Paige Signs New NIL Deal

[Zinethar]

Can't. When you declare for the WNBA draft you immediately lose your remaining ncaa eligibility. Bird got drafted then played his senior year and then signed with Boston before the next draft, where the Celtics got McHale.

If the NCAA had this rule they would be in deep trouble as that is certainly not true for the men. Discrimination much? Men can change their mind if there is little interest in them and come back as long as they don't sign an agent.

 

[DrummerDee]

What if she wants to live the life of an adult and not under the thumb of UConn? What if at age 23-24 she's tired of playing school and having to go to study hall when she could be out doing what she wants?

Well, Dorka would be a great example why. Her extra uears at UConn turned her into a pro that is making a huge impact in her rookie year.

 

[BobbyJ]

If the NCAA had this rule they would be in deep trouble as that is certainly not true for the men. Discrimination much? Men can change their mind if there is little interest in them and come back as long as they don't sign an agent.

This applies to the women also. Read the article in post #24.

 

[wingsfan055]

Nike? Never heard of them.

 

[wingsfan055]

For Paige, I think legacy means a lot to her. I think she realizes if she doesn't win a chip with UConn, she won't be remembered with the same level of admiration as the other Great Ones under Geno.

 

[Dezoworld]

Do anyone know how early kids can get NIL deals?? Also does anybody know how much Pagie is getting from each deal?

 

[MilfordHusky]

For Paige, I think legacy means a lot to her. I think she realizes if she doesn't win a chip with UConn, she won't be remembered with the same level of admiration as the other Great Ones under Geno.

When Diana was a senior, Geno kept reminding her that Sue Bird won 4 Big East Championships (injured for 1), but all Dee could win was 3. Ultimately, she won "only" 2. But, was we know, she won 3 NCAA championships.

 

[Amashutcha]

I hope she gets a signature shoe. I'll certainly buy one the moment it drops!

 

[TB12]

I read that here in Massachusetts High School kids can do NIL. I have not heard of any....

 

[darrell]

Do anyone know how early kids can get NIL deals?? Also does anybody know how much Pagie is getting from each deal?

Varies by state. In California last year, LeBron’s eldest son and Juju Watkins (Souther Cal Freshman) both signed Nike NIL deals while they were Seniors in HS.

 

[Gordo]

All that is true. On the other side:

The WNBA is the pinnacle of womens basketball, the ultimate challenge. Bueckers is all about challenges and she now understands how a player's career can end.

I'm hoping she stays though.

Right now she's making big NIL money and yet has plenty of question marks as to if she can return to greatness. We all hope and pray that she can, and that the knee problems are a thing of the past. At UConn she is protected. Her health is kept top secret. It's won't be that way in the W, and if she can't play, she won't earn. So, there are many reasons why she might desire to stay at UConn. I believe she very much wants to go down as a UConn great. To see her jersey number hanging high in the rafters. Here she will be playing for a National Championship for the next two years, among friends and teammates who like her. If and when she goes pro that will most likely not be the case. She will undoubtedly be drafted by a low level team, with little possibity of winning games, much less a championshop. At first anyway, she will be playing with teammates who are jealous and resent her fame, extra earnings and press.

Leaving UConn won't necessarily mean life will be peaches and cream.

 

[HuskyNan]

Do anyone know how early kids can get NIL deals?? Also does anybody know how much Pagie is getting from each deal?

The NCAA doesn’t/can’t make rules about NIL. That was actually the point of the court case that decided in favor of the student-athletes

 

[Huskee11]

I wonder how her watching (recently in person) teammate Dorka`s considerable success in the WNBA impacts her thinking about staying an additional year at UConn. It might weigh in favor of her going, not staying.

Dorka benefitted from the extra year at UConn but Paige is already WNBA ready, doesn`t need it in the same way that Dorka did. She just needs to stay healthy.

Also wonder if she would leave if she could get some assurances pre-draft that through one or more trades she would land in a preferred destination like Minnesota, New York or possibly Los Angeles. Or, at the very least, that she would not end up with a lousy franchise.

 

[AmeriConn]

 

[NC28604]

What’s the reason? Her NIL deals follow her the the W

NCAA has much better ratings and packs more arenas than WNBA. Simple really.

 

[Gordo]

... Paige is already WNBA ready

Also wonder if she would leave if she could get some assurances pre-draft that through one or more trades she would land in a preferred destination like Minnesota, New York or possibly Los Angeles. Or, at the very least, that she would not end up with a lousy franchise.

How do you know she's WNBA ready?

When was the last time you saw her play? She's coming back after losing an entire season due to a serious knee surgery operation. The season before, she missed roughly half due to another knee problem. We all hope the returning Paige is the same player she was, with the same skills and abilities, BUT that remains an unknown at this point.

I do like your (wishful) thinking regarding where she might land in the draft, but until she proves herself again her value is also an unknown.

 

[MooseJaw]

All that is true. On the other side:

The WNBA is the pinnacle of womens basketball, the ultimate challenge. Bueckers is all about challenges and she now understands how a player's career can end.

I'm hoping she stays though.

WOW, have you seen the attendance records for WCBB vs. the WNBA, plus the tv ratings? The very best pro games are more than smothered by the better WCBB games ratings and in person attendance. Nothing in the WNBA compares to the college experience, for the players, the fans and even fogies like us on the BY. Alydar I know you love Husky WBB, nothing like it for the players or us fans, do you know of any player or fan that finds the current pro game to be the ultimate challenge, {over conference tourneys, rivalry games or the WCBB NCAA tournament.} Moving to the WNBA would be the next challenge but the Ultimate challenge, IMO for over 99% of the players and us fans the ultimate has been and remains the college experience leading to the Natty. Like you, I and the rest of Husky Nation, keeping Paige for the next 2 years would be a little piece of heaven.

 

[CL82]

What’s the reason? Her NIL deals follow her the the W

Because her WNBA salary will just be a fraction of her total earnings. A frequent reason for college players leaving early is economic hardship. That doesn't exist for Paige.

 

[CL82]

Do anyone know how early kids can get NIL deals??

In theory, birth. NIL, theoretically, has nothing to do with participation in college sports.

 

[Hedge]

All that is true. On the other side:

The WNBA is the pinnacle of womens basketball, the ultimate challenge. Bueckers is all about challenges and she now understands how a player's career can end.

I'm hoping she stays though.

Just to note that as of today the WNBA has only 4 teams above .500.

 

[Zinethar]

This applies to the women also. Read the article in post #24.

I know that is why I was replying to post #14 with the comment I made.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In theory, birth. NIL, theoretically, has nothing to do with participation in college sports.

Someone should sign Mila, Phee's daughter!

Even if she's not athletic, she's cute as heck!

 

[DEpup]

Paige of course is WNBA ready between the ears but she could decide that her body isn't ready yet to do the W plus a European season as a pro. Maybe she decides to stay another year with Azzi, get a NC, get her body fully ready for the pro grind, and continue to cash in as if she was a pro.

 

[CL82]

Someone should sign Mila, Phee's daughter!

Even if she's not athletic, she's cute as heck!

She probably will be athletic by any reasonable standard, but it is often hard for kids of pro athletes to repeat their parents success. That's a reminder of just how difficult it is to be an elite athlete and another reason why we should appreciate the astounding number of them we have seen as a part of the program.

 

[Huskee11]

How do you know she's WNBA ready?

When was the last time you saw her play? She's coming back after losing an entire season due to a serious knee surgery operation. The season before, she missed roughly half due to another knee problem. We all hope the returning Paige is the same player she was, with the same skills and abilities, BUT that remains an unknown at this point.

I do like your (wishful) thinking regarding where she might land in the draft, but until she proves herself again her value is also an unknown.

If I am guilty of wishful thinking, so is Geno Auriemma. I have not seen her play recently except for short video clips, but he obviously has.

Here is his interview from June 20, 2023, the infamous "shut the **** up and win games" interview. He starts talking about Paige at around the two minute mark. Some illustrative quotes:

"best she`s ever been"

"never seen her better"

So the player who was once the NCAA player of the year has never looked better, per Geno.