Unrivaled has been having a strong start thus far. Over three hundred thousand viewers tuned in on average to watch a game of Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s new 3×3 league. But, many big stars could not take part in the first season. For example, newly traded Kelsey Plum refused the invitation to be with Unrivaled because she wanted some time off, and Cameron Brink among others had injury hiccups. However, the most curious case is that of Caitlin Clark.

The Indiana Fever star turned down a whopping $1M paycheck to play in Unrivaled. In her Times Athlete of the Year interview, she mentioned why. “I didn’t rule out doing it in the future, but this year is just not the best for me,” Caitlin Clark said. “It’s going to be good for me to do my own thing and have my own space. I kind of want to just stay out of the spotlight.”

On the podcast Taylor Rooks X, Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier sat down with Taylor Rooks to discuss everything basketball. Rooks asked whether Collier pitched Unrivaled to a player that she didn’t get, and the forward was surprisingly reserved with her answer. “I mean yeah, I can’t name any names, but of course, we go after all the top players.”

The league was eager to recruit the 2024 ROTY, expressing they would have liked to be a part of the impact she drives. Collier was one to admit the sentiment early. “Definitely we want to be part of that change,” she had said. Given the attempts and the offers that followed, you’d think CC’s name would be the first the Lynx star took, but Phee did not wish to single out.

“This is always gonna be a league for top players. We’re always gonna have room for them. Even if it doesn’t work this year, we’re so confident in what we’re building here. We feel good about sustaining and keeping top players in this league,” she adds.

Unrivaled has nearly all the top talent in the WNBA. That has been their goal from the very beginning. “Best of the best,” is how Unrivaled president and Collier’s husband, Alex Bazzell has always put it. Now we have the likes of Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, Chelsea Gray, and Alyssa Thomas, among others. Moreover, the league had to expand from 30 players to 36 to fit in all the names. And with Clark saying she is open to the opportunity in the future and Bazzell making it clear that there will always be a spot for her, we know Collier wasn’t joking around about sustaining. 

Unrivaled has seen a good response so far, with 31 social media impressions in the opening games alone. And as for the Fever star? She has been making waves in her own way.

Wilson announces special tribute for Caitlin Clark

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Caitlin Clark’s jersey is on the verge of being sent up into the rafters at Iowa. The Hawkeyes legend is having her legacy enshrined in the Carver-Hawkeye arena, with the historical run she has had. Clark won awards by the bucket and climbed her way to the NCAA scoring record! If anyone deserves such an honor, it would be CC.

Wilson Basketball apparently thought the same. In a heartwarming gesture, the sports gear company announced a customised basketball in the lead up to her jersey retirement.

The basketball will be based on her jersey which is going up in the rafters. It is important to note that this is not Caitlin Clark and Wilson’s first collaboration together. Whenever they released a product, it has always sold out rapidly, and that is the expectation for the new release as well.

Caitlin Clark is a certified Iowa legend. The Indiana Fever are aware of this, and scheduled a pre-season game in the Carver-Hawkeye stadium before the WNBA starts. Emotions will run high as CC revisits her home arena, and will play in it after her jersey retirement. Her legendary college career has translated into the pros really well, and fans are excited to see what she does next!