Unrivaled Bets Big On College Talent With Watkins, Fudd In NIL Class

Forbes

5 days ago

MEDLEY, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 21: Napheesa Collier #24 of the Lunar Owls goes up for a shot against ... More Angel Reese #5 of Rose during the first half at Wayfair Arena on February 21, 2025 in Medley, Florida. (Photo by)
Unrivaled, in partnership with Samsung, has signed 14 of the most prominent women's college basketball players to NIL deals, launching one of the sport's most ambitious athlete development efforts to date.
The full roster includes:
JuJu Watkins (USC)
Azzi Fudd (UConn)
Lauren Betts (UCLA)
Sienna Betts (UCLA)
Madison Booker (Texas)
Audi Crooks (Iowa State)
MiLaysia Fulwiley (LSU)
Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame)
Flau'jae Johnson (LSU)
Ta'Niya Latson (South Carolina)
Olivia Miles (TCU)
Kiki Rice (UCLA)
Sarah Strong (UConn)
Syla Swords (Michigan)
This class brings with it 32 NCAA Tournament appearances, 25 Sweet 16s, 14 Elite Eights, 10 Final Fours, and four national championships, along with a history of success on the international stage with USA and Canada Basketball. These athletes are already household names in college sports and will likely shape the direction of the game for years to come.
'Investing in elite women's basketball talent is central to our mission,' said Luke Cooper, President of Basketball Operations. 'This is about locking in the best players early and giving them the resources, platform, and support to grow with us.'
Unrivaled Brings A New Model For Women's Basketball
MEDLEY, FLORIDA - MARCH 17: Rose BC members lift the championship trophy after defeating Vinyl BC in ... More the inaugural season of Unrivaled at Wayfair Arena on March 17, 2025 in Medley, Florida. (Photo by)
Launched in 2023, Unrivaled was built to reimagine women's basketball. The league is player-led and structured around a short-form season designed to fit within the WNBA offseason, offering top-tier athletes a chance to earn, grow, and build their brands year-round. Co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league secured investment from high-profile backers including Alex Morgan, Chelsea Clinton, and Carmelo Anthony.
Unlike traditional leagues that rely on centralized team structures, Unrivaled is designed to elevate players as individuals and entrepreneurs. That mission is reflected in this NIL class, which positions the league at the center of the women's basketball pipeline, years before these athletes reach the professional level.
Unrivaled NIL Strategy Focused On Development
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 16: Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers are seen at 'Good Morning America' on ... More April 16, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by The Hapa Blonde/GC Images)
The NIL agreements go beyond endorsement deals. The athletes will attend The Future is Unrivaled Summit, a multi-day event hosted at the league's headquarters in Miami. Programming includes on-court skill development, brand-building sessions, merchandise design, social media strategy, and group activities aimed at creating a sense of community and shared purpose.
Samsung Galaxy, the league's presenting sponsor, will provide the mobile technology powering the summit, giving athletes access to advanced content creation tools and digital experiences.
'Samsung and Unrivaled are building the future of sports,' said Olga Suvorova, Vice President of Mobile eXperience Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. 'This summit isn't just about visibility. It's about opportunity, innovation, and opening new paths for athletes.'
Unrivaled Strengthening Athlete Relationships
BATON ROUGE, LA - MARCH 22: Flau'jae Johnson #4 of the LSU Tigers in action against the San Diego ... More State Aztecs during the First Round of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament held at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on March 22, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Reagan Cotten/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
Unrivaled's model centers around long-term athlete alignment. Last December, the league announced NIL partnerships with Paige Bueckers and Flau'jae Johnson. JuJu Watkins, already an investor through the league's Series A funding round, now deepens her involvement as a participant in the NIL program. These multifaceted relationships reflect a shift in how modern athletes engage with leagues, not just as performers, but as stakeholders and business partners.
By meeting these college athletes early in their careers, Unrivaled is establishing a foundation of trust and loyalty. It's a long game designed to ensure that the league becomes a natural next step in their professional journeys.
Unrivaled Rising Demand Meets Smart Strategy
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 12: Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins (12) is ... More introduced during a NCAA women's basketball game against the Cal State Northridge Matadors on November 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by)
The women's basketball landscape is changing fast. College stars like Watkins, Hidalgo, and Fudd are pulling millions of views on social media and drawing national attention. The 2024 NCAA Women's Final Four shattered viewership records, and WNBA attendance and ratings are rising steadily. Commercial partners, media companies, and fans are recognizing what many inside the sport have long known, the product is elite, and the market is ready.
Unrivaled is capitalizing on this moment by aligning its growth with the talent that is driving the surge. By investing in future stars now, the league is not only building credibility but also setting up a direct pipeline from college to its own platform.
This is a clear shift from the reactive, late-stage recruiting model most leagues rely on. It's proactive, personal, and deeply strategic.
This latest NIL initiative cements Unrivaled as more than a league, it is becoming an incubator for elite talent and a brand built on athlete empowerment. The business case is strong. By offering more than court time, including content opportunities, revenue sharing, brand-building, and investment in players, Unrivaled is building a model that reflects the modern athlete's needs and aspirations.