“I had hoped to share a better update, but I will not be returning to play this season.” These words from Caitlin Clark shook up the whole basketball world. Nobody expected her season to end after just 13 games. A tough groin injury stopped what could have been her big MVP chase. But just because she’s done for this WNBA season doesn’t mean hoops fans have to wait till May to watch her in action again.

And guess what? There’s a real chance we could see her in Unrivaled later this year! League president Alex Bazzell made it clear in a recent interview that Caitlin Clark is a name on his wish list: “Do I think she should play this offseason? Yeah, I do think she should play somewhere. Obviously, we’d love to have her, but that’s a personal decision that her team, her family will go through.”

Clark was actually pursued last year before Unrivaled’s debut season. But at that time, she decided to take a step back from basketball and recharge. Now, though, with the second half of her rookie WNBA season lost to injury, Caitlin could use some much-needed match practice before next year — and what better place than Unrivaled?

According to Sports Business Journal, Clark and Unrivaled were already in talks last year about her joining the 3-on-3 league. The offer back then? Reportedly worth over $1 million, plus an equity stake. So if Clark decides to sign on this time, it’s safe to expect something along those lines again, a deal that would easily make her the highest earner in the league

According to Yahoo Sports, Paige Bueckers is set to make at least $350,000 in the upcoming Unrivaled season, putting her right near the top of the pay scale. While the exact numbers aren’t public, Sabrina Ionescu was believed to be the league’s highest earner, pulling in close to or even more than what Paige will make this year, per BET.com. Angel Reese, thanks to the championship bonus in her contract, should also be in that same range.

Of course, if Clark decides to join, she’ll likely make more than double what the highest-paid players in Unrivaled are earning. That’s almost unheard of in any league, but that’s Caitlin for you. She moves the needle, she brings the views. Remember, she already turned down a massive $15 million offer from Ice Cube’s BIG3 to play just 10 weeks of 3-on-3 basketball. So it’s easy to see why Unrivaled would be ready to cut a huge check to bring her in.

But will they be able to afford Caitlin Clark?

Unrivaled valuation rise amid Caitlin Clark speculation

Unrivaled raked in over $27 million in revenue in its debut season, more than twice what was expected. The surge came from a major media deal with TNT, strong corporate sponsorships, ticket sales, and even late-season merchandise, which still managed to bring in $1.4 million despite being difficult to obtain.

“We almost broke even in the first year,” Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler told Front Office Sports. “We know there’s more that we can do.” And that’s exactly what they did.

They raised fresh capital from a group of investors at a $340 million valuation. League president Alex Bazzell didn’t disclose how much equity was sold, but the leap is huge. Unrivaled’s valuation has skyrocketed nearly 10x since May 2024, when it first secured funding.

So it’s pretty clear how Unrivaled could afford Caitlin Clark. And while Alex Bazzell has admitted there haven’t been any talks yet, you’d have to think those conversations will eventually happen once the W season officially wraps up. For Clark, it could be the perfect way to shake off the groin injury, ease back into rhythm, and get her match fitness back before next season tips off.

So, what do you think? Will Caitlin pass up the chance again, or will she take it this time? Drop your thoughts in the comments!