Sports
How Unrivaled became a welcome alternative for WNBA players’ overseas offseasons
Chelsea Gray has made a habit of competing internationally during her WNBA offseasons. For nearly a decade, the Las Vegas Aces star would pack her bags after the W season concluded and fly to compete for teams in Israel, Spain and Turkey as a way to work on her game, travel the world and supplement her income during the winter.
A few years ago, away from the spotlight while playing in Turkey, she started wondering what was next in her career and her life. She had just turned 30, had won championships and established herself as one of the best in the game. Playing overseas every winter meant months away from some of her family and friends, and a risk that she was missing opportunities to grow her brand.
So when she was approached two years ago by executives creating a new U.S. women’s basketball league, Gray was intrigued, and she became the first non-founding player selected for the league.
“(Unrivaled) changes the game, being able to make money while still being here, being with our family,” she said. “It’s been really, really cool that it’s come to be what it is.”
Co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the new modified full-court 3×3 league has attracted many of the sport’s top players, such as Gray, who have opted against overseas competition this winter in hopes of establishing a new winter home for women’s basketball. The league debuts Friday in Miami, with six teams who boast some of the most notable names in the sport such as Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd and Brittney Griner.
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
For decades, American women’s basketball players have wrestled with career decisions every winter: Stay home to recuperate, work on marketing deals and spend time with family or spend winters abroad in Russia, China, Turkey, Italy, Israel and Spain. Many of the world’s best followed Gray’s routine of overseas play.
Now, with the launch of Unrivaled, more top-tier WNBA players than ever have elected to stay in the U.S. this offseason. Unrivaled’s goal isn’t to stop international leagues from signing top American players, but it’s a trend many involved believe will continue if the league is successful.
Collier, a star for the Minnesota Lynx, and Stewart, an MVP for the New York Liberty, aim to offer comparable domestic offseason competition and compensation to their colleagues.
“I think overseas is still a great option,” Collier said. “We just think it shouldn’t be your only option, so we wanted to give players other things that they could do in their home (country). … We’re not trying to take away any other option that you had before. We’re trying to expand upon that.”
They said that keeping many of the world’s best players in the U.S. during the WNBA offseason will help grow the sport more broadly. While formulating the idea during a discussion about Collier’s year-round basketball experience, she and her husband, Alex Bazzell, who is also the league president, talked about wanting to optimize player experiences. Unrivaled executives describe that aspect as its “North Star.”
“(We were) trying to make women’s basketball continue to be relevant in the offseason from a professional standpoint,” Stewart said, “and be a way where people are able to build their brands.”
Playing internationally significantly supplements the income of WNBA players, whose seasonal salaries range from around $60,000 to nearly $250,000. Overseas contracts can sometimes double that, if not pay even more.
GO DEEPER
Overseas pay for WNBA players may not be as much as you’ve heard. Can the W use this to its advantage?
Unrivaled promises to pay players the highest average salary in American women’s sports league history. Players earn an average salary of more than $200,000 for the 10-week season, and participants in its inaugural campaign also receive equity.
Unrivaled, Collier said, was founded on the principle that WNBA players “deserve compensation and ownership that reflect their value.” They understood player development and high-quality amenities like a sauna, cold tub and weight room were central to piquing players’ interest and support.
“We’re not playing for anybody because we’re all owners of this,” said Unrivaled wing Rhyne Howard, who’s played three seasons for the Atlanta Dream. “The equity in this, that’s something that’s definitely different but also is very helpful in the long run.”
Despite the many benefits of Unrivaled, Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey still wrestled with her options. She had largely positive, career-altering experiences overseas while competing in Latvia, Israel, Australia, Italy and Turkey. She credits her time in Latvia in 2019 for her weight loss, more dedicated work ethic and skills development. She has appreciated the cultural experiences and the work-life balance abroad.
“I learned to love myself,” she said. “I had to love myself again and my whole career changed after that.”
So while some of her peers jumped at the opportunity to play in Unrivaled, Mabrey’s decision was more difficult. She considered playing this offseason in China and Turkey, two countries that have historically compensated top WNBA players well. She weighed another seven-month season abroad against the 10-week Unrivaled calendar. Travel was another consideration: Unrivaled will occur at a single site in Miami, and Mabrey wanted a break from the long flights and bus rides that can come with international competition.
Salary was important, too, but it wasn’t everything to her. She wanted to compete against top competition, have access to the amenities and training resources Unrivaled offered, receive equity in the league and also support Unrivaled as a new venture created by her colleagues.
“Having Unrivaled give that opportunity to play 3×3 and … only be 10 weeks, and obviously the financial part of it is great,” Mabrey said. “It’s about what do I need right now? And this is exactly what I needed.”
For other veteran players, the overseas calendar, which caused them to miss winter holidays, became a breaking point.
“Stay with our families for the holidays but still be able to hoop with some of the best in the world: It was kinda a no-brainer for this point in my career,” said 11-year WNBA veteran Kayla McBride, who had played abroad since her rookie season. She carved out one of the most prolific EuroLeague careers in recent seasons with the Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe but will compete for Unrivaled this winter.
Brand-building was another appeal of the new league. Unrivaled has partnered with high-profile companies (Under Armour, Samsung Galaxy, State Farm, Wilson and Sephora), and games will air on TNT and stream on Max. Players recognized the opportunity to form new relationships with some of the sponsors.
“Different brands and partnerships (came) in that are different from the WNBA, and hopefully (they will) continue to expand their reach to other players,” Stewart said.
Plus, by remaining in the U.S., players can still make endorsement appearances and maintain broader relevance. Guard Natasha Cloud said players typically leave and go overseas and it’s “blackout season.” But now?
“I can be here and fulfill marketing deals and compete against other women who are the best in the league,” said Unrivaled big Satou Sabally, who has spent her first five WNBA seasons with the Dallas Wings.
Stewart traveled to Istanbul for a partial season with Fenerbahçe in 2022. (She did not compete last season largely for family reasons.) She said that was likely her last time playing professionally abroad.
“I think that overseas door is kinda closed (for me),” said Stewart, who has played more than a half-decade at top clubs in China, Turkey and Russia. “Especially with the way that we’ve set things up. What we’re doing here is really, really special. I think there’s so many things that I love about it, but the fact that we have the top people here, that was the missing thing when we played overseas.”
GO DEEPER
Can Unrivaled’s 3×3 style benefit WNBA players?
Not all of the WNBA’s best players are in Unrivaled. Three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and rookie sensation Caitlin Clark are among the league’s notable absences, opting to take time away from formal competition while also training privately.
International leagues still drew some top WNBA players who likely would have been offered spots on Unrivaled teams. Kamilla Cardoso and Kelsey Mitchell, for instance, are playing in China, while Tina Charles, Ariel Atkins and Natasha Howard are in Turkey. But of last year’s 24 WNBA All-Stars, only three are scheduled to play abroad this winter. (Jonquel Jones said in October she planned to play in China this offseason, but she has yet to debut. Mitchell is in China while Brionna Jones is playing in Prague.)
Considering Unrivaled’s calendar, it’s possible that in future seasons the league’s players could still compete internationally in the fall (or even in the waning weeks of EuroLeague competition at the end of March and into April before WNBA training camps begin). But even if some of the original Unrivaled 36 play abroad again, the number of WNBA stars choosing to do so seems likely to diminish if the league thrives.
Collier had two stints with Fenerbahçe last season, and though she doesn’t officially rule out a return to an international club, she said it would be “really hard” for her to do so for family reasons. (Collier’s daughter turns 3 in May.) Aliyah Boston, who will be in her third season with the Fever this spring, said that as a self-described homebody, she recognized years ago that she wanted to spend her offseason in the U.S., not playing time zones apart from those she’s closest with. Not surprisingly, she is excited for Unrivaled’s present and future — one that she expects to feature a next generation of women’s basketball stars.
“People not only dream of being in the W, but they’re like now I want to be one of the top players to get in Unrivaled (too),” Boston said.
Of course, players have yet to record any Unrivaled statistics, and the first game, let alone the first season, has yet to be completed. Still, those involved are optimistic about how Unrivaled could change offseason routines for the better.
“Five years from now,” Reese said, “this thing is going to be bigger than ever.”
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic; Photos: Courtesy of Unrivaled)
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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.
And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,’” Payton said.
The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”
Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”
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The early rounds of the BNP Paribas Open began Wednesday, with top seeds slated to start play Friday during the 12-day ATP and WTPA Master 1000 tournament.
A busy stretch of the tennis season reaches another gear at Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the second largest outdoor tennis stadium in the world.
While many consider it the “fifth Grand Slam” because of its elite player field, amenities and equal prize money for men and women, professionals acknowledge the tournament is part of a stressful stretch on the tennis calendar.
Indian Wells is followed by the Miami Open, another two-week Master 1000 tournament. The tour stops are known as the “Sunshine Double.”
Some players made the short trip from Indian Wells to Las Vegas this past weekend to participate in the MGM Grand Slam, an exhibition designed to help players ramp up for back-to-back tournaments.
American Reilly Opelka, a 6-foot–11 pro, said managing fatigue after a series of tournaments before hitting Indian Wells has altered his practice and play in exhibition matches, including a loss to 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca in Las Vegas.
“Normally in any kind of competition, you get excited and play with a pressure point … but you don’t feel this when you are practicing,” Opelka said.
“I was trying to feel like this a few days ago while practicing with … [Tommy Paul,] but instead we got tired and hungry. … That usually doesn’t happen. We just decided to stop and go to eat somewhere.”
Paul said despite the decision to cut practice short, he feels fresh for the upcoming events.
“I started the year pretty well and for Americans, we are excited for the Sunshine Double,” Paul said.
Casper Rudd lost to Opelka during the first round of the Las Vegas exhibition. The Norwegian also lost a week ago during the first round of the Acapulco Open, falling to Chinese qualifier Yibing Wu in straight sets.
Rudd said he felt “extremely tired” after the Australian Open in January.
Rancho Palo Verdes resident Taylor Fritz, ranked No. 7 in the world, said the best way to prepare yourself for grueling tour schedule is “putting [in] the time, work and repetition.”
“… Be there, be focused on the quality that you are doing,” said Fritz, a 28-year-old who won the Indian Wells title in 2022.
While some players are guarding against burnout, others struggled to even reach California. Some players who live in Dubai, including Russians Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, have to contend with closed airspace triggered by the U.S. and Israel bombing Iran.
The ATP announced Wednesday that, “the vast majority of players who were in Dubai have successfully departed today on selected flights.”
Sports
Law firm fighting for women’s sports in SCOTUS battle comments on ruling possibly impacting SJSU trans lawsuit
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A law firm leading the charge in the ongoing Supreme Court case over trans athletes in women’s sports has responded after a federal judge suggested the case’s ruling could impact a separate case involving a similar issue.
Colorado District Judge Kato Crews deferred ruling in motions to dismiss former San Jose State volleyball co-captain Brooke Slusser’s lawsuit against the California State University (CSU) system until after a ruling in the B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected to come in June.
Slusser filed the lawsuit against representatives of her school and the Mountain West Conference in fall 2024 after she allegedly was made to share bedrooms and changing spaces with trans teammate Blaire Fleming for a whole season without being informed that Fleming is a biological male.
Meanwhile, the B.P.J. case went to the Supreme Court after a trans teen sued West Virginia to block the state’s law that prevents males from competing in girls’ high school sports.
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is the primary law firm defending West Virginia in that case at the Supreme Court, and has now responded to news that Slusser’s lawsuit could be affected by the SCOTUS ruling.
“We hope the ruling from the Supreme Court will affirm that Title IX was designed to guarantee equal opportunity for women, not to let male athletes displace women and girl in competition. It is crucial that sports be separated by sex for not only the equal opportunity of women but for safety and privacy. Title IX should protect women’s right to compete in their own sports. Allowing men to compete in the female category reverses 50 years of advancement for women,” ADF Vice President of Litigation Strategies Jonathan Scruggs said.
Slusser’s attorney, Bill Bock of the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, expects a Supreme Court ruling in favor of the legal defense representing West Virginia, thus helping his case.
(Left) Brooke Slusser (10) of the San Jose State Spartans serves the ball during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Oct. 19, 2024. (Right) Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans looks on during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. ( Andrew Wevers/Getty Images; Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
“We’re looking forward to the case going forward,” Bock told Fox News Digital.
“I believe that the court is going to find that Title IX operates on the basis of biological sex, without regard to an assumed or professed gender, and so just like the congress and the members of congress that passed Title IX in 1972, allowed this specifically provided for in the regulations that there had to be separate men’s and women’s teams based on biological sex, I think the court is going to see that is the original meaning of the statute and apply it in that way, and I think it’s going to be a big win in women’s sports.”
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared prepared to rule in favor of West Virginia after oral arguments on Jan. 13.
Slusser spoke on the steps of the Supreme Court on Jan. 13 while oral arguments took place inside, sharing her experience with a divided crowd of opposing protesters.
With Fleming on its roster, SJSU reached the 2024 conference final by virtue of a forfeit by Boise State in the semifinal round. SJSU lost in the final to Colorado State.
Slusser went on to develop an eating disorder due to the anxiety and trauma from the scandal and dropped out of her classes the following semester. The eating disorder became so severe, that Slusser said she lost her menstrual cycle for nine months. Her decision to drop her classes resulted in the loss of her scholarship, and her parents said they had to foot the bill out of pocket for an unfinished final semester of college.
President Donald Trump’s Department of Education determined in January that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of the situation involving Fleming, and has given the university an ultimatum to agree to a series of resolutions or face a referral to the Department of Justice.
Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. ED claims that “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”
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SJSU trans player Blaire Fleming and teammate Brooke Slusser went to a magic show and had Thanksgiving together in Las Vegas despite an ongoing lawsuit over Fleming being transgender. (Thien-An Truong/San Jose State Athletics)
SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya told Fox News Digital in a July interview that he was satisfied with how the university handled the situation involving Fleming.
“I think everybody acted in the best possible way they could, given the circumstances,” Konya said.
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