Despite the new Unrivaled 3v3 basketball league “leaving a roster spot open” for Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard reportedly won’t be joining in January.
Unrivaled unveiled the majority of the rosters for its six teams on Wednesday morning with 34 of 36 total players announced. The league still has two “wildcard” spots available, and one place was likely reserved for Clark in case she changed her mind.
The league was originally slated to have just 30 spots but a boom in investment increased the number to 36. Games will be aired on both TNT and Max.
But Clark will turn down a reported $1 million, per ESPN, as she prioritizes rest and an escape from the spotlight during her first WNBA offseason
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The 22-year-old spent the last 12 months constantly in the spotlight. Clark chased and eventually broke the all-time NCAA scoring record while at Iowa before leading the Hawkeyes to the national championship game in March.
She was selected by the Fever with the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft just weeks later led the team to the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. A historic statline earned her the league’s Rookie of the Year honor.
Clark has mostly laid low this offseason beside from an appearance at the Annika LPGA pro-am tournament. When asked by the Indianapolis Star if she had any interest in joining Unrivaled last month, she said. “We’ll see. I don’t know. Just taking it as it goes, and see if I want to play eventually.”
Clark has enjoyed golfing this offseason (
Image:
Getty Images)
Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell practically admitted the league held the two extra wildcard spots in case Clark expressed a sudden interest in joining.
“We’re always going to have a roster spot for Caitlin Clark,” he told Sportico. “We’re not applying a full-court press the way people think… She knows that we have a spot for her when she’s ready.”
“[We’re] proud of what we’ve built, and we’re in a position to succeed. But if she played, she would take it to another level.,” he continued. “She knows we would love to have her.”
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Some of Clark’s former and current teammates will take part in the 3v3 league. Kate Martin shared the court with Clark for four seasons at Iowa – she’ll team up with Kelsey Plum and Alyssa Thomas for the Laces Basketball Club.
Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever will join stars Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard with the Vinyl Basketball Club under the guidance of former Chicago Sky coach Teresa Witherspoon.
