Weather concerns have delayed the championship parade for the UConn women's basketball team to Sunday, April 13, but star guard Paige Beuckers is not letting anything postpone her WNBA preparation. The projected No. 1 overall pick in Monday's draft has already secured her first partnership deal as a professional player.

An Ally Financial commercial featuring multi-time WNBA champions and fellow national champions Breanna Stewart and Sydney Colson just dropped. The two women were throwing up shots on the court, while Bueckers popped up via FaceTime. She helped her soon-to-be colleagues unveil the W's new partnership with the bank holding company, per @Ooh_Im_Fanceyy. The league continues to market the product around its incoming talent.

Caitlin Clark impacted the popularity of women's hoops in an unprecedented manner that may never be topped, but there are still several college players like JuJu Watkins, Bueckers, Hannah Hidalgo and Flau'jae Johnson who commanded their share of the spotlight this past season. The WNBA will try to keep utilizing the college landscape to its benefit. Apparently, that means booking an athlete for an ad before she even becomes an official rookie.

Paige Bueckers' star continues to rise

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Bueckers leaves UConn with a national championship, following a spectacular yet injury-laden run in Storrs. She joined a long and proud tradition of female Husky greats cutting down the nets, posting 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in the 82-59 title-clinching win versus South Carolina. The 2021 AP Player of the Year is now ready to jump into the next chapter of her life, and the WNBA is happy to oblige.

The league and Ally Financial, which are teaming up for the inaugural Rivals Week in August, made sure to utilize Bueckers' “Buckets” nickname in the commercial. It is clear they see the 23-year-old as a future fixture of the sport. Fans reacted to her swift transition to the pro world.

“She's not even officially in the league yet I'm CRYING,” @some1sbbdoll commented on X. “Paige is HER!! The Golden Child of the W who not in the W is crazy,” @S_Sippnatty proclaimed. “Ally with their savings buckets feature, partnering with the WNBA in the same year that Paige Buckets is going #1 in the draft,” @cellie304 observed. “The stars aligned for that one!”

Assuming all goes as anticipated in the 2025 WNBA Draft, Paige Bueckers' next Ally Financial ad will come as a member of the Dallas Wings.