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Currently, Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Paige Bueckers of the UCONN Huskies are two of the most dominating players in the league of college basketball. Both of them have the fans on their toes every time they step onto the court to lead their respective team towards victory. For the past 584 days, Bueckers was out of the game because of an ACL tear in her left knee. As she makes a comeback in the 2023-24 NCAA season, several fans can’t wait for a Clark versus Bueckers showdown, while many want to know more about their NIL deals.
The whole landscape of college sports was changed when NIL was introduced for athletes to earn money based on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
Caitlin Clark versus Paige Bueckers
The Hawkeyes star, Clark is one of the biggest names in the league so far, and with this type of attention comes many deals and endorsements. Clark’s current NIL Valuation stands at $783K by deals with companies like Nike, State Farm, Buick, and many more. And adding more to her bag of deals, she most recently signed a deal with Gatorade. In an interview with ESPN, Clark said, “I am fortunate to be part of the first generation of collegiate athletes who are not only able to contribute to the legacy of our colleges and universities, but also start to build something of our own off the court.”
On the other hand, Bueckers is also carving a path of her own and has managed to grab the attention of fans globally with her exceptional skills. Her current NIL Valuation stands at $651K because of deals with companies like Dunkin’, Nike, Bose, Gatorade, and many more. While Bueckers’ NIL valuation might be less than Clark’s, it’s also important to note that this is the final year for Clark to play in college, where else, Bueckers is only a junior and if she decides to come back to the college next year too, she might secure more deals with other companies and reach the million mark.
Notably, beyond these endorsement deals, fans are witnessing the extraordinary basketball prowess of Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers in the ongoing 2023-24 NCAA season.
How are they performing in the current NCAA season?
Clark and the Hawkeyes have played eleven matches so far, out of which they have won ten and lost one. The only match they have lost till now was against the Kansas State Wildcats, which was also marked as the worst shooting night of Clark’s career. But being one of the best players ever, she learned from her mistakes and came back stronger. She is currently averaging 29.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game with an average playing time of 32 minutes.
On the other hand, Bueckers and the Huskies have only played nine matches, out of which they have already lost three and won six. While this is the first season of Bueckers after being sidelined for almost 2 years due to her injury, fans still expect great things from her, and she is without a doubt delivering. She has played a crucial role in helping her team win the six matches, by averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in an average playing time of 29 minutes. In her 55th game as a Husky this season, she secured a historic milestone of 1,000 career points, whereas her friend Clark reached 3,000 points for her career in a game against Iowa State. As the season moves forward, both of them will be the center of attention, as fans are eager to watch how their stories will unfold.
