Unrivaled appears to drop major Caitlin Clark hint as upstart 3-on-3 league prepares to reveal rosters
Unmatched, the new women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, has apparently dropped a major hint amid rumors that the circuit is interested in WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark.
The league posted a form letter on its
Under the logo of State Farm auto insurance — a company endorsed by Clark — the form letter includes a series of hints about the latest addition to a player pool that already includes WNBA stars Brittney Griner, Angel Reese and Clark’s Indiana Fever teammate, Aliyah Boston.
“Dear management,” the form letter begins. “What may seem like an average Wednesday in November is actually a momentous occasion for those who follow women’s professional basketball.”
It’s at this point in the letter that Unrivaled starts dropping the number 22, which happens to be Clark’s jersey at both Iowa and with the Fever.
Unmatched, the new women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, has apparently dropped a major hint amid rumors that the circuit is interested in WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark
The league posted a form letter on its
‘Please excuse me [blank space] from 11 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. ET so they can watch Unrivaled’s Basketball Club Selection presented by State Farm.
“Let’s be clear: this is not just a schedule announcement,” the letter continues. “This is the moment that lays the foundation for the first season of the new star-studded 3V3 competition, kicking off on January 17, 2025 in Miami and airing on TNT and Max.
“Will teammates join each other in Unrivaled? Friends? Enemies? All will be revealed at 11am ET on Unrivaled’s YouTube channel.”
Of course, Clark isn’t the only possibility here. Three-time MVP A’Ja Wilson also happens to be No. 22 in Las Vegas. Plus, Wilson has her own deal with State Farm.
And then there’s the possibility of both Clark and Wilson joining the league. After all, there are still two openings left for the novice circuit with 36 players.
Clark reacts on the eighth green ahead of The ANNIKA, piloted by Gainbridge at Pelican 2024 at Pelican Golf Club on November 13
Although she previously stated that she would not participate in an offseason league, a recent interview suggests that Clark is not completely rejecting the 3-on-3 league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
“We’ll see,” Clark told IndyStar and ESPN. ‘Don’t know. Just take it as it goes and see if I want to play in the end.”
In October, Front Office Sports reported that Unrivaled offered Clark a lucrative deal similar to what Inter Miami handed Lionel Messi to bring him to MLS from Europe.
Additionally, several of Clark’s friends have already filled spots on the roster for the league’s inaugural season. Namely Fever teammates Boston and Lexie Hull and former Iowa teammate Kate Martin, who was drafted this year by the Las Vegas Aces.
There had been some discussion that Clark’s commitment to the annual Women’s Sports Awards luncheon in Kansas City on February 4 would conflict with Unrivaled’s season, but ESPN’s Michael Voepel reports that there are no matches scheduled that day.
A’ja Wilson attends the WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards at the Museum of Modern Art in October. Like Clark, Wilson wears number 22 and the Aces star also has a State Farm deal
There had been some discussion that Clark’s commitment to the annual Women’s Sports Awards luncheon in Kansas City on Feb. 4 would conflict with Unrivaled’s season.
Unrivaled will be based in Miami, Florida, with its inaugural season beginning in January 2025. The league will feature 30 players from the WNBA and NCAA and will have the highest average salaries in the history of women’s sports.
The league offers a great alternative in the United States, as women’s basketball players typically play abroad during the offseason to fill financial gaps.
On October 16, Unrivaled announced a multi-year media rights deal with TNT. Games will also be available on Max and truTV.
While Clark remains undecided about joining, peerless president Alex Bazzell was confident they will have a spot for the 2024 Rookie of the Year if she joins them in 2025.
“We always have a spot open for Caitlin Clark,” Bazzell told Sportico in October.
“We don’t do a full press like people think. We let her relax from basketball,” Bazzell added. “She knows we have a place for her when she’s ready.”