While Paige Bueckers is going for her NCAA dream, most probably for the last time, she’s got support from one of the biggest brands: Nike. Nike had signed a NIL deal with Bueckers in September last year, offering her a sneaker deal, and is going to launch her very own basketball sneakers that feature a special touch from her father.

Bueckers has scripted history becoming the first NCAA athlete to launch her own exclusive Nike GT Hustle 3. As per her post on Instagram her PE, set to launch on December 7, also features some special details. “From the PB Bucket design to the text bubble from my dad to the colorway, every part of this shoe aligns with the player and person I am”, the caption reads. It’s not just the attention to detail that makes the shoe special for Paige, it’s also the meaning the whole of it holds in her life.

“There are so many details that make this shoe special to me… 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 mode,” Bueckers stated. Notably, the sneakers have an embroidered bucket on the right tongue, and creative play on her surname calling her “buckets.” Plus opposite to it is a text bubble with the message that her dad gave her before every game “Be You, Be Great.”

The sneakers are designed in such a way that the sole gives comfort as well as helps in returning the energy. This would help Bueckers and her fans to make jump shots easily. To supplement the effect, there is a forefoot Air Zoom unit, and sewn-in Air Zoom Strobel that help in creating stacks of air for the same purpose.

Plus Bueckers has made sure to improve the heel-to-toe transitions with a soft heel. This would contribute to ballers improving their speeds, especially during fast breaks. Plus the design is breathable to avoid any issues with sweat trapping in the feet. Overall, the kicks are made keeping in mind the ballers’ needs.

Additionally, the sneakers have a silhouette that reflects her style, and the baby blue and lavender, purple colorway makes one notice the radial knit upper. Plus, the area codes for the Huskies and Bueckers’ hometowns intersect on the left tongue. Meanwhile, it is special in more ways than one since Bueckers was raised by a single father.

Paige Bueckers adores her latest Nike

Bueckers was born to Bob and Amy Fuller in Edina in October 2001. While Bob was a software engineer and played basketball during his high school days, Amy was a track and field athlete. However, when Paige was three her parents divorced. Bob subsequently took care of Paige as her mother moved to Montana and remarried. Hence, Paige must have had unspoken emotions. While her father later had a new relationship, Paige is deeply connected with him. And with a tribute to her father, she also recollected her childhood when she used to wear Nike.

“It’s definitely motivating to wear your own shoe… 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.,” Paige spoke on her new shoes. And perhaps, this would in some ways make her more connected to her father as they would be reminiscing the ups and downs they had in this tough journey.

Meanwhile, as fans enjoy a daughter-father bond, they would also be waiting for December 7 when the sneakers would be launched. And that will get them to flock to the stores in large numbers.