After ruling college basketball for four seasons as a Husky, Paige Bueckers has been making a name for herself in the WNBA. Fresh off one of the best rookie seasons anyone could ask for, the 6-foot star is still making waves in the offseason as she teams up with a Cleveland Cavaliers player to grow her presence beyond the court.

In the latest announcement, Bueckers has signed a multi-year partnership with CarMax alongside NBA star Donovan Mitchell for their “Wanna Drive?” campaign. Now, CarMax isn’t new to the sports scene. They already work with the NWSL, Gotham FC, and Angel City FC, and they’re now stepping into their fifth year as the NBA and WNBA’s official auto retailer. So it makes sense that the Dallas Wings star is genuinely excited about this collaboration.

According to a press release by CarMax Media Center, Bueckers said, “Partnering with CarMax is such an incredible opportunity. I’ve always admired how CarMax celebrates WNBA athletes and ensures our personalities shine through their ads, so being part of that roster of basketball stars is such an honor. I loved that this campaign both celebrated my new life in Texas and showed how CarMax’s technology and flexible options make buying a car so easy.”

In the new “Wanna Drive?” rollout, Paige Bueckers takes center stage in a spot built around the ease of buying a car with CarMax’s tech-driven features. The ad shows her navigating the process from her new home in Texas, using the company’s virtual assistant and streamlined tools before heading in for a quick pickup. Mitchell showcases the company’s updated selling experience, completing the entire process online and scheduling an at-home pickup.

Along with the ad spots, the yearlong campaign will roll out fresh TV creatives, social content featuring Bueckers and Mitchell, and a series of player appearances. The ads will begin airing on big sports channels like ABC, CBS, and ESPN, and they’ll also show up on Amazon Prime and Peacock. One can catch the campaign online too, across YouTube, Meta, and TikTok.

Campaign sat down with CarMax CMO Sarah Lane to discuss the campaign and how it fits into the brand’s larger consumer marketing strategy.

“We’re looking to connect with the fans in a way that is culturally relevant,” Lane said. “Basketball for us has always been about putting the brand next to something that is interesting, hot in culture and a little bit young and modern. With the talent we’ve partnered with over the years, those are the attributes we’ve looked for and Paige and Donovan certainly hit those marks.”

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Chief Creative Lane Smith further said that the deciding factor was keeping everything genuine.

“For our sports campaign, we wanted to continue to build brand consistency and tonality with our House Band, while also being authentic to who our athletes are and what their fans love about them. So we wrote personal and entertaining songs that celebrated the distinct personality and unique experiences of both Paige and Donovan.”

In discussing how the team decided on Bueckers, she explained, “Paige was the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft with undeniable court skills, and a great sense of humor that had already made her one of the more popular players in the league on social media. Her rookie season in Dallas provided the inspiration for a song about needing a new car (of course, we wrote a country classic)“. 

Bueckers has already packed her offseason with accomplishments, and this adds one more to the list. Now, with the 2026 WNBA season approaching at full speed, Paige Bueckers has finally opened up about Dallas Wings’ new head coach, Jose Fernandez, who has big plans for the star player.

Paige Bueckers shares her first thoughts on Wings’ new head coach

The 2026 WNBA season will be one of the most unpredictable offseasons, as more than 100 players are heading into free agency. Yet, a new era has begun for the Wings, as they level up with a new head coach, Jose Fernandez.

In a recent interview with USA Today, Paige Bueckers revealed that she’s already started building a relationship with her new coach. “I’ve connected with [Fernandez] a few times, just getting to learn more about who he is, what he’s about. He’s been extremely successful in his entire college career.”

“I like the way he thinks basketball and the way he has really lived it his whole entire life. And that’s how I am. I live, breathe basketball,” she added. “So continue to work with him, get to know him more, him getting to know me and the team more. I’m really excited for the future.”

For Paige Bueckers, the pairing aligns with the way she sees the game. For the Wings, it’s a chance to reset around a rising star and a coach who has lived basketball for decades. All that’s left to see now is how this new chapter unfolds once the ball tips in 2026.