WNBA Players Seek Better Pay and Opportunities
Like many WNBA players looking to supplement their low league salaries, Dallas Wings guard DiJonai Carrington has played basketball overseas.
She didn’t love the experience.
“I think it was just a bad time in my life to also be isolated overseas,” Carrington, who played in Israel, told The Dallas Morning News after a recent practice in Arlington. “To be isolated in another country with people you don’t know, who don’t speak your language and all those things is just tough sometimes.”
Challenges of Playing Overseas
Brittney Griner’s 293-day Russian detainment is the most extreme example of the problems WNBA players could encounter abroad. But some of them didn’t have to play overseas last season, thanks to U.S.-based upstart Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
Unrivaled: A New Opportunity for WNBA Players
Carrington and All-Star Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale spent part of the offseason playing in Unrivaled, which held its inaugural eight-week season in Miami from January to March and boasted an average league salary of more than $220,000 per player.
That figure dwarfs the average salary in the WNBA, which hovers around $150,000 and is close to the league supermaximum of about $250,000. The WNBA runs from May to October, with the Wings starting their season Friday in Arlington against the Minnesota Lynx.
Collective Bargaining Agreement and Player Demands
With conversations between the WNBA and the WNBA players’ union about a new collective bargaining agreement ongoing, players have suggested a lockout is on the table if the league doesn’t meet their salary expectations.
As players pressure the WNBA, so have leagues such as Unrivaled, which has attracted top talent and significant interest while providing competitive compensation.
Unrivaled’s Impact on the WNBA
“Obviously, I’m really proud of what Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart have thought through with that league,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert said last month at the draft about Unrivaled. “What the WNBA offers is a huge platform to our players.”
Unrivaled recently signed Wings rookie Paige Bueckers to a three-year deal. Her first-year salary will reportedly exceed what she would make over her four-year WNBA rookie contract, worth about $348,000. Connected to Unrivaled during her UConn days as part of an NIL deal that included equity in the league, Bueckers signed with it as a professional before Dallas drafted her No. 1 overall last month.
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Bueckers also added her name to the list of high-profile investors in Unrivaled, which announced in December $28 million in funding from Michael Phelps, Giannis Antetokounmpo and others.
Unrivaled’s Success and Future Plans
“It’s easy to watch, like easy to find on TNT and truTV. It’s fun. It’s just a different type of basketball,” Bueckers told The News.
Englebert, who attended Unrivaled games in February, said she appreciated the 18-second shot clock but didn’t see anything she’d consider implementing in the WNBA, which like the NBA uses a 24-second clock.
The WNBA expanded to 13 teams this season with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries. Next year, the league will expand to Canada with the Toronto Tempo and is set to have 16 teams by 2028.
Unrivaled had six teams and 36 players in its inaugural 14-game regular season, which took place at Miami’s 850-seat Wayfair Arena.
Conclusion
The rise of Unrivaled has given WNBA players a new opportunity to earn a better income and gain more exposure. With its competitive compensation and entertaining gameplay, Unrivaled is likely to continue to attract top talent and challenge the WNBA to meet the demands of its players.
Bueckers will join the action next year after her rookie season with the Wings, who have also seen business boom. The organization sold out season tickets for the second consecutive season in November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Unrivaled?
A: Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. It provides a new opportunity for WNBA players to earn a better income and gain more exposure.
Q: How much do Unrivaled players earn?
A: The average league salary in Unrivaled is more than $220,000 per player, which dwarfs the average salary in the WNBA.
Q: Will Unrivaled affect the WNBA?
A: Yes, Unrivaled has already started to challenge the WNBA to meet the demands of its players. The rise of Unrivaled may lead to changes in the WNBA, including increased salaries and better working conditions for players.
