The WNBA has officially wrapped up the 2025 season, and a major question lingers: who will emerge as the “new face” of the league as it transitions into its next era? There are several compelling candidates, but Dallas Wings rookie sensation Paige Bueckers has quickly made it clear that she belongs at the center of that conversation. In the first part of our analysis, we broke down her historic, record-shattering rookie campaign through the numbers.
But identifying the future face of a league takes more than statistics. To truly understand where the WNBA is headed, we need to examine the qualities that make Bueckers uniquely positioned to lead this new generation.
Becoming the standard-bearer for a sport requires more than elite performance on the court. The players who rise to that role have a magnetic presence — people gravitate toward them, connect with their story, and see them as part of the culture. They become recognizable not just to die-hard fans but to casual viewers who spot them in commercials, advertisements, or even on store shelves.
Bueckers already checks those boxes. She has built one of the most impressive endorsement portfolios of any young athlete, highlighted by major partnerships with Nike, Gatorade, Verizon, and Dunkin’. She also made history as the first NIL-era college athlete to design a Nike shoe, introducing her own Paige Bueckers G.T. Hustle 3 sneakers.
“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe,” Bueckers reflected. “I grew up watching players lace up signature Nikes, so it’s surreal to have my own edition. Every time I put them on, I just want to put on a show.”
Her trailblazing impact didn’t stop there. Bueckers became the first college athlete to secure an equity stake in the Unrivaled Basketball League, with ownership shares ranging from 10–15%. And back in November 2021, she signed a groundbreaking deal with Gatorade, becoming the very first collegiate athlete to partner with the brand.
From starring in Nike commercials wearing her custom sneakers, to fronting Gatorade campaigns, to leading the skincare-focused CeraVe brand into haircare promotion, Bueckers has already built an empire in the marketing world. And the remarkable part? She’s only just beginning.
Paige Bueckers is a generational leader
In team sports, individual talent is never enough — players must embody unselfishness if they hope to achieve the ultimate prize: competing for and winning championships. Throughout her career, Paige Bueckers has been praised not only for her game but also for her commitment to being a supportive teammate on and off the court. Her days at UConn were filled with stories that reflected her leadership and character.
Whether it was waking up before dawn to cook breakfast for her Muslim teammate Jana El Rafy during Ramadan, ensuring she had a meal before sunrise, or traveling to Florida to sit by Caroline Ducharme’s side while she underwent treatment for a serious head and neck injury, Bueckers consistently put others first. For her, selflessness comes naturally — and when a team’s star player embodies that, it raises the entire locker room.
That same quality has translated seamlessly to the WNBA. After a loss to the Indiana Fever, Bueckers publicly defended Arike Ogunbowale, who had struggled with her shot that night, and instead highlighted Ogunbowale’s defensive effort. For a rookie to step in and support a veteran teammate when even the coach hadn’t, it spoke volumes about her leadership instincts.
Paige Bueckers bought the Dallas Wings practice squad new shoes as their end of season gift.
Bueckers entered the league carrying as much hype and expectation as any prospect in WNBA history — and she has exceeded every bit of it with a record-breaking rookie season. Blending elite on-court production with undeniable marketability and a natural gift for leadership, she possesses all the qualities necessary to become the next true “Face of the WNBA.”
