“I’m just excited for the next step in the journey… Just to be able to play in the WNBA—it’s a dream come true,” she said with a smile. Well, it’s really a “dream” for many. Especially since W’s players still rely on their salaries, while Bueckers didn’t hesitate to ink a contract with Unrivaled. That too, before she inked her WNBA contract! And why not? The league promises to pay the UConn star more than $350,000 for just 10 weeks of basketball. It might not look lucrative considering Paige’s NIL worth, but when you compare it with Caitlin Clark’s four-year rookie deal of $338,056, it probably does.

No doubt, Unrivaled offers more, as its average salary of $220,000 in the inaugural season is closer to the WNBA’s maximum salary. And not just that, the new league co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has been focused on WNBA’s biggest stars. Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, and now projected No. 1 pick Bueckers—they have them all. You know what that means? WNBA hasn’t been giving the majority of stars what Unrivaled is now promising them. If you think it is just money, then no. It is more about respect, what women athletes deserve.

That’s why all eyes are on Cathy Engelbert, the league’s commissioner, to respond. And she did. In a recent press conference, the WNBA commissioner finally addressed the elephant in the room: Bueckers and her groundbreaking three-year deal with Unrivaled that has become a historical example for others. To put it in short, for her, it is old news. She kept nodding when the reporter was stating their question, as if she couldn’t wait to utter: “I think Paige already announced that six months ago”. Continuing flatly, she said, “It was already announced that Paige was signing a three-year deal with them.”

While it might seem like she did not care much about the doubters, how she pivoted might suggest otherwise.” Obviously, I’m very proud of what Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart have thought through with that league.” She set the tone in a manner many might call diplomatic. Then, in the following sentence, she took a defensive stance, saying, “I know it’s a lot easier to do 30 [players] in one spot. So we obviously travel the world, and the US, and have a big platform. So I think what the WNBA offers is a huge platform for players around their corporate partners.” She then went back to her casual attitude, ending the statement with, “anything that raises the game of women’s basketball, obviously, we support.”

Her confidence isn’t without reason, though. The WNBA is expanding, with the Golden State Valkyries joining in 2025 and Toronto and Portland set for 2026. A 2024 All-Star Game drew record viewership, per Swish Appeal, and new media deals with Disney, Amazon, and NBCU signal growth. However, if these are the only reasons, then she surely missed out on the crux of the debate. If there is so much growth projected, then why aren’t players being paid their worth?

The thing is that the Unrivaled has a lean setup, which, according to Engelbert, is what makes things easy for them. However, that is their strength. It wasn’t a move to make things easier, it was a move in favor of its athletes. By doing that, they rule out several costs, hence being able to pay their players more.

And not just that, Unrivaled is cashing in big on opportunities too. The new league has struck a major deal with the Women’s National Basketball Players’ Association (WNBPA), shaking up the WNBA’s financial landscape. “This is the type of partnership that reflects what’s possible when players have ownership in the game,” said Terri Carmichael Jackson, executive director of the WNBPA. Interesting fact? There was no partnership at launch. But after a strong first season, Unrivaled joined forces with OneTeam Partners to expand its economic reach.

Well, this deal can be a game changer, as it gives long-time sponsorship and licensing rights to Unrivaled in return for financial compensation. Such licenses include trading cards, kits, and memorabilia rights, enabling players like Angel Reese to earn another stream of revenue when her name is eventually used. So, no doubt, it’s an impressive achievement for Unrivaled, but WNBA? It will be affected the most since collectibles and merchandise have been a huge source of revenue for the league. Merchandise sales saw a 500 percent increase since the start of the 2024 regular season, including a 1,000 percent increase in jersey and t-shirt sales. The WNBA even recorded $200 million in revenue in 2024 and is expected to increase. But is it enough to match Unrivaled?

Unrivaled: A catalyst or a competitor.

A player-founded, player-owned 3-on-3 league backed by star power like Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart—Unrivaled had it all. From promising six-figure salaries to a prime-time media deal with TNT, it turned heads from day one. And now, a year later? The league is doing more than just surviving—it’s thriving.

In its inaugural season, Unrivaled generated over $27 million in revenue. “We almost broke even in the first year,” said Commissioner Micky Lawler, speaking to Front Office Sports. “We know there’s more that we can do.” And he’s right. The league averaged 221,000 viewers during the regular season, with playoff games and the championship drawing significant spikes.

In fact, the February 14th game between the Lunar Owls and Mist hit 377,000 average viewers. And all this success comes from a 3-on-3 format played in an 850-seat Miami arena with a player pool of just 36. “This is sustainable,” Lawler emphasized. “There’s definitely an appetite and great support for it.” Every single game in Unrivaled’s debut season sold out. That’s why the league now plans to expand, adding more seating and modifying the panel area to both increase ticket revenue and enhance the television viewing experience.

You might be wondering: how can they afford to promise such high salaries? Well, they can—and they do. Unrivaled spent over $7 million on player salaries in year one, offering an average of $200,000 to its founding players.

And it’s not reckless spending—it’s a smart strategy. In fact, it’s a calculated move to lure more WNBA players. “How do we double or triple that right away just by being more efficient?” asked Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled’s president and husband of co-founder Napheesa Collier. “Ticket revenue—we know we’re going to add seats… which increases our revenue from that standpoint.” Even their off-court business game is on point. With $1.5 million in merchandise sales—achieved after a late-season licensing deal with the WNBPA—Unrivaled is now aiming for aggressive growth in year two.

They’re also pioneering a better injury protection model. In year one, Unrivaled’s contracts included injury insurance. When Liberty guard Betnijah Laney-Hamilton suffered a season-ending injury while playing in Unrivaled, the league stepped in. If the Liberty suspends her or refuses to pay her $185,000 salary, Unrivaled has promised to cover the amount in full.

That level of support is virtually unheard of in most professional sports leagues—and it’s a clear sign that Unrivaled is putting players first. This is at a time when WNBA players have long voiced frustrations about roster limitations, lack of marketing, and low salaries. Even WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently acknowledged that a “transformational” CBA deal is overdue. However, we are yet to see how it aligns with players’ demands.

Meanwhile, Unrivaled is already living that transformation. They’re offering players bigger paychecks, media control, off-court business opportunities, and a safety net in case of injuries—all while nearing profitability in just their first year.

So, the league is no longer an alternative. It’s a blueprint.