2025 WNBA Off-Season

[Basingstoke]

This is just to amplify your point as I am not sure some people fully grasp the import of what you are saying.

Here is an interview with Alex Bazzell (Unrivaled president and Napheesa’s husband, a top basketball trainer (website)):

Women’s basketball revolutionized: How Unrivaled will change everything | SB Nation

Imagine someone else pays top players for WNBA offseason player development in the U.S. for two months overseen by some of the top player development professionals within a “one-roof” arrangement.

• And the players who join Unrivaled view the WNBA as their marquee job that they are preparing for — a job that currently doesn’t pay well;
• And the players who join Unrivaled benefit from “player narratives” (Turner Sports/ Unrivaled initiative) that make them more marketable (for endorsement income), which in turn garners women’s professional basketball more eyeballs in the WNBA’s offseason, which in turn the WNBA can benefit from.

It is thus bewildering that the WNBA/ NBA is hostile to any symbiotic rising tide that is not of their (pitiful) handiwork.

I believe that they're scared of the specter of the success of Unrivaled's business/compensation model. It's just something that they can't abide in the W.

 

[maccca3232]

There is a separate thread for Unrivaled but there is none for Athletes Unlimited (see Instagram here).

Quick update: Over half the roster spots (21 of the 40) have been announced (see website here). The list includes 19 who played in the WNBA this past season.

Note 1: There could be changes (e.g. Kaitlyn Chen subsequently signed overseas contract. Thread here).
Note 2: Players highlighted in red didn't play in WNBA past season.

Returning Players

1. Odyssey Sims
2. Jaylyn Sherrod
3. Theresa Plaisance
4. Kia Nurse
5. Isabelle Harrison
6. Sydney Colson
7. Alysha Clark
8. Lexie Brown

New Players (Last Offseason)

1. Natasha Mack (Turkey)
2. Brianna Turner (Australia)
3. Kiah Stokes (Turkey)
4. NaLyssa Smith (China)
5. Jacy Sheldon (Ohio State - Director of Player Development)
6. Te-Hina Paopao (College)
7. Aaliyah Nye (College)
8. Aneesah Morrow (College)
9. Deja Kelly (College)
10. Bree Hall (College)
11. Kaitlyn Chen (College)
12. Tina Charles (Turkey)
13. Ariel Atkins (Turkey)