With the WNBA season at a close, many are wondering what this year’s Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark, has planned for the offseason.
One groundbreaking women’s basketball league appears to be doing whatever it takes to bring her on board for its inaugural season.
Unrivaled Basketball League, founded by New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier, has brought in yet another Clark friend on and off the court to its talent pool.
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark celebrates with guard Lexie Hull during the second quarter against the Dallas Wings at College Park Center. (Kevin Jairaj-USA Today Sports)
Lexie Hull, a Fever teammate of Clark’s, was announced as the 29th player in the talent pool for the 3-on-3 league that has the likes of Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Kahleah Copper and many more stars already locked in for tip-off in January 2025.
Unrivaled is changing the landscape of women’s basketball with every player having equity and a vested interest in it.
CAITLIN CLARK BEING AGGRESSIVELY PURSUED BY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STARTUP LEAGUE AS WNBA FACES POTENTIAL LOCKOUT
The league became enticing for top talent in the WNBA not just because of Stewart and Collier, two bona fide All-Stars, being involved, but historic contracts that offer the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history.
In fact, Unrivaled announced on Thursday that the talent pool expanded to 36 players instead of 30 due to the league exceeding its financial goals.
Other than Hull, an Iowa Hawkeyes teammate of Clark’s, Kate Martin, who now plays for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces, also joined Unrivaled as the 28th player in the talent pool.
Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull and guard Caitlin Clark watch from the bench during the first round of the WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Mark Smith-Imagn Images)
Unrivaled was supposed to be just 30 players, and many were hoping that Clark would be the final player. However, with the league expanded, WNBA fans are now hoping to see not just Clark, but Las Vegas Aces’ MVP A’ja Wilson also in the field come January.
In terms of Clark, Front Office Sports reported that the WNBA Rookie of the Year received a “Messi-like offer” to join the league, referring to soccer great Lionel Messi, who got a very generous contract to join Inter Miami FC in Major League Soccer.
The offer is reportedly more than $1 million plus revenue-sharing opportunities from the league. To put that into perspective with Clark’s WNBA salary for her rookie season, the Fever paid her $76,535 this year.
TNT Sports and Unrivaled also just reached a multi-year media rights agreement to exclusively present live game coverage on TNT and truTV, as well as having all games streamed on Max.
With primetime television slots, the promise of high salaries, friends already on board, and more roster spots, Unrivaled has the stage set to bring in one of basketball’s most recognizable talents.
Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever looks on during the WNBA playoff game against the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 22, 2024, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
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The ball is in Clark’s court, no pun intended.
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