Around this time last year, Paige Bueckers made history as Nike’s first NIL athlete to design and launch her own player-edition sneaker, the Nike G.T. Hustle 3. Bueckers took huge pride in the process, crafting the shoe in her favorite colorway and adding several personal touches that made the shoe unmistakably hers.

The area codes for Storrs, Conn., and her hometown in Minnesota came together on the padded flap beneath the laces of the left shoe, while a text bubble with the words “Be You, Be Great” was stamped on the left heel, a tribute to the message she hears from her father before every game. Her name, “Bueckers,” was printed on the right heel to complete the personal touches.

It was a clear sign of how much faith Nike was putting in Paige, and now it looks like that relationship could be heading toward something even bigger. According to a Reddit thread, Nike filed a trademark application earlier this month for “a bucket design incorporating the stylized letters PB within the design,” hinting at what could be the next step in their partnership.

Now, that design has sparked a mixed reaction across the community. Some fans love it, but many aren’t sold on what they’re seeing, and it’s kicked up a huge storm on social media. Here are some of the reactions from fans!

Social Media Reacts to Possible New Paige Bueckers Logo

“Idk about this one. It goes with the ‘Paige Buckets’ nickname, but it also kinda looks like a trash can,” one fan wrote. Another echoed the same feeling, saying, “Lol, I hope not. I get the concept, but it still looks like her logo is literally a trash can.”

Those comments sum up the crowd that isn’t sold on the logo. But when you look at the idea behind it, it actually fits. This is a player who’s shooting 53.1 percent from the field over her college career with UConn and has already earned the nickname “Paige Buckets.”

The nickname became so popular that when the NCAA opened the door for players to profit from their name, image, and likeness back in 2021, the very first thing Paige did was file a trademark for “Paige Buckets,” so she could sell merch with it on the NIL Store.

“I swear Nike used to be good at this,” another fan said. The timing of this trademark news makes it even more interesting, especially after we recently saw Caitlin Clark take the first step toward her own signature shoe with the brand.

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The company recently unveiled Clark’s logo, a pair of interlocking C’s with a smaller C inside. Nike says the design reflects Clark’s bond with her fans, while the inner C represents how her game was built from the inside out.

While plenty of fans were disappointed, some couldn’t help but dream a little. “Wish it was Banchero!” one wrote, pointing to Magic star and fellow Nike athlete Paolo Banchero, who shares the same initials. It’s a fun thought, sure. But let’s be real. Everyone in the community knows this logo is meant for Paige Bueckers.

Why? Because anyone who’s seen Paige rock her player-edition sneakers has already seen this logo before. Her Nike G.T. Hustle 3 PEs featured it alongside the area codes and personal messages.

As one fan put it, “It’s not new. The GT PEs were released ages ago with this.”

For now, there’s still no official word on Paige getting her own signature shoe from Nike. But if that moment does come somewhere down the line, there’s a good chance the brand and Bueckers will go back to the drawing board and come up with a logo that feels even more refined and true to her identity.

Until Nike makes anything official, though, this remains nothing more than speculation, and all anyone can do is wait and watch how the story unfolds.