The Indiana Fever blossomed after drafting Caitlin Clark. The 22-year-old rookie proved to be a transcendent star. She broke records, won awards, and brought millions of new fans to the WNBA. It was a historic year for the league, and Clark deserves a significant amount of praise.
She is not satisfied. Clark is already back in the gym working on her game. The Fever’s star was significantly better after the Olympic break and should take another leap in year two. She already broke the record for assists and points generated but has more room for improvement.
Clark’s on-court play and star power are unmatched, so Unrivaled is making her a massive offer to join the new league. The player-backed entity is 3-on-3 during the WNBA offseason. They just signed a TV deal with TNT and need a superstar to lead their charge. The offer is enormous, but Clark should only accept if this happens.
Unrivaled must add Fever teammates for Caitlin Clark to join
Unrivaled hopes they can convince her by offering a deal like Lionel Messi got from the MLS featuring an ownership stake and a percentage of the profits. The package is likely worth millions, but Clark does not need to play here to make dollars. Wherever she lands will be a massive draw and will pay her handsomely. The money is a given.
Clark signing on only makes sense if she is joined by her Fever teammates. Kelsey Mitchell is playing in China, but Aliyah Boston and Lexi Hull are available. Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 league featuring 30 players. It begins in January and is said to be offering significant salaries to every participant.
Clark wants her teammates to get paid and needs reps with her squad. Getting Hull and Boston could allow them to continue developing together and make for plenty of excitement.
This appears unlikely. Unrivaled has already announced 26 of the 30 players taking part. Clark, Boston, and Hull would give them 29, but the league may not have those spots. Talent has not been announced. That does not mean it is not lined up.
Unrivaled’s long-term success hinges on Caitlin Clark’s involvement. They have Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier leading their charge with Paige Bueckers joining in year two. The top ten talent is there, but they need Clark to bring her millions of fans. If the on-court product is strong, the people will stay, but getting number 22 on the Fever to sign up won’t come cheap.
This story is still developing, and it will be fascinating to see if Unrivaled can convince Caitlin Clark to be the face of the league.