The Paige Bueckers G.T. Hustle 3 is the first Nike Player Edition shoe celebrating an NIL athlete

• Paige Bueckers is the first NIL university athlete to design and release a Nike Player Edition basketball sneaker—the Paige Bueckers Nike G.T. Hustle 3.
• The Baby Blue and Lavender colourway reflects the talented player's favourite colours, while personalised details reflect the meaningful messages, people and places in Paige's life.
• Following its 7 December 2024 release date, the Nike G.T. Hustle 3 Paige Bueckers Player Edition is available on SNKRS and at select retail locations.

University athletes don't typically have their own signature basketball shoe, but UConn guard Paige Bueckers is no typical player. She has made history by becoming the first NIL athlete to design and launch a Nike Player Edition basketball sneaker: the Nike G.T. Hustle 3.

"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".

NIL—name, image, likeness—refers to student athletes receiving compensation from companies and brands for using their personal brand. According to the NCAA, student athletes across all three divisions can participate in such activities.

Incorporating Nike's top basketball innovations in a silhouette that maximises energy return for every part of the game, Paige's Nike G.T. Hustle 3 is designed to propel her on-court performance to new heights in her final season at UConn.

The key technology behind this performance is a forefoot Air Zoom unit and sewn-in Air Zoom strobel that create a double-stacked layer of Air underfoot for enhanced energy storage and return. The Air Zoom in the forefoot, a soft and resilient heel, and a higher offset make transitioning from heel to toe a breeze. Additionally, an eye-catching Radial Knit upper is soft, lightweight and breathable, providing both style and support.

The lightweight upper is just one of the style standouts of the shoe, which is as notable for its playful design as for its performance. Displaying the UConn star's favourite colours, baby blue and lavender, and adorned with personalised details, the shoe reflects her style and inspirations.

For instance, the area codes for the University of Connecticut and Paige's Minnesota hometown cleverly intersect on the left tongue. The right tongue, meanwhile, features an embroidered bucket, and a creative play on her surname on the right heel—with "buckets" replacing "Bueckers"—takes centre stage. Opposite this is a text bubble displaying a special inspirational message Paige receives from her father before every game: "Be You, Be Great".

"There are so many details that make this shoe special to me", Paige says. "This is the perfect colourway for me: I love baby blue and lavender, and the Radial Knit makes me feel fly. My favourite 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 Paige Bueckers G.T. Hustle 3 celebrates a female player, and it was designed and developed largely by women. Female athletes comprised 90% of those involved in its testing and development.

On 7 December 2024, the Nike G.T. Hustle 3 Paige Bueckers Player Edition was released on SNKRS and at select retail locations.