“Instead of tweeting out and saying ‘go support the W,’ instead of showing up at the game and supporting, I wanted to take it to that next level, and this was the next level for me.” So, if there’s someone from the NBA world who has always been keen on women’s basketball, it has to be Dwyane Wade. So, when the opportunity came for him to own a stake in a WNBA franchise, Wade didn’t hesitate. In an urge for his daughter to have a role model in her life, he was influenced to buy a stake in the $85 million-valued team, the Chicago Sky. And not just the team, he has been a constant supporter of the iconic players leading the league as well. As the former UConn star Paige Bueckers is all set to make her WNBA debut and a new deal, Wade has been rooting for her. As he praised the rookie, Wade also expressed his own regret.
The 4x NBA champ and his wife were present at the Unrivaled league, started by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, to support the players. One of the latest to sign a deal is Bueckers. With the new league, the players, including Bueckers, will not need to travel to foreign tournaments during the Summer.
The newest star, Bueckers, is reportedly offered $350,000 in just her first year of her contract. This is what Wade highlighted in the latest segment of The Timeout. This is more than Bueckers’ WNBA salary. Wade added that Bueckers’ WNBA rookie contract will pay her about $350,000 over four years, starting with around $79,000 in her first year.
“We have an announcement come out and it says that Paige Bueckers rookie year in four years her deal is going to be 348,000 and year one of Unrivaled, she’s going to make 350,000 It just sounds like a problem right,” Wade said. Calling the new League “incredible” he went on to highlight other benefits as mentioned before and a mistake he would like to fix!
NCAA, College League, USA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Semifinal-Connecticut at UCLA Apr 4, 2025 Tampa, FL, USA Connecticut Huskies guard Paige Bueckers 5 plays against the UCLA Bruins during second quarter in a semifinal of the women s 2025 NCAA tournament at Amalie Arena. Tampa Amalie Arena FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xNathanxRayxSeebeckx 20250404_ajw_fo8_284
Reflecting on Unrivaled, Wade earlier admitted that Collier had offered him a chance to invest in the league, which he declined since he wasn’t aware of how it worked, something he now regrets. After Stephen Curry and more joined the roster of investors, Wade, too, has expressed his interest in investing in the league.
“I go back and I’m like, ‘Damn, I wish I would have invested in the league early on’. I just didn’t know a lot about it.” He hopes to be able to invest in the league in the next round. As Wade said, on the business side, the league has achieved awe-inspiring success. The 3-on-3 women’s basketball league saw massive success with its first season, receiving more than 11.9 million viewers across TNT and truTV. Besides the success, it is the player’s favorite, too! Reason? The WNBA asks you to play for over a quarter of the year, but the Unrivaled wraps in 10 weeks, without compromising on the pay!
The 3x NBA champ has also praised Bueckers ahead of her debut.
Dwyane Wade explains what makes Paige Bueckers unique
Bueckers had a history of injuries. A torn ACL troubled her entire 2022–23 campaign. But she persevered. She ultimately led the UConn Huskies to win the NCAA championship this year. This came after the team’s three appearances in the Final Four. As expected, she was selected as the No. 1 pick by the Dallas Wings.
Speaking of the WNBA rookie star, the Miami Heat legend explained how Bueckers has quite a different mentality. “She doesn’t talk about Paige Beckers. She talks about her teammates, she talks about winning, she talks about coaching, she talks about culture, she don’t talk about herself,” he said on The Time Out.
Not just the fans, even NBA legends are closely following the former UConn star’s trajectory. Wade was one of the first to praise the star after she became the fastest player to reach the 2,000-point mark, achieving it in just her 102nd career game against Seton Hall. The rookie already has several lucrative deals with brands, such as Nike and Gatorade.
Women’s basketball has seen a massive rise in popularity after Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, and more. Bueckers are set to bring more power to the league, replete with talent.
The post Paige Bueckers’ $350,000 Deal Fuels Dwyane Wade to Fix Past Regret appeared first on EssentiallySports.