Stephen A. Smith Praises Paige Bueckers' Unrivaled Deal as $27M ...
Could Paige Bueckers’ game-changing $27M Unrivaled deal redefine how female athletes build wealth? Stephen A. Smith certainly thinks so.
collegefootballnetwork.comHere’s the latest I can share based on recent reporting:
- Paige Bueckers reportedly signed a three-year contract with Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league that began play in 2025. The deal was described as having a first-year value that exceeded what she would earn under a typical four-year WNBA rookie contract, according to ESPN reporting at the time.[1][3]
- In addition, Bueckers was widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, with a rookie-scale contract in that league outlined (roughly $78,831 in the first year, rising in subsequent years) and a potential club option for 2028 if she remains under contract with Dallas Wings.[3]
- Several outlets noted that the Unrivaled deal included back-end value and equity considerations, and that she had prior NIL association with Unrivaled before turning pro.[1]
If you’d like, I can look for the most current, publicly verifiable updates from today and compile a brief, sourced digest with the exact contract terms or latest status.