Napheesa Collier Takes Home $200K and Unrivaled 1-on-1 Crown, Beating Aaliyah Edwards in Final
Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament
Napheesa Collier of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx took home $200,000 on Friday after beating Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in the final of Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament. The winner’s check was the largest one-day prize in women’s basketball history, according to Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler, a big payday that was among the goals of Collier and fellow WNBA star Breanna Stewart when they founded the 3-on-3 league.
Prize and Performance
Unrivaled gives WNBA players opportunities to compete in the United States and earn good salaries – an especially attractive option for players who for years suited up overseas in the offseason to supplement their income. Players earn an average salary of more than $220,000 during the eight-week season, which is close to the maximum base salary in the WNBA.
Collier, a No. 1 seed in the 30-player tournament, won the best-of-three series 2-1 over the eighth-seeded Edwards to become Unrivaled’s first 1-on-1 champion. Each game between the former UConn standouts was played to a winning score of 8, with Edwards coming from behind to take the opener and Collier winning the final two.
Team and Individual Performances
Collier’s five Unrivaled teammates each received $10,000 from the tournament’s $350,000 prize pool. Edwards got $50,000 for reaching the final. Collier hopes women’s basketball can embrace the 1-on-1 format.
"You see guys or boys playing in the parks – like pickup or one-on-ones, and you don’t see that on the women’s side as much," she said. "So that’s something we’re trying to change, just that atmosphere where everything’s not as organized basketball, but just playing in your backyard or at the park."
Semifinals and Quarterfinals
Earlier Friday, Collier overwhelmed former UConn teammate and No. 6 seed Azura Stevens in their semifinal matchup. Collier scored the first eight points of the game and the reigning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year relied on stifling defense to win 11-2. Collier breezed past Katie Lou Samuelson in the first round before winning a physical second-round battle against Rickea Jackson. She then beat her Lynx and Lunar Owls teammate Courtney Williams to reach the semifinals.
Championship and Semifinals Results
She shot her way past Edwards in the decisive Game 3, making 4 of 6 shots and holding Edwards scoreless. Edwards, who plays for Mist in Unrivaled, beat two top-seeded opponents on her way to the final, cruising past No. 1 seed Arike Ogunbowale 11-2 in the first semifinal matchup earlier Friday. Before that, she shut down No. 1 seed Stewart 12-0 in the opening round. After earning a second-round bye, Edwards topped third-seeded Allisha Gray 12-6.
Ogunbowale and Stevens won $25,000 each for reaching the semifinals. Rounds up to the finals were single-elimination and played to a winning score of 11. All games had traditional scoring, with each basket worth either two or three points.
Post-Tournament Statements
The 22-year-old Edwards is preparing for her second season with the Mystics and hopes her performance Friday shows how hard she’s been working to improve.
"I’m proud of myself. No one could take that away from me," Edwards said. "All the work I put in. I was able to just showcase that and kind of let everyone know that, you know, I’m not one to play with."
Collier noted that the physicality of some matchups left a lot of players gassed during the tournament, which is something she said could be addressed next season.
She’d love to see a similar event for NBA players.
"It’s up to the players if they want to do it," Collier said. "You’re putting your name on the line. You’re putting your reputation on the line. It’s a vulnerable situation. So again, I really commend everyone who competed in this because… anyone can win."
Conclusion
Collier’s win capped a dominant tournament run, and she is set to take home the largest one-day prize in women’s basketball history. The Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament has shown that women’s basketball can be competitive, entertaining, and lucrative.
FAQs
- What was the prize money for the Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament?
The total prize money was $350,000, with the winner receiving $200,000 and the runner-up receiving $50,000. - How did Collier perform in the tournament?
Collier won the best-of-three series 2-1 over the eighth-seeded Edwards, winning the final two games after coming from behind to take the opener. - What was the format of the tournament?
The tournament was a single-elimination bracket, with each game played to a winning score of 8 or 11. The semifinals and finals were best-of-three series.
