Per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Paige Bueckers has signed a three-year deal with Unrivaled, marking a major move in what’s shaping up to be a new chapter for women’s basketball. Bueckers, fresh off leading UConn to an NCAA title and projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, is now one of the biggest stars to align with the new league.
Unrivaled continues to build momentum off the court, snagging marquee names after a surprisingly successful inaugural season. Bueckers will reportedly earn more in one Unrivaled season than her entire four-year WNBA rookie contract — a number that speaks volumes about where things stand in women’s professional basketball.
She’ll join a growing list of top-tier talent in the league, including Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Aaliyah Boston, forming a high-profile, post-WNBA season showcase. Unrivaled gives players more reps and more revenue, with a season that fits between league obligations. But for all its upside, it highlights a bigger, long-standing issue.
The real problem: WNBA pay
Let’s not dance around it: WNBA salaries are still wildly underwhelming. As of the 2023 season, the league’s average salary was $113,295, per Yahoo Sports. That figure pales in comparison not just to the NBA but also to what players can now earn in Unrivaled — a shorter, less physically demanding league with a 14-game schedule, versus the WNBA’s 40-game grind.
The rise of Caitlin Clark has injected more energy and money into the WNBA than anyone could have expected. But one player can’t carry the weight of an entire league — and it’s clear players are looking for alternate paths to financial security.
That’s where Unrivaled comes in.
Opportunity or warning sign?
There’s no doubt, Unrivaled is a win for players: more money, less wear and tear, and a chance to build visibility in the offseason. But comparing it to the WNBA doesn’t fully add up. The W is still the gold standard — the league these athletes dreamed of playing in, the one that provides real competition on the biggest stage.
Unrivaled is a great complement, not a replacement. But its growth puts added pressure on the WNBA to step up.
A new CBA could be the tipping point
That pressure is already boiling. The WNBA and WNBPA are currently in discussions for a new collective bargaining agreement. And players are speaking out.
Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky recently said that if a deal isn’t reached by the end of the 2025 season, she’d consider sitting out games in protest. For a league trying to avoid anything close to the 2003 player strike that halted the preseason and draft, that’s a real red flag.
What Paige Bueckers contract means
Bueckers hasn’t done anything wrong. In fact, she’s made a smart move — one that empowers herself financially and aligns with others building a more sustainable future for women’s basketball. But with every star who signs on to Unrivaled, the WNBA’s current structure feels just a little more fragile. And with huge contracts getting inked elsewhere, WNBA players are scoring PR wins and picking up leverage in negotiations.