Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, officially announced NIL deals with 14 college basketball players over the weekend. The group is headlined by USC’s JuJu Watkins, LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson and UConn’s Azzi Fudd.
“Investing in elite women’s basketball talent is central to Unrivaled’s mission,” Unrivaled president of basketball operations Luke Cooper said in a statement. “This transformational, first-of-its-kind initiative brings together the bets of the best and reflect our deep commitment to electing the women’s game and holistically supporting athletes.”
Last year, the only college players signed with the league were Johnson and now-Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers. However, Watkins was already involved with the league as an investor, which was announced last December.
College players with an NIL deal will not be playing next during the 2026 Unrivaled season, but they will still be involved in the marketing of the league. The newly announced NIL roster features college players that range from sophomores to seniors, no freshmen or high school players.
2025 The Future of Unrivaled NIL class
- JuJu Watkins — USC
- Lauren Betts — UCLA
- Sienna Betts — UCLA
- Kiki Rice — UCLA
- Hannah Hidalgo — Notre Dame
- Azzi Fudd — UConn
- Sarah Strong — UConn
- Madison Booker — Texas
- Audi Crooks — Iowa State
- MiLaysia Fulwiley — LSU
- Flau’jae Johnson — LSU
- Olivia Miles — TCU
- Ta’Niya Latson — South Carolina
- Syla Swords — Michigan
Unrivaled played its inaugural season earlier this year in Miami. Team Rose, which featured Angel Reese and Chelsea Gray, lifted the 2025 trophy. Reese was also named the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year. Meanwhile, the MVP honor went to Collier, who played for the Lunar Owls.
The 2026 season will tip off in January, but there are still more details that haven’t been released yet. While Miami will still be the central location, the league might visit other cities. There will still only be six teams competing, but Unrivaled is set to add 6-8 members to the player pool, Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell told USA Today earlier this year.
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