NEW YORK — After making a splash in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, Angel Reese decided not to return for Year 2. She then made a surprise comeback at the tail end of the season.
Before the Unrivaled semifinals at Barclays Center, league president Alex Bazzell explained how the league maintained its connection with Reese during her absence.
“We knew that this year there were going to be some issues with her calendar,” Bazzell said. “Her shoe release came out. She went overseas, so there was a constant dialogue of could we make it work earlier in the season or not?”
Bazzell said Reese didn’t want to be a distraction by coming in and out of the league while juggling other commitments, so she ultimately chose not to play. But when injuries hit Rose, a need opened up. The team was also looking to bolster its roster ahead of a playoff push.
So Reese returned, with a nudge from her former Sky coach and Unrivaled Vinyl coach Teresa Weatherspoon.
“I won’t say that I was the one to convince her but we … speak about the game a lot,” Weatherspoon told the Sun-Times ahead of Vinyl’s semifinal matchup against Phantom. “I know how she’s working in her offseason … and as you’re growing your game, live reps are important. That’s all I said. Live reps are important. Get you some live reps if that’s what you wanna do.”
Live reps were indeed good for Reese, who will suit up for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers later this month. And they were good for Rose, too. Coming off the bench over four games, Reese averaged a double-double and helped the team qualify for the playoffs.
For the league as a whole, Year 2 brought cause for both celebration and concern. Hugely successful tour stops in Philadelphia and New York helped grow revenue to $45 million, up from $27 million last year. But television ratings declined and remain well below other women’s basketball properties like the WNBA and college basketball.
The big question for Unrivaled going forward is whether it can keep stars like Reese in the fold. Bazzell reiterated his mission of making the league home for “the best players.”
Compensation was a major draw in the first place. Reese made more in her debut Unrivaled season than she would have earned over the life of her WNBA rookie contract under the previous collective bargaining agreement.
But the landscape is shifting quickly. According to the most recent CBA proposals, top players are poised to make more than $1 million in WNBA salary for the first time. Unrivaled will have to be creative in how it retains stars like Reese, who will soon be earning big from both the WNBA and endorsements.
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In her second game back, Reese helped Rose BC clinch a playoff spot. She said the league has been calling her the whole season to return.
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As franchise valuations surge, early investors, longtime fans and players from the inaugural season reflect on what the Sky mean, and what they could become.
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