UConn star Paige Bueckers — the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft — has added another major NIL deal to her roster of companies, officially announcing a partnership with Ally Financial on Friday morning.
Bueckers joins New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart and Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson as the WNBA players on Ally’s roster of athletes, while the nation’s largest digital-only bank became an official sponsor of the league moving forward.
In a press conference announcing the partnership, Bueckers shared how she determines which partnerships she selects.
“I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to give with what you’ve been given,” she said. “A lot of my partnerships, we have values aligned — of giving back, making sure my teammates are included, and making sure there’s a donation part set aside.”
The teammate component has been a key priority for the likely Dallas Wings star.
“Nothing you get in the NIL space happens without the people around you,” Bueckers said. “So just a testament to that — just to share everything.”
Bueckers said companies have been receptive and excited about the idea of bringing along her teammates as part of different partnerships.
“They actually enjoy that idea as for a different creative content, creative just idea of how can we get everybody involved and make sure that we’re doing it in the right way,” she said. “But it’s been very fun behind the scenes to come up with different ideas to get them involved, products, whatever it is, their own deals themselves. So that’s been a very fun experience.”
It’s already played out in a multitude of ways. Beauty company Madison Reed, which Bueckers has a stake in, signed three of her UConn teammates (Azzi Fudd, Ice Brady and Morgan Cheli). Per Sportico, when Bueckers signed a multiyear deal with Panini America, she made sure her college teammates got trading card deals in conjunction with her — the first time the company had done that.
Paige Bueckers’ desire to ensure that her stardom uplifts her teammates aligns with what else we know about her
Last month, UConn teammate Jana El-Alfy told CT Insider detailed just how supportive Bueckers had been throughout her month observing Ramadan, noting she cooked for her, joined her for an early breakfast.
“I’m her roommate, so just to be able to be there to support her, let her know we’re here for her through everything, and we know what she’s going through is tough to do,” Bueckers said. “To be able to do Ramadan, fast and play basketball at such a high level right now. So just anytime you can support somebody, especially when they’re going through something; it’s a lot better when you’re going through something with somebody.”
Bueckers’ teammates have sung her praises her entire career — and she’s made it a point on multiple occasions that she wants to be remembered as a “great teammate” above all.
Her latest insight into how she manages her business proceedings behind the scenes further captures her desire to uplift her teammates.
