Following a slow start, Paige Bueckers has taken the WNBA by storm over the last month, scoring 20 points or more in six of her last eight games. Her development was highlighted during a 35-point outburst in a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game versus the Phoenix Mercury at the beginning of June, which served as a coming out party for the Dallas Wings rookie.
But her biggest impact might be coming off of the court, where she has almost single-handedly shifted the trajectory of the entire Dallas Wings franchise.
According to the Dallas Morning News, the organization sold merchandise in all 50 states and 23 different countries after drafting Bueckers in April. The Wings earned more revenue from individual ticket sales leading up to the season than the organization did all of last year, which was a record year for Dallas, and that was all before Bueckers played in her first WNBA game.
Bueckers Has Become One Of The WNBA’s Most Marketable Athletes
Since her days at UConn, Bueckers has grown to become comfortable in the spotlight and she’s grown into a fashion icon of sorts over the past year. She even landed a GQ cover earlier this year and starred on Ad Week’s list of 2025’s Most Powerful Women in Sports.
Deals with Gatorade, Bose, and Verizon have made her one of the WNBA’s most marketable athletes.
She has partnered with several fashion brands, including StockX, Coach, Nike, and more. Bueckers was even named DoorDash’s first athlete creative director before making her WNBA debut.
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Bueckers Reveals How She Chooses Her Shoes Before WNBA Games
In a recent interview with B/R Kicks, the budding WNBA star revealed how she chooses her basketball shoes before every game.
“I usually get two, three, four, five shoes grouped together and then I actually call Azzi [Fudd] and have her pick them,” Bueckers said. “So, she’s been doing a good job of picking the prettiest ones.”
“I’m a huge Kobe advocate. I love them, they are probably one of my favorite basketball shoes.” Bueckers added.
Of course, she’s not alone in her love for shoes designed by the Lakers legend, as four Kobe signature shoes recently listed among the top 10 most popular basketball shoes worn by NBA players in 2025.
Bueckers isn’t hooping; she’s building a brand that could define the next era of women’s basketball, putting her in the conversation among the game’s biggest stars, including Caitlin Clark. As her game continues to evolve, so will her influence, both within the WNBA and across pop culture.
