Napheesa Collier’s husband, Alex Brazzell, is already hyping up the next chapter in the book of the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league. Photo credits: Imagn images and Napheesa Collier’s Instagram

'We Would Be Majority Investors In Control': Napheesa Collier’s Husband Alex Bazzell Reveals Why WNBA Declined Partnership With Unrivaled

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Dan Agulto | Last updated Sep 10, 2025 10:08 AM ET

Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart’s 3-on-3 league, Unrivaled, made a splash when it launched in 2023. After a strong debut season earlier this year, the group had bigger ideas in mind — including a possible partnership with the WNBA. That, however, didn’t work out.

Alex Bazzell, Collier’s husband and Unrivaled’s CEO, said he approached the WNBA before things really took off. In a conversation with Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports, Bazzell revealed that while the league was open to working with the W, the deal never materialized.

“We went to the WNBA early,” Bazzell said. “Number one, told them about it and were certainly open to a partnership in terms of equity and ownership. It’s really, to draw the comparison, like what’s gone on between the TGL and PGA. That’s how we looked at it and approached it.

“We would be the majority investors in control, but they still have upside and skin in the game with women’s basketball year-round. They chose not to do that.”

“We went to the WNBA early,” Bazzell said. “Number one, told them about it and were certainly open to a partnership in terms of equity and ownership. It’s really, to draw the comparison, like what’s gone on between the TGL and PGA. That’s how we looked at it and approached it. We… https://t.co/WdQ4LahD2K

— Vanshay Murdock (@VanshayM) September 8, 2025

That hasn’t slowed things down. Unrivaled recently closed a Series B round that pushed its valuation to $340 million. While no NBA or WNBA owners were part of the group, the investor list is stacked: NBA stars Trae Young, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner are in, along with Serena Williams and Alex Morgan through their own ventures.

Napheesa Collier’s Unrivaled to expand to a new city next season

Unrivaled’s inaugural season was staged in Miami at Wayfair Arena, where only about 850 fans could attend each game. For year two, Bazzell confirmed the league is adding a second city, with teams playing back-to-back weekend slates. He stressed this isn’t about sending squads across the country but about letting more people see the product up close.

Jan 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Napheesa Collier (24) of the Lunar Owls drives toward the basket as Courtney Vandersloot (25) of the Mist defends during the first half of the Unrivaled women’s professional 3v3 basketball league at Wayfair Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Expansion also means player salaries are expected to rise. Bazzell said that 90 percent of the roster from last season is already signed back, with plans to grow the developmental pool. Injuries hit hard in season one, so having extra players will give teams more depth and security.

Collier and Stewart wanted Unrivaled to create opportunities outside the WNBA calendar. With new investors, a higher valuation, and another city coming aboard, it looks like their project is quickly turning into one of women’s basketball’s most ambitious experiments.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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