The group discusses the *Unrivaled* league, a new 3-on-3 league that is trying to attract star Caitlin Clark. Despite signing prominent players like Ayah Boston and Lexi Hull, they believe the league is primarily interested in Clark because she is a public figure. *Unrivaled* is trying to build buzz around the league, but the group sees it as a “fishing” tactic using Clark’s fame. According to the *Sports Business Journal*, there is a 60% chance that Caitlin Clark will join the league, and they are offering her more than a million dollars and a stake in the league.
However, the group is skeptical, saying that Clark is already financially secure and should not join because of her contributions to the growth of the WNBA. They say she has helped women travel on private jets, created a buzz for the league, and helped secure the future of the WNBA. Therefore, the group believes that Clark does not need to make further sacrifices for the other female players.
The group also warned that if she participated, it could damage her reputation if the tournament did not meet expectations. The 3-on-3 tournament did not attract audiences and would likely only attract ridicule on social media. They also mentioned that the 3-on-3 basketball tournament for men (Big3) was not as successful as expected. The general opinion was that audiences were just starting to pay attention to 5-on-5 women’s basketball, so adding another 3-on-3 tournament would not be effective and could even create a negative image for women’s basketball.
Another opinion was that Caitlin Clark might be exhausted after the season, having to shoulder a lot of pressure from leading Iowa to the finals and playing at a high intensity. The group advised her to take time to rest and improve her physical condition before participating in any other tournaments.
Clark seems to be focused on developing in the WNBA, wanting to become a standout player and win a championship there before considering other opportunities. This leads the team to believe that she would not easily take the risk of *Unrivaled*.
However, if Clark does not participate, she may face pressure from the public and her peers, thinking she is above them. Some players such as Breanna Stewart have been very supportive of Clark, while former teammates such as Lexi Hull and Kate Martin have agreed to participate in *Unrivaled*.
The team believes that, despite the outside pressure, Clark should consider carefully because the three-on-three tournament has no long-term potential. They predict that it will be ridiculed on social media and will have difficulty attracting an audience.
Ultimately, the team encourages Clark to cite health reasons as a reason to avoid participating in the tournament, because if she does not, there could be many negative consequences for her reputation in the women’s basketball community.
