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Is Caitlin Clark Playing in Unrivaled?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Jan 17, 2025 10:34 AM ET

The Unrivaled basketball league tips off Friday night when co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart go head-to-head in the opening game between Lunar Owls Basketball Club and Mist Basketball Club.

The innovative league, propped up by $35 million of investments from the some of the biggest names in sports, has altered the dynamic of the WNBA offseason.

Instead of playing overseas, the 3-on-3 league is providing an opportunity for star players from "The W" to gather in Miami, sharpen their skills and earn unprecedented contracts in the process.

Women's basketball icons such as Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, Alyssa Thomas, Skylar Diggins-Smith are among the huge names competing in the inaugural season. Angel Reese and Arike Ogunbowale headline the second matchup on Friday's opening night.

The First 36 are Unrivaled

Watch them on TNT, TruTV and Max all season long. pic.twitter.com/RNbSFwuXK4
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) January 16, 2025

After the 36 roster slots were filled, one huge name was missing: Caitlin Clark.

The 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year reportedly turned down an offer of $1 million plus equity in the league, opting not to play organized basketball during her first professional offseason.

"This year is just not the best for me,” Clark told Time in her 2024 Athlete of the Year interview. However, she did not rule out playing in Unrivaled in the future.

"I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow, I don’t know what I’m going to do the next day," Clark said of her offseason plans after bowing out of the WNBA playoffs in September. "Maybe play some golf, I think that’s what I’m going to do until it gets too cold in Indiana."

There's no doubt Clark's presence would have been a boon for the startup Unrivaled league. In her first season with the Fever, WNBA broadcasts featuring Clark averaged 1.19 million viewers, per Nielsen. Games without Clark averaged 394,000.

Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler said that "The door is always open" for the 22-year-old to join the league in 2026 or beyond.

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Though Unrivaled will begin without the WNBA's two biggest stars, Clark and 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson, it has established a foundation for success in year one between massive investments, iconic players and a media rights deal with TNT Sports.

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

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