The recent talks regarding Caitlin Clark are ofter related to the fact that she had to retire from this current WNBA due to all the injuries she has suffered throughtout the season. However, and outside of this turbulent topic in the rookie’s career, her next move could reshape women’s basketball.
According tosome league insiders, the Indiana Fever’s star is now closer than ever to joining ‘Unrivaled’, the fast-rising 3-on-3 league where stars like Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese are already making their own mark.
Unrivaled pushes for Clark
The Unrivaled league, co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, has quickly grown into a high-profile offseason option for women’s basketball referents. President Alex Bazzell has made it clear that Clark remains at the top of their wish list.
“We’d love to have her,” Bazzell said recently. “But that’s a personal decision her team and family will go through.”
Reports suggest Clark was previously offered over $1 million plus equity in the league, a package that would make her the highest-paid player in Unrivaled history.
Bueckers and Reese set the stage
While Clark meditates her available options, Paige Bueckers has already signed a multi-year contract worth an estimated $350,000, and Angel Reese cashed in with a $50,000 championship bonus in her debut season.
Clark’s arrival would not only make the league to grow financially but also would bring unprecedented attention to the competition, thanks of her record-breaking popularity and endorsements success.
Her injury opens new doors
Clark’s WNBA season ended after just 13 games due to a groin injury and the accumulation of other previous ones. While the setback left her “disappointed beyond words,” it may have created an opportunity to regain form in a less grueling format. Playing in Unrivaled could allow Clark to keep her rehab while working out without the physical toll of a full WNBA schedule.
What this means for women’s basketball
Clark is already known as one of the most marketable athletes in the sport, signing a $28 million Nike deal earlier this year. If she joins Unrivaled, the move could elevate the league’s valuation to a projected figure of $340 million, drawing new fans into women’s sports.
For players like Bueckers and Reese, her presence would not diminish their impact but rather amplify the collective spotlight on a generation redefining the game.
Now that Clark continues her way out of recovery, her decision is yet to be decided. A commitment to Unrivaled would not only boost her financial profile but would also mean to create another milestone in the growing fight for investments and visibility in women’s industries.
For now, Bueckers and Reese are waiting, but the basketball world is dying for answers.
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