It’s not hoops, it’s pure market math. Competition has a way of raising the bar, and with Unrivaled stepping in, the W’s long-standing throne suddenly has company. Players see it as more than an offseason gig. For them, it’s a chance to maximize their earnings and remind the league that their futures aren’t tied to just one crown. Take Angel Reese, for example. She wasted no time capitalizing on the opportunity, pocketing a $50,000 championship bonus in her debut season with Rose BC. Now, with tensions brewing between her and Sky management, she’s already lined up for Phee and Stewie’s league in 2026.

Another player who moved just as quickly was Dallas guard Paige Bueckers. Even before finishing her UConn career, she struck an NIL deal with Unrivaled and secured equity in the league. Though she didn’t play back then, her new three-year deal will now pay her more in a single 10-week Unrivaled season than four years of a WNBA rookie contract. That reality has only fueled fan speculation about Caitlin Clark’s next move, especially after injuries limited her appearances for the Fever this year and all eyes shifted toward 2026.

Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell has played it cool when asked about Clark’s status. “There’s no current dialogue taking place right now,” he said. Then, almost in the same breath, he added, “There is always an ongoing dialogue. There is no secret who the top players in the world are, and they know we have a spot for them. But we are not knocking down doors or chasing people down. I feel good about where our rosters stand.” We get it, Bazzell, Caitlin Clark may not be on board yet, but for now, they have got CC’s lookalike. Sonia Citron, who has massively impressed with the Mystics, is reportedly suiting up this offseason.

As Tyler Byrum posted on X, “Sonia Citron says Unrivaled has reached out to her about playing this offseason. She will ‘most likely’ be playing with them in Year 2.” With Mystics long out of the playoff race, Citron has another stage to showcase her game and earn far more than the W can offer. Last season’s average Unrivaled salary stood at $222,222, and with the league’s $340 million valuation this year, payouts are only going higher. Compare that to her three-year, $247,688 Mystics deal (an average of just $82,563 per year, with $78,831 in 2025). That’s why Unrivaled looks more like a golden ticket for the WNBA players.

However, the real cliffhanger: will Unrivaled have to settle for Citron, or will 2026 be Caitlin Clark’s grand encore?

Caitlin Clark’s 2026 Return Stage

Every Fever fan’s calendar circled in red for Caitlin Clark’s comeback. GM Amber Cox reassured them, saying, “We are looking forward to having her back at full strength to start the 2026 season.” Only, there’s no guarantee that a comeback happens in a WNBA jersey. It could just as easily be in Unrivaled colors.

It’s because the CBA deadline looms, the W drags its feet, as it has until October 31, 2025, to hammer out a new CBA, or the 2026 season risks starting late, if at all. As Nneka Ogwumike put it: “We’re doing whatever it takes to get a good deal done.” But WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson admitted that “little progress has been made with a deadline less than two months away.”

Moreover, the Unrivaled league is proving more player-friendly by the day. It just closed a Series B round at a $340 million valuation, announced two new franchises (Breeze and Hive), and added 12 extra permanent roster spots (one of which could comfortably carry Clark). Salaries in Year 1 averaged $222,222 (higher than the WNBA’s max of $214,466), and every player even got equity.

The financial contrast couldn’t be sharper, as previously alluded to, 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 with Dallas. And with salaries only rising as investment pours in, the question practically asks itself: why wouldn’t Caitlin Clark consider it?

So now, the stage for Caitlin Clark’s 2026 return feels less like a homecoming and more like a tug-of-war: one league playing defense, another drawing up plays to steal the show.