What is Napheesa Collier's husband Alex Bazzell's role in Unrivaled league?

Unrivaled, the 3x3 league co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, is set to tip off next Friday. Alongside the two WNBA vets, many key figures have been working hard to get the league off the ground. Among these individuals, Alex Bazzell stands out.

What exactly does Bazzell, the husband of Collier, do for Unrivaled? He is the league's President, a role that he has held since the league was founded in February 2023.

One of the most important things that Bazzell has done for Unrivaled is to flesh out and substantiate the league's concept. During a November 2024 appearance on the "Locked on Women's Basketball Podcast," Bazzell — an NBA and WNBA skills coach — recalled a crucial conversation where he and Collier got Stewart on board with the idea:

"This was 2022 at Christmas time in New York over a glass of wine," Bazzell said on the podcast. "[We] talked about what the concept was, and she was all in right away."

In a July 2023 ESPN piece, Stewart shared more in-depth details about that conversation:

"[Bazzell] was explaining the idea of being a part of this league where it's like you're on an all-digital basketball court, you're playing 3-on-3, one-on-one, queen-of-the-court type thing where you hold bragging rights," the New York Liberty forward recalled.

Bazzell, who married Collier in October 2022, has also helped secure financing and media distribution for the startup league. Leading up to Unrivaled's opening day, he has been working with Collier and Stewart to prepare the facilities and beef up promotion for the league's unveiling.

Napheesa Collier and Alex Bazzell told Breanna Stewart to keep a secret

While Bazzell and Collier have poured in plenty of effort to increase visibility for Unrivaled, there's one thing they're keeping under wraps for now. Whether Stewart likes it or not, she's had to show restraint as well.

Shortly before Christmas, Stewie posted a tweet that left netizens hanging. To Bazzell's credit, he was quick to take responsibility for Stewie's limited messaging:

"We told Stewie can't post pictures yet so don't be upset with her," said an apologetic Bazzell.

It's only a matter of time, though, before hoops fans get to see what Stewart was marveling at. Images of the jerseys have been revealed on Instagram, and the league's official X account has released several promotional and BTS clips.

In just a few days, the league that Stewart, Collier, and Bazzell were discussing over a glass of wine in December 2022 is set to become a reality.