Napheesa Collier Sends Clear Unrivaled Message to WNBA

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mintu Tomar | Last updated Mar 8, 2026 3:17 PM ET

The 2026 WNBA season looks to be in jeopardy right now, with March 10 deadline almost knocking on the door. Players and the league are yet to come to an agreement over the CBA.

Amid the chaos, three-on-three league Unrivaled has emerged as the ultimate go-to option for players who want to make more money in the offseason. Co-founded by WNBA icons Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier in 2023, it witnessed the first season in 2025 and the second season wrapped up just days ago, with Stewart's Mist BC clinching the trophy after besting Phantom BC 80-74.

Collier who is also part of the Unrivaled team Lunar Owls, recently spoke during an interview about how the league has grown in just two seasons. Most importantly, she made it clear that if the ongoing CBA negotiations don't go their way then they do have an alternative now.

In a conversation with The Athletic, the former UConn alum made a key revelation over WNBA's missed opportunity with the Unrivaled. Collier told, "we did offer equity when we first, before we launched." However, WNBA turned it down.

Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24).Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

When asked what does Unrivaled offer in comparison to the WNBA, she said, "Everything we're fighting for: salary benefits, equity in the league, like we have all these things without needing to be asked at Unrivaled."

Collier continued, "Like, we want for nothing here. And not only do we meet like the minimum standards that we're begging for in the WNBA, we exceed them. Players see here what professional life should look like. And so it's really hard when you've been given that to accept less when you know what it could be like."

After witnessing Unrivaled's rapid growth lately Collier seems pretty confident about its future. Considering the current situation regarding the CBA, she clearly emphasized that, "We don't have to just accept anything that you give us, because if you don't give us what we're owed, like we have other places that we can go."

Before the semifinal games this season, Unrivaled's commissioner Mickey Lawler revealed that the league's revenue increased from $27 million to $45 million this year, as reported by CBS Sports. Moreover, Unrivaled also witnessed a huge addition in fanbase as the experiment to go out of Miami proved to be a masterstroke.

The league hit the road for a tour stop at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, attracting a record-breaking crowd of 21,490. Not just that, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn also saw 18,261 fans attending the semifinal games.

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

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