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Caitlin Clark's Potential Impact on Unrivaled's Popularity Made Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Orlando Silva | Last updated May 6, 2025 1:59 PM ET

Caitlin Clark was one of the biggest absences in the inaugural season of Unrivaled, the ambitious 3-on-3 league created by fellow WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

The league debuted in the middle of January and enjoyed success with its concept of three-player teams playing full court. Angel Reese, Chelsea Gray, Skylar Diggins, Lexie Hull and more joined the competition, but Clark, just like A'ja Wilson and Kelsey Plum, opted out of the competition.

In April, Wilson explained she needed to get some rest and spend time as a daughter and sister during the offseason.

With Clark, the fact that she decided to focus on her golf game with participations in pro-ams suggested she was also burned out after playing basketball nonstop for almost an entire year (from her senior college season until the 2024 WNBA playoffs).

ESPN's Kendra Andrews shared that Collier and Stewart said Unrivaled's first season was a success in terms of finances, interest from fans and the final product they offered.

Andrews explained on Tuesday that after a successful first season, the bar should be higher for Unrivaled. Added to Paige Bueckers' debut, Clark and Wilson are two names that can keep and increase fan interest in 2026.

"In its first year, Unrivaled was a landing spot for many of the WNBA's biggest and best stars, including seven No. 1 WNBA draft picks, one former WNBA MVP and 17 former Olympians. Unrivaled sources told ESPN they will continue to push for additional big-name players such as Wilson and Clark, with whom they plan to have conversations in the coming months.

"If Unrivaled is unable to land the likes of Clark and Wilson, insiders believe the league will still be successful. But a WNBA general manager told ESPN they feel Unrivaled needs to have around 18 to 20 of the top players in the WNBA signed to contracts, or the league will lose a lot of interest."

After a full offseason to rest, work on her game and transform her physique, Clark should be ready to join Unrivaled in 2026. The ball is on the Indiana Fever star's court now, as Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell told Sportico in October that Clark has a spot for her "whenever she's ready."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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