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The Unrivaled League is three weeks away from starting its second annual season, and Paige Bueckers is going to be making her debut. She’ll be leading Breeze BC, one of the league’s expansion teams, alongside a talented roster, arguably a more talented roster than she had with the Dallas Wings this year.
Monday was Media Day for the Unrivaled League, so we saw Paige Bueckers in her new uniform and heard he talk about how excited she is for this opportunity.
“I played 3×3 a lot when I was younger,” Bueckers started. “…To have that experience playing is so much fun…it’s the same game we all know and love, and to have another opportunity to play that and with Phee [Napheesa Collier] and Stewie [Breanna Stewart] being the founders, you just want to support the women who came before you… to see the next generation… I think it’s really important.”
Bueckers has played 3-on-3 before, having won the Gold Medal in the Youth Olympics, as well as gold in the U17 and U19 World Cups in 2018 and 2019. But it’s been a while since she’s performed in this environment. She’s an investor in the Unrivaled League as well, but this is the first time that she’ll actually be able to play in it since she was still at UConn last year.
The Unrivaled League is going to pay Bueckers more in the first season of this, a much shorter season, than she’ll make for her entire WNBA rookie contract. That’s a big reason why players are excited for this opportunity, as it brings more money, less physical stress on their bodies since they’re not going up and down the floor, and there are no back-to-back games.
READ MORE: Dallas Wings GM explains how having Paige Bueckers led to coaching change
Breeze BC has a talented team for its first year. They’re led by Paige Bueckers, who was their first overall pick, but they also have Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink, Aari McDonald, Dominique Malonga, and Kate Martin. A lot will depend on how healthy Cam Brink is, as she is still getting back to 100% after tearing her ACL in the 2024 WNBA season, her rookie year.
But that could be a potential powerhouse this year. The last time any power rankings were released, Bleacher Report had Breeze BC as the top team. A lot will depend on Bueckers, but her style of play should help her dominate this format.
READ MORE: Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark speak on WNBA CBA negotiations at USA Basketball camp
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