For much of the WNBA’s history, its best players have left home as soon as the season ended to go play overseas, often for more money. Only in recent years, with the arrival of higher salaries and better endorsement deals, has that trend started to change.
Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are trying to permanently alter the women’s professional basketball landscape with their new league, Unrivaled, which tips off in January of 2025 and seeks to provide an alternative source of competition and income for WNBA players during the offseason.
“For a long time, going overseas was the only option that people had in their offseason, and so this is kind of changing the narrative around that and giving another option,” Collier said earlier this year. “Overseas is a great option for some players, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you can do to make money and play basketball and get better.”
Ahead of what should be a fascinating winter, here’s everything you need to know about Unrivaled.
Who’s playing?
That is perhaps the most important question. Initially, Unrivaled stated that it would feature “30 of the top professional players in women’s basketball.” However, Collier
