Paige Bueckers has a Nike signature shoe — and Caitlin Clark fans are confused

Connecticut star Paige Bueckers is doing something no other college basketball player has done. 

Bueckers designed and is set to release her own Nike player edition sneaker this month, the sportswear giant announced Monday.

Bueckers’ Nike G.T. Hustle 3, the first basketball sneaker created by a college player in the Name, Image and Likeness era, is scheduled to drop Dec. 7 on the SNKRS app and will be available at select retail locations. 

Bueckers, a star on the 6-0 Connecticut team that’s ranked No. 2 in the country, took great pride in creating a shoe in her favorite colorway with several personalized details.

“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe,” Bueckers said in a written statement provided by Nike. “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.”

Bueckers’ sneaker features two of her favorite colors — baby blue and lavender purple — and has an embroidered white bucket on the right tongue. “Buckets” – a play on Bueckers’ last name – is emblazoned on the right heel. The left heel includes the message her father sends her before every game, “Be You, Be Great.” 

News of Bueckers’ signature shoe drew ire from some fans of WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, who signed a reported eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike last spring but has yet to release a signature shoe to the public. 

Clark showed off a black-and-gold pair of Nike Kobe 5 Proto player exclusive sneakers at an Indiana Fever practice in July, but there’s no word on when Clark will be dropping a signature shoe. 

Bueckers and Clark have been pitted against one another in the past. They were in the same high school recruiting class in 2020.

Bueckers, a flashy guard from Edina, Minnesota, was the nation’s No. 1 prospect and ultimately committed to go to Connecticut. Clark was ranked No. 4 in the country and was never recruited by Connecticut. She ultimately decided to stay in her home state and play for Iowa. 

Bueckers’ college career was temporarily derailed by injuries, while Clark soared in her absence. Her sharpshooting abilities made her arguably the biggest star in college basketball. The notoriety followed her to the WNBA last season after she was drafted No. 1 overall to the Indiana Fever. 

Clark’s team had the edge in the 2024 Final Four when Iowa knocked off Connecticut in a thrilling and controversial finish to advance to the national championship game.

Bueckers is expected to be the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, which is owned by the Dallas Wings – that is, if she decides to elect to go pro after this season. Because of her injuries and the pandemic, Bueckers will have one year of NCAA eligibility remaining after the 2024-25 season.