Paige Bueckers’ debut jersey generated a record-breaking $64,720, taking over the top spot from the WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson. The Las Vegas Aces center’s 2025 WNBA Finals jersey sold for $32,150. Now, her teammate, Arike Ogunbowale, has expressed her thoughts on Bueckers’ recent achievement.
It’s not just the price difference that has shocked everyone, but also the experience level of the two players. Wilson is an established star, while Bueckers has yet to perform consistently in the league. While it showed that fans trust in the stars and the upcoming young players, Ogunbowale reminisced about the old CBA and how times have changed for good.
The Dallas Wings guard said:
“Rookie contracts were really, really small, like if you didn’t have another job, you had to get one, or you wouldn’t be able to survive. Now, this can be your main source of income even without endorsements; you’ll be okay with just your W contracts. Just having you know, generational wealth for yourself and your family is definitely special.”
Arike Ogunbowale, who was drafted fifth overall by the Wings in 2019, earned around $50,000 in her rookie season, which is lower than what Bueckers’ debut jersey sale has just generated. As per SoFi, the average salary of a U.S. citizen in 2025 is around $66,000, according to the latest data from the Social Security Administration.
Before the league signed the new CBA deal during the 2026 offseason, WNBA players’ salaries compelled them to pursue side hustles to continue playing the sport they love. On the other hand, Azzi Fudd, picked first overall by the Wing, is guaranteed $500,000 in her rookie season.
“I wouldn’t even pay $10,” Paige Bueckers was ecstatic on hearing her debut jersey price
During one of the Dallas Wings’ practice sessions, Paige Bueckers spoke to the media and expressed her thoughts on her debut jersey getting sold for a hefty price. Given the recent growth the sport has seen with the arrival of the young lot, the Wings star was thankful to fans and said:
“I am just like very grateful, feeling very blessed in just that people are that invested in women’s sports. People have been supporting, you can see the rise in popularity, the growth in respect. And it just means so much… I can’t even imagine like, I wouldn’t even pay $10 for my own jersey.”
The Wings will next face the Seattle Storm on Monday, June 1, after back-to-back wins. However, Ogunbowale did not have a good game against the defending champions and contributed just one point in 18 minutes, shooting 0-4 from the field. Meanwhile, Bueckers leads the offense this season, averaging 19.4 points.
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