Paige Bueckers Becomes the First NIL Athlete to Launch a Nike Player Edition Shoe

Paige Bueckers Makes History with Her Own Nike Player Edition Sneaker

Nike athlete Paige Bueckers consistently makes history. This season, she adds another first to her name by becoming the inaugural NIL athlete to design and launch a Nike Player Edition basketball sneaker G.T. Hustle 3.

Paige’s Nike G.T. Hustle 3 propels her performance during the final season of her illustrious collegiate career, leveraging Nike’s best basketball innovations. The silhouette maximizes energy return from tip-off to buzzer with a forefoot Air Zoom unit and sewn-in Air Zoom strobel, creating a double-stacked layer of Air underfoot for enhanced energy storage and return. The Air Zoom in the forefoot partners with a soft, resilient heel and a higher offset to promote a smooth heel-to-toe transition. Meanwhile, a Radial Knit upper delivers zonal containment and support in a soft, lightweight, and breathable package.

“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe,” Paige says. “I grew up wearing Nikes — all the signature shoes — so it’s surreal to have this Player Edition model. I just want to show out in it.”

Clad in Paige’s favorite colors and filled with personalized details, the silhouette also reflects the style she brings to the game.

Paige Bueckers’ Signature G.T. Hustle 3: A Tribute to Home and Heritage

A baby blue and lavender purple colorway highlights the Radial Knit upper. The area codes for the University of Connecticut and Paige’s hometown in Minnesota intersect on the left tongue.

An embroidered bucket decorates the right tongue. A creative play on her surname, replacing “Bueckers” with “buckets,” appears on the right heel. Opposite this, a text bubble shows an inspirational message from her father: “Be You, Be Great.”

“There are so many details that make this shoe special to me,” Paige says. “This is the perfect colorway for me: I love baby blue and lavender, and the Radial Knit makes me feel fly. My favorite detail is the message from my dad, and the tribute to both of my homes is so meaningful for my first Player Edition model.”

The creation of the G.T. Hustle 3 was led by women from the start, with female athletes comprising more than 90% of those involved in the silhouette’s testing and development, underscoring Nike’s longstanding commitments to listening to the voices of female athletes and advancing the women’s game.

The Nike G.T. Hustle 3 Paige Bueckers Player Edition will be available December 7 on SNKRS and at select retail locations.