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UConn’s Paige Bueckers named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list​



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Author: FOX61 Staff
Published: 2:20 PM EST November 14, 2022
Updated: 6:09 PM EST November 14, 2022

STORRS, Connecticut — UConn women’s basketball star Paige Bueckers may be helping the Huskies win from the sidelines this season, but that is not stopping her influence on the sport.
The 21-year-old, who turned down an opportunity to join the WNBA early to remain a Husky for another year, has made Fortune Magazine’s 40 Under 40 list.

The junior guard is listed under “culture and society” alongside singer Rihanna, filmmaker Lena Waithe, French soccer star Kylian Mbappe, social media star Khaby Lame, podcaster Alex Cooper, U.S. Department of Labor chief economist Joelle Gamble and Christian Smalls, interim president of the Amazon Labor Union.

In its write-up, the magazine praised Bueckers for taking advantage of the NCAA rule change that allows collegiate athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness.


RELATED: Injured Bueckers says she'll spend season as student coach

www.fox61.com

UConn’s Paige Bueckers named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list

The junior guard is joined by filmmaker Lena Waithe, social media star Khaby Lame, podcaster Alex Cooper and others in the 'culture and society' section.
www.fox61.com www.fox61.com
 

Paige Bueckers, carrying a clipboard and whistle, humorously told her team in a photoshoot that she is now "Coach P."

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In this ESPN video she posted, Bueckers wrote, "Was a pleasure to join the NBA Today and talk hoops and a little preview of Coach P🫡 Thank you @malika_andrews and @espn for having me!"

Bueckers said, "I’m really excited for the new perspective that I can bring to the game. For a lot of them, it’s an adjustment period. They’re going to have to listen to me. But I think I’m going to have a lot of words of wisdom.”

 
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“I mean, she (Bueckers) is going to make well over a million dollars. It’s not even a question,” said Jason Belzer, the chief executive of Student Athlete NIL, an agency that works with brands doing campaigns for student-athletes. “She probably has more value as a student-athlete from a marketing and endorsement perspective than she will as a pro, unless she becomes an absolute All-Star, Sue Bird-like person.”

However, though Bueckers, Dunne, Lee, the Cavinder twins, and others have earned NIL income thanks to their social media following and marketing savvy, many other female athletes in non-revenue sports now have income streams equal to or greater than their male counterparts. For some, it’s just spending money, but for others, it’s cars, cash, food, merchandise, and a steady revenue stream.

The downside to the NIL boon is that not all female athletes have received the same opportunities. Marketability, visibility, and social media presence plays a big role in that, but for some critics, sex appeal is selling more than social media presence. While it’s always up to the athlete to choose how they share themselves, many feel the pressure for women to use their sex appeal in their endorsements is a step backward.

“I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back. We’re fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics,” said Stanford women’s basketball coach Tara VanDerveer. “This is a step back.”




www.stack.com

Will NILs Be The Great Equalizer For Female Athletes?

When Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 became law, it ensured female athletes would have the same [...]
www.stack.com www.stack.com
 


Lindsay Whalen talks Gopher women hosting UConn, Paige Bueckers in 2023​


 

The Paige Bueckers back story.


 

Speaking of rich NIL deals, Livvy Dunne of LSU gymnastics has almost 9 million follows and $2.6 million in NIL money. She had sponsorships from Vuori Clothing, American Eagle, Plant Fuel, Bartleby and others.

She's the #6 college athlete women or men for NIL money.
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Next is gymnast Sunisa Lee of South St Paul, Minnesota. She's #11 overall in NIL money.

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Paige Bueckers of UConn Women's basketball comes in at "only" $825,000.

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Next are Hanna Cavinder and Haley Cavinder -- the Cavinder Twins. They play for University of Miami.

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At the very top of the NIL money list is Bronny James, a senior basketball player at Sierra Canyon high school in the Los Angeles area (and occasionally Cleveland).

He's a son of LeBron James. Both have deals with Beats by Dre headphones.

Odds are that he'll play for Ohio State. His father famously keeps contacts with his home state of Ohio despite playing and now living in Southern California mostly.

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Ragnor said:
The state of Minn, UofM, all UofM sports included or otherwise? I didn't see any UofM women's BB players on there.
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I am assuming it means:

Paige Bueckers, Hopkins.

Christy Carr, Eden Prairie

Maya Nnaji, Hopkins

Monika Czinano, Watertown

Ayoka Lee, Byron

Also, the numbers are calculated from agreement assumptions and not actual documents unavailable to the public.
 

theathletic.com

A better, more confident Paige Bueckers? ‘That’s pretty scary’

How Paige Bueckers does is directly correlated to how good the Huskies can be. It's a heavy burden to place on a surgically repaired knee.
theathletic.com theathletic.com

“The real difference is confidence,’’ Hudy says. “She is a better athlete than she was pre-injury. A more confident Paige Bueckers? That’s pretty scary.’’

Scary especially since the rest of the UConn roster seems finally intact. Two years ago, Bueckers and Fudd were meant to form the latest UConn generational pairing. They have played all of nine games together. In 2021, Fudd’s foot injury segued into Bueckers’ tibial fracture in December. Now both are finally healthy. Ducharme, who missed a month in concussion protocol last year, and Brady also are ready to go. All four are former top-five recruits. Mix in Aubrey Griffin, Nika Muhl and Aaliyah Edwards and the Huskies have every reason to set high expectations.

In April, they all gathered in Ducharme’s apartment to watch the title game. Hate-watch it is more like it. “We were pretty angry,’’ Ducharme says. “We know we could have been there.” Instead the Huskies were bounced by Ohio State in the Sweet 16, ending an absurd run of 14 consecutive Final Four appearances.

It is that – the disappointment, the desire – that fuels Bueckers. Not one-upping Clark or ousting Reese. Simply returning UConn to what the Huskies believe is their rightful perch.

When she finally gets around to answering the first question – how are you? – she does not put on a false sense of bravado. She admits to a mix of early-season trepidation and impatience. In pickup games and full-contact drills, she finds herself a little more timid, less anxious to bully her way into traffic, or throw herself at a defender. Yet she also finds herself trying to do everything all at once, as if she can make up for lost time in one session.

“I want to prove that I’m alright. I want to prove that I’m back. I want to prove that I’m a better player now,’’ she says. “I’m trying to do too much in too little time, where I need to relax and let the game come to me. Things are going to happen when they’re supposed to, and there’s a time for everything, but it’s hard. I just want it all so bad.’’
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rowdaboat said:
Paige returning to UConn for next year
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It would have been shocking if she left.

She'll make more money in college, with better travel, better facilities, etc.

Then, when she goes to the WNBA, she'll only have to play one miserable season before the CBA is renegotiated, which will definitely result in higher player pay, better benefits, and better travel.

It's a no brainer to stay. Clark would be foolish to leave as well, unless she gets a huge endorsement deal contingent on going pro.
 

TruthSeeker said:
It would have been shocking if she left.

She'll make more money in college, with better travel, better facilities, etc.

Then, when she goes to the WNBA, she'll only have to play one miserable season before the CBA is renegotiated, which will definitely result in higher player pay, better benefits, and better travel.

It's a no brainer to stay. Clark would be foolish to leave as well, unless she gets a huge endorsement deal contingent on going pro.
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Not too sure about WNBA getting much more. They are already heavily subsidized by the NBA and that's not making some owners happy.
 

mngolf said:
Not too sure about WNBA getting much more. They are already heavily subsidized by the NBA and that's not making some owners happy.
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Ratings and attendance are way up. They're pulling NHL ratings on ESPN, and their ratings on ION were big in Year 1 last year.

Their TV deals are up in 2025. They're going to get a lot more.
 

TruthSeeker said:
It would have been shocking if she left.

She'll make more money in college, with better travel, better facilities, etc.

Then, when she goes to the WNBA, she'll only have to play one miserable season before the CBA is renegotiated, which will definitely result in higher player pay, better benefits, and better travel.

It's a no brainer to stay. Clark would be foolish to leave as well, unless she gets a huge endorsement deal contingent on going pro.
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Clark's boyfriend works for the Pacers. She is guaranteed to be in the same city with him.
 


And she can get endorsement deals wherever she plays.
 

Bueckers wasn't that great this season. She would enter the draft with other tops players competing for draft ranking. Next season repositions her to be the top pick or close. Now? Who knows.

UConn is such a sweet deal, why leave now?
 

SHGopher said:
Bueckers wasn't that great this season. . . .
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I beg to differ. Paige has been great this season. Highly efficient and 20 ppg. She will certainly be a WBCA All American (10 player), and the only issue for the AP and USBWA AA teams is whether she is first or second team. The 4 best guards this year are Clark # 1, then in some order Paige, Hannah Hidalgo and JuJu Watkins. Not sure you can have 4 guards on the 5-player AA teams, but will likely get at least 3.
 

BigTenGuy said:
I beg to differ. Paige has been great this season. Highly efficient and 20 ppg. She will certainly be a WBCA All American (10 player), and the only issue for the AP and USBWA AA teams is whether she is first or second team. The 4 best guards this year are Clark # 1, then in some order Paige, Hannah Hidalgo and JuJu Watkins. Not sure you can have 4 guards on the 5-player AA teams, but will likely get at least 3.
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You are right.

Paige Bueckers - Women's Basketball - University of Connecticut Athletics

Paige Bueckers (5) Guard - CAREER HONORS 2025 BIG EAST Player of the Year 2025 All-BIG EAST First Team 2024 WBCA, AP, USBWA and Wooden Award First Team
uconnhuskies.com uconnhuskies.com


If Clark is gone next season, then Bueckers would be the one getting the attention.

I must still have that Minnesota game impresaion in my mind where she went 0-5 on 3's and .322 FG shooting. Then UConn plummeted down the rankings after several losses.
 

SHGopher said:
You are right.

Paige Bueckers - Women's Basketball - University of Connecticut Athletics

Paige Bueckers (5) Guard - CAREER HONORS 2025 BIG EAST Player of the Year 2025 All-BIG EAST First Team 2024 WBCA, AP, USBWA and Wooden Award First Team
uconnhuskies.com uconnhuskies.com


If Clark is gone next season, then Bueckers would be the one getting the attention.

I must still have that Minnesota game impresaion in my mind where she went 0-5 on 3's and .322 FG shooting. Then UConn plummeted down the rankings after several losses.
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That happens to a lot of sports fans. They make a judgement based on a small snapshot (still) taken when they were paying particularly close attention, and aren't as aware of the rest of the movie.
 

Paige Bueckers became the 23rd Huskies women's basketball player to be inducted in the Huskies of Honor program yesterday. Going to UCONN was a no brainer.
 

Bunyan said:
Paige Bueckers became the 23rd Huskies women's basketball player to be inducted in the Huskies of Honor program yesterday. Going to UCONN was a no brainer.
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It was and she had a phenomenal freshmen season to put her on the map to garner NIL and endorsements. She did not have the talent around her that they used to get at UCONN. UCONN hasn't won it all in 9 years.
 

MaxyJR1 said:
It was and she had a phenomenal freshmen season to put her on the map to garner NIL and endorsements. She did not have the talent around her that they used to get at UCONN. UCONN hasn't won it all in 9 years.
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Fudd hasn't worked out due to injury, and Geno hasn't been able to get another special player to pair with her until this season with Sarah Strong.

It'll be interesting to see if Bueckers becomes a better pro than Clark.

Bueckers has the edge on Clark in efficiency, protecting the ball, and defense.
 

TruthSeeker said:
Fudd hasn't worked out due to injury, and Geno hasn't been able to get another special player to pair with her until this season with Sarah Strong.

It'll be interesting to see if Bueckers becomes a better pro than Clark.

Bueckers has the edge on Clark in efficiency, protecting the ball, and defense.
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That's only if she can stay healthy, two major injuries within two years. Of course, we'll all be rooting and cheering her on.
 

Bueckers plays basketball like Larry Bird did. It’s easy, natural, and she always looks like everyone else is rushing around while she just sort of floats. Like watching Rod Carew and Joe Mauer play baseball.

Clark on the other hand is like a dynamo, almost frantic? Clark is a terrific scorer, probably better than Bueckers. But Bueckers is a better BB player!
 

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