“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 Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 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:
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 our sister publication The IX and receive our independent women’s sports newsletter six days a week. Learn more about your favorite athletes and teams around the world competing in soccer, tennis, basketball, golf, hockey and gymnastics from our incredible team of writers.
Readers of The Next 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.
Tune in to Locked On Women’s Basketball
Here at The Next, in addition to the 24/7/365 written content our staff provides, we also host the daily Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast. Join us Monday through Saturday each week as we discuss all things WNBA, collegiate basketball, basketball history and much more. Listen wherever you find podcasts or watch on YouTube.
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.