Final Four and set the school record for assists. She missed most of her sophomore season with a left knee injury, but still managed to lead her team to the national championship game, where they lost to South Carolina. Her junior season was cut short by a torn ACL. Bueckers bounced back last season, earning unanimous first-team All-American honors and leading the Huskies to the Final Four, where they lost a close game to Caitlin Clark’s team, 71-69.
Okay @paigebueckers1 on the Nike homepage, I see you!! ❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/b63VZm7AnI
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) November 22, 2024
