UConn's Paige Bueckers enters NIL deal with GoArmy

Paige Bueckers is believed to have made NIL history.

The UConn basketball star is the first college athlete to enter a marketing agreement with GoArmy, the recruiting arm of the U.S. Army and Army Reserve.

Announced in a paid partnership with the military branch on Instagram, the 2020-21 national player of the year shared her travels to Kentucky’s Fort Knox this summer for cadet training. Details of the agreement were not released.

“Had an unreal time experiencing what it’s like to be a cadet in the ROTC and program and seeing what opportunities are available with the Army,” Bueckers wrote. “Inspiring to see the dedication they exhibit every day to serve our country…especially some of my fellow Huskies!”

Name, image and likeness has become a marketing tool for all types of brands and campaigns. Plenty of well-known companies like Nike and Gatorade have inked agreements. San Diego State basketball players signed deals with the U.S. Department of Justice last month to promote fentanyl awareness and prevention through social media efforts. Kickers Will Reichard and Bert Auburn starred in a commercial for Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses Voices ahead of the Alabama–Texas matchup.

In her social media post, Bueckers included a link in her bio to learn more about possibilities with the Army. She’s not the first athlete to promote the GoArmy, joining Micah Parsons among others.

Paige Bueckers’ major NIL brand

A former top recruit, she missed the 2022-23 season with an ACL injury. The 2021-22 season wasn’t much easier, as Bueckers missed 19 games from November to February, dealing with an anterior tibial plateau fracture and lateral meniscus tear in her left knee. After a December surgery, she recovered and returned to lead UConn to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and its first national championship game berth since 2016.

Even though she was eligible for the WNBA this spring, Bueckers returned to Storrs for this upcoming year. In 46 career games at UConn, the 6-foot guard is averaging 18 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Nike signed the UConn star last week, making her the first college athlete to market a shoe for the brand. While the sportswear giant has worked with a number of high school and college basketball stars, Bueckers becomes the first to lead a sneaker campaign for Nike.

As part of the agreement, the former top recruit will be the leading face of Nike’s new GT Hustle sneaker this season across brand campaigns. Because she plays for a Nike school, Bueckers will be able to easily wear the GT Hustle in practices and games. The Greater Than Hustle 2 is set to release later this Fall in three colorways.

On top of her on-court skills, she is closing in on 1.7 million social media followers. Finding NIL opportunities has not been a problem for Paige Bueckers, who has emerged as one of the trendsetters through two years of NIL.

She has worked with a number of brands, launching her own Gatorade bottle and entering a long-term relationship with Bose. Bueckers is also a brand ambassador for StockX, an online marketplace and clothing reseller.

She has a $637,000 On3 NIL Valuation, which ranks No. 4 in women’s college basketball. Bueckers sits at No. 61 in the On3 NIL 100, which is the first of its kind and defacto NIL ranking of the top 100 high school and college athletes ranked by their On3 NIL Valuation.