Nearly a year into increasingly tense CBA negotiations between the WNBPA and the WNBA, the two sides remain far apart despite two extended deadlines. Still, amid the mounting friction, two players who have been central to the conversation, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, are drawing attention for something else as well.

As per the latest reports, the pair, who have been vocal in the ongoing CBA talks, have been named Sports Illustrated Innovators of the Year, an award that salutes individuals or groups that are shaping the future of sports through performance, business, or technology. Stewart and Collier earned the recognition for launching Unrivaled, a 3×3 league designed to give players ownership and opportunity while creating a sustainable model for fans and athletes alike.

“This year represents meaningful change that will impact generations of basketball players and fans to come, and I’m honored Sports Illustrated is recognizing this work,” Breanna Stewart said, per Business Wire. “It’s a special honor to be awarded alongside Napheesa, and I’m looking forward to celebrating the inspiring innovation and excellence of our fellow awardees in January.”

When Unrivaled tipped off its first season in January 2025, it offered more than just basketball; it offered a new path for players to grow, compete, and stay close to home. In its upcoming second season, which is set to kick off from January 5th, 2026, the league has already expanded with two additional teams, giving athletes more opportunities than ever before.

Beyond the court, the league is rewriting the financial playbook, too. As per reports, every player in the 2025 season earned at least six figures, a notable jump from the WNBA’s current scale, where rookie minimums hover around $66,000 and even supermax contracts peak near $250,000.

In its very first season, the league averaged 221,000 viewers per game across TNT Sports and truTV, drawing a total audience of 11.9 million throughout the season. The championship matchup peaked at 364,000 viewers in the broadcast and 385,000 fans in attendance, a testament to the league’s growing reach and influence.

“Being named Sports Illustrated’s Innovators of the Year with Breanna is an incredible honor,” Napheesa Collier said. “I’ve always believed that athletes have the power to shape the future of our sport, and I’m grateful to be recognized, along with my co-founder, for pushing those boundaries. This moment motivates me to keep building, keep advocating, and keep creating opportunities for the next generation.”

By creating a platform that prioritizes players, they are reshaping expectations for women’s basketball and professional sports more broadly. And as the WNBA labor talks continue without resolution, Stewart and Collier are showing that leadership in women’s basketball isn’t confined to the court; it can be entrepreneurial, innovative, and transformative.

Breanna Stewart Points to Unrivaled’s Fan-Backed Success

The WNBPA’s recent authorization for the executive committee to call a strike, signaling player unity amid stalled CBA talks and the WNBA’s public pushback, has sent soaring tensions across the world of basketball. But that’s where Unrivaled comes in.

With the second season of the tournament set to tip off in Miami in just a few weeks, Breanna Stewart reflected during the league’s December 17 media day on how the 3×3 league is built to grow the game while valuing its players. For all of Unrivaled’s early success, Stewart credits much of it to the fans who showed up early and stayed engaged throughout the season.

“We care about this game, and we care about really growing it and valuing our players,” Stewart said. “And you see that’s what we are doing. I think that I’m just really proud of and excited by the fact that not only are Phee and I, and everybody who’s behind the scenes at Unrivaled, seeing this vision, but also the players.”

“Measuring success, I think, would be just the engagement and not from like analytics or social media standpoint, but the fans, like really seeing them in arena, seeing them how they’re enjoying it.”

And they really do care! On top of base pay that players receive in the tournament, they are also offered prize money through in-season tournaments, including $50,000 per player for championship teams, along with a revenue-sharing model that gives athletes access to a 15% league equity pool. By giving players a stake in the league and rewarding performance, Breanna Stewart and Collier are giving players the very leverage they need to demand value from the WNBA.