Napheesa Collier gently drops possible Caitlin Clark hint when questioned about hardest Unrivaled recruiting pitch: "Trying to get me in trouble"

Napheesa Collier, co-founder of Unrivaled, was asked about the hardest player to recruit to her nascent league. The Minnesota Lynx star's creation gathered some of the best female basketball players to compete in the new 3-on-3 league set to debut on Jan. 17.

While some big names will try to win the first Unrivaled championship, other stars won't participate in the inaugural season. During Thursday's media availability, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year was inquired about the hardest recruit pitch, but she didn't mention any name.

"You're trying to get me in trouble," Collier replied.

"I was easy money," Skylar Diggins-Smith chimed in.

Although she didn't mention anybody, it's not hard to think about Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever young star could have been the cherry on the top of this competition, but she focused on resting ahead of her second WNBA season, playing some golf and supporting her boyfriend Connor McCaffery.

For months, league officials tried to recruit Clark, but she ultimately declined the invitation. Napheesa Collier made it clear she wanted to help Clark elevate her game and name, but she and fans will have to wait at least one more year to see if the former No. 1 overall pick joins this ambitious project.

Napheesa Collier's husband made thoughts clear on Caitlin Clark's potentially joining Unrivaled

Even though she won't be part of the league this season, nobody closed the door for Caitlin Clark to join Unrivaled in the future. Back in November, Alex Bazzell, president of the league and Napheesa Collier's husband, made it clear that the Fever star would be welcome to join the competition whenever she wants.

"LW, so now at the same time, like, of course, I've been on record saying Caitlin will always have a spot in our league and that is true, right? Like, we always want to be a home for the best of the best. She's also first-team All-W you know, we went through our negotiations. Inevitably, she needed time this offseason, which we respect, so we hope to see her next year. She won't be playing this year."

Caitlin Clark had a rollercoaster of a rookie WNBA season, excelling on the court but enduring unnecessary controversies off of it. She still managed to lead the Fever to the postseason for the first time in eight years and is focused on raising the bar this year.

Once the 2025 campaign is over, Unrivaled will have another chance to land her.