With the WNBA season looming, the new women’s basketball league Unrivaled just wrapped up its historic inaugural year in Miami. Reaching almost 12 million viewers on TNT, it became the most-watched women’s basketball league. A league owned by the players, with contracts that are unheard of in the W as it’s currently constructed.
With only 36 to 40 players, one gym used for all games, and no travel, it cuts a lot of costs and puts more money in the ladies’ pockets.
Looks like the future of the league has also been secured. First reported by Kendra Andrews, projected No. 1 pick in the W’s draft, UConn guard Paige Bueckers, has signed a three-year contract with Unrivaled. It’s being reported that her first-year compensation will exceed what she would make on her four-year rookie scale contract.
That’s mind-blowing to some fans, but it’s part of the reason Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles decided to enter the transfer portal. She was projected to be the second pick in the draft; however, she could make more money returning to college, and that’s exactly what she chose to do. It doesn’t hurt that the new W’s CBA will be finalized by this time next year—or there could be a lockout.
Unrivaled isn’t going anywhere, and it’s only going to grow. It’ll be interesting to see if Caitlin Clark chooses to participate next season.
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