UNCASVILLE, CT – MARCH 08: Paige Bueckers #5 of the UConn Huskies in action during a game against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Mohegan Sun Arena on March 8, 2021 in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images)
UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers has signed a sponsorship deal with Gatorade, becoming the first-ever college athlete to sign with the sports drink brand.
Gatorade and Bueckers made the announcement Monday.
Bueckers, the 2019-2020 Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, inked the name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal thanks to a change in NCAA rules surrounding college athletes.
"It was a blessing to win Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, and now it’s truly surreal to be an official member of the Gatorade Family," Bueckers said in a release. “I know this is just the beginning of our partnership and can’t wait to get to work with Gatorade to drive impact in the community and on the women’s game."
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The UConn sophomore guard joins a roster of Gatorade athletes that includes Serena Williams, American track star Sydney McLaughlin, WNBA star Elena Delle Donne, as well as NBA powerhouses Zion Williamson and Jayson Tatum, and NFL quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The announcement comes just weeks after Bueckers announced a NIL deal with StockX.
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The financial terms of the Gatorade deal were not disclosed.
