The cruel irony of women’s basketball is that greatness has always come with a boarding pass and Diana Taurasi captured it the best. “I’m the best player in the world and I have to go to a communist country to get paid like a capitalist,” she said. “We weren’t making that much money, so generational wealth was coming from going to Russia every year. The f—— janitor at the arena made more than me.” Candace Parker nodded along. She lived that life for 16 seasons, a decade of which came with an additional passport stamp just to make ends meet. “I agree with her that the WNBA was a summer job,” Parker admitted. “The way that you take care of your family is you go overseas. It was a shame that we had to go overseas to make the type of money that we were able to.”

It’s 2025 now, and the reality hasn’t shifted much. Thousands of miles are still logged because the checks back home aren’t enough. Only now, the players have an escape hatch of their own making. Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier tore a page out of the old playbook and scribbled a new headline: Unrivaled. Gabby Williams summed it up with blunt clarity: “The WNBA isn’t enticing enough as far as money goes to keep us out of the other leagues. It just doesn’t make sense right now to not do both for a lot of players when the league isn’t paying as much as their competitors. So hopefully, if the league wants to continue to have everybody and keep all these players here, they’re going to have to spend the money.”

And spend, they will have to. The WNBA and its players’ union have until October 31, 2025, to hammer out a new CBA, or the 2026 season risks starting late, if at all. Nneka Ogwumike is clear: “We’re doing whatever it takes to get a good deal done.” But while the league drags its feet, Terri Jackson, WNBPA Exec Director, even admitted “little progress has been made with a deadline less than two months away.” That’s one time bomb, but another clock is ticking on every Fever faithful’s wrists: Caitlin Clark’s return. Fever GM Amber Cox said, “We are looking forward to having her back at full strength to start the 2026 season.”

Only, there’s no guarantee Clark’s long-awaited comeback is in a WNBA jersey; it could be in Unrivaled colors, as-

• The Unrivaled just closed a Series B investment round that pushed its valuation to $340 million.
• Salaries in year one averaged $222,222 (more than the WNBA’s max of $214,466), and every player got equity.
• Paige Bueckers, fresh off being the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, will earn more in her first Unrivaled season than across her entire four-year rookie contract in Dallas.

President Alex Bazzell knows what all that means for Clark’s decision: “Do I think she should play this offseason? Yeah, I do think she should play somewhere. Obviously, we’d love to have her.” Translation here is that the door is open, and there’s cash and stock options waiting.

This isn’t just about money, though. It’s about respect, about not having to chase paychecks in distant time zones, about flying comfortably, recovering properly, and knowing that the league you play for sees you as more than a seasonal attraction. For once, players have leverage. For once, fans get to watch the drama unfold from a position of strength rather than desperation. The only party with everything to lose? The WNBA itself. And unless it finally gives players what they say it owes them, Unrivaled may become more than just a safety net; it might be the future.

Is Unrivaled Out to Poach Caitlin Clark?

On the surface, it almost feels like the perfect heist setup: Caitlin Clark sitting on the sidelines, Unrivaled announcing a $340 million valuation, and whispers swirling about whether the most-hyped player of her generation could trade in Fever red for the black-and-gold of Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier’s offseason league.

And the proof is everywhere. Season one doubled its own revenue projections. “Because we outperformed our revenue expectations in season one by almost doubling it, it allows us to move a bit quicker,” Bazzell told ESPN. “It’s become a three-year roadmap [instead of five]. In year two, we are really going to double down on the athletes.” That acceleration includes expanded player facilities, added fan seating, and even a second practice court.

Investors clearly see the momentum. Serena Williams’ Serena Ventures bought in, alongside Warner Bros. Discovery, Bessemer Venture Partners, and Trybe Ventures. Last year, every player received equity in the league; going forward, select newcomers will also get that chance. “They are largely majority shareholders,” Bazzell said. “They are going to reap the benefits of these growing valuations, not just, ‘oh, congrats, good job,’ and ‘you’ll get better resources.’ Our whole brand ethos is coming into effect and improving itself in a short amount of time.”

Which circles back to Clark. Bazzell wished her the best in her groin injury recovery, careful to frame any talk as supportive rather than recruiting. “Everyone who’s not currently in the league and who’s a top player, not just her, knows we’re a phone call away,” he told Sports Business Journal. “It doesn’t mean there’s always going to be a spot because we have to fill spots… But she’s one of the rare players who – she was first-team all W last year. She’s a great player. So we haven’t really approached those conversations. We aren’t in conversations.”

So, Bazzell is being less predatory and more patient. As he had also said, “Obviously, we’d love to have her, but that’s a personal decision that her team, her family will go through.” No pressure, no ultimatums.

So is Unrivaled out to poach Caitlin Clark? Not exactly. They don’t need to either. The league is already thriving, already paying more than the WNBA, already giving players ownership of something bigger than a paycheck. For Caitlin Clark, the temptation should be built in: equity, facilities, stability, and a seat at the table of a league rewriting what professional women’s basketball looks like. If she decides to step through that open door, it won’t feel like a steal; it’ll feel like the most natural move in the world.