Paige Bueckers is on the sidelines for the majority of the 2022–23 basketball season with a torn ACL. But the University of Connecticut star has said she’s determined to get back onto the court next year, specifically at the college level: She’s turned down the opportunity to join the WNBA to remain a Husky for another year. This decision is closely related to the multiyear endorsement deal Bueckers signed last year with Gatorade. It was that brand’s first partnership with an NCAA player—making Bueckers one of the biggest college stars to benefit from the NCAA rule change that allows collegiate athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness. While most male athletes who graduate into professional basketball can expect annual salaries in the millions, expected compensation in the WNBA is in the thousands. The NCAA rule change proves that entrepreneurial female athletes like Bueckers have what it takes to promote women’s sports—as well as or better than their schools, leagues, or organizations ever could.
Read more (via Fortune)