Napheesa Collier graciously gives away half of her $200,000 Unrivaled prize money in classy move

Lunar Owls star and Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier reportedly gave away half her $200,000 Unrivaled prize money on Friday. The Minnesota Lynx forward won the league's first 1-on-1 tournament on Feb, 14, defeating Aaliyah Edwards in the Finals by a margin of 2-1 in the three-game series.

According to a report by ESPN's Kendra Andrews, the former UConn star presumably gave away half of her $200,000 cash prize to her training staff and assistant coaches in Miami. This classy move was shared by the ESPN reporter on X (formerly Twitter) as she posted a tweet about it, captioning it with a short message:

"Out of Unrivaled: Napheesa Collier is giving half of her $200k reward money from her 1-on-1 tournament win to her training staff and assistant coaches in Miami, sources tell ESPN," she disclosed.

The $200,000 cash prize is the largest one-day prize in women's basketball history. It fulfills a promise made by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier before the league's launch in January. The co-founders had assured both audiences and players that the league aimed to provide significant financial rewards to everyone involved. This substantial individual cash prize clearly illustrates that commitment.

Apart from the mammoth cash prize received by Collier, finalist Aaliyah Edwards received $50,000 for her effort while all of Collier's Lunar Owls teammates received $10,000 each for her win. The league continues to grow exponentially in its first season and looks to change the women's basketball landscape once and for all.

Napheesa Collier shares her enthusiasm for creating new opportunities for WNBA players while excelling herself

The new 3x3 Unrivaled league, co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, has provided WNBA stars with an alternative during the off-season. Before the league's launch in January, players often went overseas during the off-season. However, with the introduction of Unrivaled, WNBA stars have found an opportunity to stay in the US while still playing high-level basketball.

After her 1-on-1 tournament victory, Collier addressed this subject while also highlighting how the league has been offering cash prizes that are bigger than annual WNBA salaries:

"My entire WNBA salary is what I just got in 30 minutes of playing one-on-one, which is insane to even say. And same for [playing] overseas. A lot of people, this is their full contract, so you're playing seven months for this kind of money," Collier said.

Napheesa Collier has been setting the standard as the co-founder, not only by winning the league's first 1-on-1 tournament but also by leading the league in points. Her stellar performances have propelled the Lunar Owls to an impressive 8-1 record. Collier is averaging 27.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, showcasing her all-around excellence on the court.