Serena Williams has set her sights on new playing court: basketball. The retired tennis star has invested in the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, Unrivaled, now valued at $340 million, the league said Monday.
Williams participated in the two-year-old league’s Series B investment round through her Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm. Joining her is former FIFA World Cup champion Alex Morgan, through her Trybe Ventures. Tennis legend Billie Jean King and other notable sports figures participated, too.
Bessemer Venture Partners, a venture capital firm, led the investment round.
The Unrivaled league claims to offer players the highest average salary in professional women’s sports league history. It began as a way for WNBA players to earn money in the offseason, without having to play abroad. Its second season tips off in January 2026.
“We’re continuing to align with partners who elevate our league and accelerate our strategic growth. With Bessemer Venture Partners leading this round, Unrivaled is in an unprecedented position for a new sports league,” Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell said in a statement Monday.
Williams, who retired from professional tennis in 2022 and is widely considered one of the game’s greatest players, has a net worth pegged at $350 million, according to Forbes.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion established her fund in 2017. In 2024, she described the thrill — and perils — of investing in early-state companies to the New York Times
“I love winning and being successful, but in early stage, 70 or 80 percent of the businesses fail that you invest in,” Williams told the outlet. “I don’t like that. Having to accept that is difficult for me.”
“If one of our companies ends up not doing well, it’s heartbreaking. A lot of times they don’t do well simply because they can’t raise funding,” she added.
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.
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