Unrivaled 2025: 3 key ways the offseason's marquee tournament benefited WNBA stars

The first season of Unrivaled has officially wrapped, with Rose BC crowned as the league’s inaugural champions and Napheesa Collier claiming the title in the one-on-one tournament. The league, created by Collier and fellow WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart, was founded with a mission to uplift women’s basketball and offer new opportunities for athletes.

Unrivaled not only put individual players in the spotlight but also helped raise the profile of women’s basketball in the U.S., where WNBA players typically spend their offseasons competing overseas.

Now that the inaugural season has concluded, here are three major ways Unrivaled has made a difference for women’s basketball.

3 key ways the offseason's marquee tournament benefited WNBA stars

#1. Lucrative earnings

According to Sports Business Journal, Unrivaled players averaged salaries of $250,000, with every athlete securing a six-figure paycheck along with equity in the league. This stands in stark contrast to current WNBA salaries, where the 2024 minimum base salary is $64,150 and the supermax salary cap is $241,984.

Players had chances to collect even more through bonuses.

Collier earned $200,000 for winning the midseason one-on-one tournament, nearly matching her 2025 WNBA salary of $214,284, plus a $50,000 bonus that she split with her five Lunar Owls teammates. Aaliyah Edwards, who finished second in the one-on-one tilt, took home $50,000, and semifinalists each received $25,000.

Members of Rose BC, after winning the three-on-three championship, were each awarded $50,000 in prize money.

These financial rewards show women’s basketball is moving in the right direction, and there will be plenty of curiosity about how this success influences upcoming WNBA collective bargaining talks.

#2. Building bonds on home soil

Unrivaled created opportunities for players to form relationships while staying on home soil. Instead of heading overseas like many do during the offseason, WNBA stars stayed stateside and connected with players from other teams.

Friendships and partnerships bloomed, including the growing bond between Rose BC’s Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper.

#3. Increased visibility

Unrivaled’s three-on-three format brought faster-paced play, spotlighting more athletes in quick, exciting bursts — ideal for highlight reels and today’s attention-challenged viewers. During the off-season, WNBA stars are often featured for their off-court lives, but Unrivaled kept the focus squarely on their on-court talents.

With a fresh format and a smaller pool packed with star talent, players elevated their performances.

Napheesa Collier claimed MVP honors after falling short of the WNBA award to A’ja Wilson. Angel Reese took home Defensive Player of the Year after missing out on that same recognition in the WNBA to Caitlin Clark. Even on the sidelines, recognition came as NBA skills trainer D.J. Sackmann was named Coach of the Year.