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Paige Bueckers is the latest student-athlete to sign with Nike as the UConn Huskies hooper has agreed to a partnership with the Swoosh highlighting the all-new Nike G.T. Hustle 2.
As one of the best players of her generation, University of Connecticut point guard Paige Bueckers is a promising talent as she was formerly high school National Player of the Year and was the first freshman to earn a major college National Women’s Player of the Year award. She is also a four-time gold medalist for the United States at the youth international level.
I am blessed and honored to announce my partnership with Nike. Joining the Nike family is a childhood dream come true. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together on and off the court.
-Paige Bueckers
On court, Paige will be sporting the latest Nike G.T. Hustle 2, a performance silhouette equipped with Cushlon foam and a full-length Zoom Air unit for plush comfort, maximum speed, and locked-down stability. The sneaker has a molded insole designed for enhanced responsiveness, propulsion, and optimal energy return. Even with its padded, mid-high ankle collar and reinforced engineered mesh layers, the sneaker maintains a lightweight structure supported by a Waffle herringbone traction pattern.
Nike’s decision to have Bueckers model the G.T. Hustle 2 comes at a time when it was recently announced that UConn was selected to join the NCAA Mamba Program, with the student-athletes to wear Nike Kobe sneakers on court this upcoming season.
Perhaps Bueckers will be switching back and forth between the aforementioned pairs, or she’ll be limited to repping the Mamba program through her UConn jersey, which is rumored to be complete with Kobe’s sheath logo as part of the NCAA Mamba Program.
Off the court, Bueckers and Nike will team up on community efforts. Bueckers has supported several non-profits that create opportunities for children and families, and promote social justice through programming focused on access to sport, the arts, economic opportunity, and defense against food insecurity.
Being that the NCAA Mamba Program is connected to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, it’s possible that Bueckers could be working towards Mambacita initiatives is the near future.
In November of 2021, Bueckers signed a multi-year NIL deal with StockX. The details of the deal were never publicly disclosed and it’s unclear if that partnership is still active, or if her Nike contract marks the end of her agreement with StockX.
As women’s basketball continues to grow, Nike is expanding its investment in women athletes. The Swoosh is committed to growing women’s sports and collaborating on creating positive change, which is best demonstrated by Nike signature athletes Sabrina Ionescu and Elena Delle Donne.
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Paige Bueckers via Nike
