Alex Bazell identifies Paige Bueckers as a foundational force, raising the game for teammates and shaping Unrivaled's culture, both on and off the court.
Alex Bazell did not hedge when asked what Paige Bueckers brings to Unrivaled. For the league’s president, her presence is not just additive — it is foundational.
Unrivaled opened its second season Monday with all eight teams in action and an expanded 54-player pool that reflects the league’s accelerating momentum. Newcomers range from established WNBA veterans like Kelsey Plum and Kelsey Mitchell to younger additions such as Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. But as the league tipped off Year 2, Bazell made clear that no addition carried more significance than Paige Bueckers.
“Paige is a superstar,” Bazell said ahead of the opening slate.
Bazell framed Bueckers not simply as a headline name, but as a player whose impact reshapes those around her.
“Paige is someone that raises the level of everyone else,” Bazell said. “I think that’s what’s really important.”
Bueckers backed up that assessment on the court. In her Unrivaled debut, she scored a game-high 24 points to lead expansion Breeze BC to a 69-62 win over Phantom BC. Only Chelsea Gray produced more offense on opening night, finishing with 35 points for Rose BC earlier in the evening.
To Bazell, performances like that reinforce why Bueckers fits squarely into the league’s long-term vision.
“It’s not an individual sport, but individuals do set tones of culture,” Bazell said. “She’s one of the culture-setters for us, and women’s basketball as a whole.”
That emphasis on culture has become a defining theme for Unrivaled as it establishes itself as a premier offseason platform for elite players. Bueckers’ résumé made her a natural target as the league built toward Season 2. Selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft, she led all rookies in scoring and assists. Her 19.2 points per game ranked fifth leaguewide, trailing only MVP A'ja Wilson, Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier, Mitchell and Plum.
Bazell acknowledged that securing Bueckers for the league’s second season was an intentional and long-term effort.
“I’ve been very proactive since Paige has been very young of knowing how good she is,” Bazell said. “She’s been really ahead of her time — not just on the court, but off the court.”
Before reaching the professional ranks, Bueckers built her profile at University of Connecticut, finishing her career with the highest scoring average in program history and leading the Huskies to their 12th national championship in 2025. That blend of production, visibility and influence is precisely what Bazell believes can help define Unrivaled’s place in the women’s basketball ecosystem.
Bueckers joins a Breeze BC roster coached by former Storm head coach Noelle Quinn and featuring Sparks forward Cameron Brink, Valkyries guard Kate Martin and fellow rookie Dominique Malonga.
For Bazell, the appeal extends beyond any single roster or result. As WNBA collective bargaining negotiations stretch into January, Unrivaled provides players with another high-profile stage while reinforcing the league’s own ambitions.
“I love where we’re at right now,” Bazell said. “What we want to build this into is the Champions League women’s basketball. That’s not a competition toward the WNBA — it’s just where we feel we can position ourselves in the market.”
With Bueckers at the center of that vision, Bazell believes Unrivaled is aligning talent, culture and timing in a way that could define its future.
“The fans are enjoying it, and honestly, the players are enjoying it too,” Bazell said. “I think you love to play with other great players, and I think that’s going to be really key for us as we grow.”
As Season 2 gets underway, Bazell’s message is clear: Paige Bueckers is not simply part of Unrivaled’s rise — she is emblematic of it.