Unrivaled Gives Top College Stars NIL Deals on WNBA's Big Weekend
Lauren Betts (UCLA), Azzi Fudd (UConn) and Olivia Miles (TCU)—potentially the top three WNBA draft selections in 2026—are among the 14 college athletes who have signed marketing deals with Unrivaled ahead of its second season. The list also includes USC star JuJu Watkins and Flau'jae Johnson (LSU), both of whom already had equity in the league.
More from Sportico.com
WNBA Players Walk Away 'Frustrated' After CBA Talks Stall
WNBA Players Getting Share of Expansion Fees Would Be Unique
WNBA National Viewership Up Despite Clark's Injury Absences
Unrivaled announced the NIL deals during the WNBA's 2025 All-Star weekend. The agreements come with no commitments for the signees to play in the startup venture founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
Unrivaled's monetary value for players is an ongoing point of discussion in the WNBA, because it has become a model for better pay. The 3-on-3 league's average salary of $220,000 is near the WNBA's max base salary. Many of the WNBA's top players participated in Unrivaled's first season, and it has now tied its name to many of the nation's best college athletes.
Unrivaled-linked players set to join the WNBA in the coming years could enjoy the fruits of the Women's National Basketball Players Association's ongoing labor fight, which includes pushes for higher salaries and a greater share of leaguewide revenues. That is if the union achieves the 'transformational' deal it seeks.
A WNBA work stoppage would be detrimental for the momentum of the league and its players—especially as fan engagement remains near an all-time high. Those involved in Unrivaled at least have some level of personal protection in the event of continued labor unrest, as many of them received equity as part of their deals to join the Miami-based venture.
Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers, who participated in a well-attended CBA meeting in Indianapolis on Thursday, is among the WNBA players with equity in Unrivaled. The former UConn star will receive a check next year regardless of if the WNBA has a new CBA.
News of Bueckers' lucrative three-year deal with Unrivaled leaked a day prior to the WNBA Draft in April, and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert was forced to address it during her annual draft press conference. The Wings guard's first-year Unrivaled salary reportedly exceeds what she'll make in her first four years in the WNBA combined.
The six-team winter league, played across 10 weeks between January and March, has long stated that it was designed to be additive to the WNBA. It strives to be a domestic option for players who want to avoid competing overseas to supplement their income.
But as WNBA owners invest more into their teams and training facilities, some are asking for prioritization of the W over alt leagues such as Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited. Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams vocalized her frustration on the matter to reporters on Friday afternoon.
'It's very clear that the league wants to push away all other leagues,' Williams said. 'It would make sense if they were paying us more here but it's not the case even with the new proposals.'
Collier, a vice president on the WNBPA executive committee, recently pushed back on critics who view her role leading CBA negotiations and being a co-founder of Unrivaled as a conflict of interest. The Minnesota Lynx star said Unrivaled only benefits the WNBA as it grows the profile and fandom surrounding its biggest stars.
Unrivaled has infiltrated WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis by setting up its own pop-up activation featuring game day fan experiences, player appearances and merch drops. It's the latest move for the league to grow its presence beyond its Miami homebase.
The new crop of college players, including Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame) and Madison Booker (Texas), backing the league will only help build that name recognition as the labor fight in the WNBA continues.
Best of Sportico.com
Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025?
Browns Officially Get Public Money for New Stadium in Ohio Budget
WNBA Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From Golden State to Atlanta
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
ICF to Present at the Canaccord Genuity 45th Annual Growth Conference
RESTON, Va., Aug. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI), a leading global solutions and technology provider, today announced its participation at the Canaccord Genuity 45th Annual Growth Conference in Boston. ICF Chief Executive Officer John Wasson and Executive Vice President of Energy, Environment and Infrastructure Anne Choate will participate in a fireside chat at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 13. A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available at replay will be available for 90 days following the conference. About ICF ICF is a leading global solutions and technology provider with approximately 9,000 employees. At ICF, business analysts and policy specialists work together with digital strategists, data scientists and creatives. We combine unmatched industry expertise with cutting-edge engagement capabilities to help organizations solve their most complex challenges. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future. Learn more at Caution Concerning Forward-looking Statements Statements that are not historical facts and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may concern our current expectations about our future results, plans, operations and prospects and involve certain risks, including those related to the government contracting industry generally; our particular business, including our dependence on contracts with U.S. federal government agencies; and our ability to acquire and successfully integrate businesses. These and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section of our securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and we specifically disclaim any obligation to update these statements in the future. Investor information contact:Lynn Morgen, AdvisIRy Partners, +1.212.750.5800 or David Gold, AdvisIRy Partners, +1.212.750.5800 Company information contact:Lauren Dyke, ICF, +1.571.373.5577 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE ICF
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why Upstart Stock Is Plummeting Today
Key Points Upstart reported its Q2 results and actually beat Wall Street's sales and earnings targets. The lending specialist also raised its full-year revenue target, but the stock is still getting crushed today. Investors are worried about inflation headwinds and competitive risks, but those who are risk tolerant may want to take a close look at the stock. 10 stocks we like better than Upstart › The stock of Upstart Holdings (NASDAQ: UPST) is sinking today following the company's recent earnings report. The fintech specialist's share price was down 18.2% as of 3:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 was up 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 1.1%. Upstart released its second-quarter results after the market closed Tuesday and reported sales and earnings for the period that came in significantly ahead of Wall Street's targets. The company also raised its full-year sales outlook, but some cautious commentary from management spurred a big sell-off today. Upstart sinks despite strong Q2 results By most measures, Upstart delivered a strong earnings update with its second-quarter release. The company posted earnings per share of $0.15 on sales of $257 million, crushing the average analyst estimate's calls for a per-share loss of $0.10 on sales of $225.4 million. Loans originated through the company's artificial intelligence (AI) lending platform rose 159% year over year to reach nearly 372,600, and overall revenue was up roughly 101%. Even though the business posted an operating loss of $4.5 million in the period, performance from investments delivered an unexpected profit in the quarter. Management even raised its full-year revenue outlook in conjunction with the report, but the beat-and-raise quarter hasn't been enough to prevent big sell-offs. What's next for Upstart? The company said that inflation continues to be a significant risk factor, and said it was seeing more competitive activity in the business' key service niches. On the other hand, it actually raised its full-year sales performance target to approximately $1.055 billion -- up from its previous guidance for about $1.01 billion. With the stock seeing a big pullback despite a strong second quarter and encouraging performance outlook for the rest of the year, today's trading could present a worthwhile buying opportunity for risk-tolerant investors. Should you buy stock in Upstart right now? Before you buy stock in Upstart, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Upstart wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $619,036!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,092,648!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,026% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025 Keith Noonan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Upstart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Upstart Stock Is Plummeting Today was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Insurer AIG posts higher quarterly profit on underwriting strength
(Reuters) -American International Group reported a higher second-quarter profit on Wednesday, powered by strong underwriting gains and higher returns on investments. Insurers like AIG and Travelers Cos are benefiting as businesses and individuals have maintained spending on insurance against the backdrop of economic uncertainty. "We continued to make significant progress on our long-term strategic, operational and financial objectives while navigating a dynamic macroeconomic environment," CEO Peter Zaffino said in a statement. General insurance net premiums written, on a comparable basis, rose to $6.88 billion in the three months ended June 30. General insurance underwriting income soared 46% to $626 million. AIG's general insurance combined ratio came in at 89.3% on an adjusted basis, compared with 92.5% a year earlier. A ratio below 100 signifies that the insurer earned more from premiums than it paid out in claims. A rebound in the stock markets following tariffs-related volatility has also helped insurers boost their investment income. Net investment income jumped 48% to $1.47 billion in the second quarter, driven by a change in the fair value of AIG's equity in Corebridge and higher income on available for sale fixed maturity securities. The company retains a stake in Corebridge, the life and retirement insurer it spun off in 2022. AIG posted catastrophe-related charges of $170 million in the quarter, down from $330 million in the year-ago period. The company - one of the world's largest commercial insurers - reported adjusted after-tax income attributable to common shareholders of $1.04 billion, or $1.81 per share, compared with $771 million, or $1.16 per share, a year earlier. Shares of the company have gained nearly 8% in 2025, outperforming the broader Dow Jones U.S. Select Insurance Index. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
