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It’s official: Caitlin Clark will not participate in the upcoming Unrivaled 3x3 basketball league.
After months of recruitment efforts by the league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, the Indiana Fever star has definitively declined, according to a report by Front Office Sports on Thursday.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Michael Voepel reported Clark’s decision not to join the league’s inaugural season, but the latest report sheds light on Unrivaled’s future plans after missing out on one of the most prominent names in women’s basketball.
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Front Office Sports reported that Caitlin Clark “has definitively let Unrivaled know that she won’t be playing in the new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league this year.”
However, the league reportedly remains “open” to welcoming Clark in its second or third season when it is more established.
The Unrivaled Basketball League is set to feature 36 players, though only 34 have been announced so far. Known for its creative drip-marketing campaigns, the league has kept fans eagerly awaiting news of the final two roster spots. Many had hoped one would go to Clark before confirmation of her decision to opt out.
Clark had expressed that she was unlikely to play basketball during her first professional offseason. Unrivaled reportedly made her an offer north of $1 million.
The league’s inaugural season is scheduled to tip off on Jan. 17 in Miami. Its current lineup is as follows:
- Shakira Austin
- Aliyah Boston
- Rae Burrell
- Jordin Canada
- DiJonai Carrington
- Natasha Cloud
- Napheesa Collier
- Kahleah Copper
- Skylar Diggins-Smith
- Stefanie Dolson
- Aaliyah Edwards
- Allisha Gray
- Chelsea Gray
- Brittney Griner
- Dearica Hamby
- Tiffany Hayes
- Rhyne Howard
- Lexie Hull
- Rickea Jackson
- Jewell Loyd
- Marina Mabrey
- Kate Martin
- Kayla McBride
- Arike Ogunbowale
- Kelsey Plum
- Angel Reese
- Satou Sabally
- Azurá Stevens
- Breanna Stewart
- Brittney Sykes
- Alyssa Thomas
- Courtney Vandersloot
- Courtney Williams
- Jackie Young
Skip Bayless reacts to Caitlin Clark skipping Unrivaled
Skip Bayless sees Caitlin Clark’s decision as a smart move, arguing the league needed her more than she needed it.
“Good for Caitlin Clark not playing in this new 3-on-3 league. After all the jealousy and resentment she felt last season - all the cheap shots and bullying attempts - she made a late-season run at MVP,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“SHE'S the reason WNBA popularity exploded last season. She doesn't need 3-on-3.”
Unrivaled is designed to give WNBA players a lucrative alternative to playing overseas during the offseason.
The league’s average salary is projected at approximately $250,000, significantly outpacing WNBA earnings, where the 2024 minimum is $64,150, and the supermax cap is $241,984.
Clark, however, has no basketball commitments in the immediate future. She recently participated in a golf tournament and is expected to focus on leadership summits moving forward.
