WNBA star rookie Angel Reese already knows what she will be doing during her first offseason.
Reese became the first rookie in the league to join Unrivaled, the player-owned professional women’s basketball league co-founded by the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart.
The 3-on-3 league, which is based out of Miami, is set to begin in January 2025.
Reese made the announcement on social media along with Unrivaled.
“305 BARBIEEEEE,” she captioned her post with a crown emoji, with the “305” being Miami’s zip code. “SEE YALL IN THE YAMSSSSSSS.”
Reese marks the 10th player to join Unrivaled, which also includes Stewart, Collier, Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Copper and Jackie Young.
It is not uncommon for WNBA players to find supplemental pay in the offseason by playing elsewhere, usually finding a roster spot overseas.
However, Unrivaled players will have equity and a vested interest in the league’s success. It will feature 30 of the top players in the game, playing on six 3-on-3 teams, and the league boasts “historic contract opportunities offering the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history.”
The league has its first and founding partner on board, Ally Financial, as well as other top athletes in various sports, including USWNT legends Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, NBA icons Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash, and many top names in business, including Gary Vaynerchuck.
“For years, women have relied heavily on off-court sponsorships for a majority of their income,” Stewart said, via the New York Post. “With Unrivaled, we’re revolutionizing the game by prioritizing investments in our stars and ensuring their on-court performance is reflected in their pay.”
For any league to have success, it needs to be popular, and Reese has already helped the WNBA expand its viewership more than what it has accomplished with the other women in this new league in prior seasons.
Along with Caitlin Clark and other rookies with star status in college, Reese’s performances and comments post-game have led to talk show segments and much more debate on social media, leading to more eyes on the games.
The WNBA All-Star Game also featured two rookies for the first time since 2014, as Clark and Reese showcased their skills as teammates instead of rivals for once. There were 3.44 million people watching the game, as Team WNBA defeated Team USA, 117-109.
Reese understands just how popular she is already in the pros, but like the veteran stars around her, she is using her skills and platform to help grow another league – one where she will have equity alongside her fellow hoopers.
Reese signed a four-year, $324,383 contract with the Chicago Sky when she was drafted seventh overall. She is making $73,439 for her rookie season.
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