July 19, 2025
Unrivaled NIL: 14 women’s college basketball players sign deals
The 14 players have won four national championships and made 32 NCAA Tournament appearances
Unrivaled, a 3×3 league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, played its inaugural season last winter. The league gives WNBA players another opportunity to stay in shape and work on their game while staying in the United States during the offseason. Now, the league is continuing to invest in women’s basketball by signing 14 college players to NIL deals.
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
“Investing in elite women’s basketball talent is central to Unrivaled’s mission,” Luke Cooper, Unrivaled’s president of basketball operations, said in a press release. “This transformational, first-of-its-kind initiative brings together the best of the best and reflects our deep commitment to elevating the women’s game and holistically supporting athletes.”
The IX Basketball, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom powered by The Next
The IX Basketball: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX Sports. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
Here are the 14 players signed:
- Lauren Betts (UCLA)
- Sienna Betts (UCLA)
- Madison Booker (Texas)
- Audi Crooks (Iowa State)
- Azzi Fudd (UConn)
- 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)
- JuJu Watkins (USC)
Throughout their careers, the 14 players have dominated the college game. Combined, they have won four national championships. They have also made a total of 32 NCAA Tournaments, 25 Sweet 16s, 14 Elite Eights and 10 Final Fours. The list includes two 2025 national champions, Fudd and Strong; a 2024 Olympian in Swords; and 2025 FIBA AmeriCup gold medalists Booker, Crooks, Hidalgo, Johnson and Miles.
Want even more women’s sports in your inbox?
Subscribe now to The IX Sports and receive our daily women’s sports newsletter covering soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers. That includes Basketball Wednesday from founder and editor Howard Megdal.
Readers of The IX Basketball now save 50% on their subscription to The IX.
The players will participate in “The Future is Unrivaled Summit,” a multi-day event at the Unrivaled headquarters in Miami. The event will include skill development sessions, content and merchandise shoots, and group bonding activities.
Previously, the league signed Johnson and current Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers to NIL deals as part of its “The Future is Unrivaled” campaign. Watkins also became an investor in the league before the inaugural season.
Rose BC won the first season of Unrivaled, topping Vinyl BC in the championship game. Current Dallas Wings assistant coach Nola Henry led Rose BC, and the roster was composed of Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Lexie Hull, Angel Reese, Azura Stevens, Brittney Sykes, and relief players Natisha Hiedeman and Naz Hillmon.
In addition, Collier won the league’s first one-on-one tournament, beating Aaliyah Edwards in the final. Stevens and Arike Ogunbowale made the semifinals of the event.