As the Unrivaled basketball league prepares for its highly anticipated launch, Phoenix Mercury superstar Brittney Griner has sent a strong message to the WNBA.
The Team USA star is urging the league to step up in response to the innovative model being showcased by Unrivaled.
Brittney Griner calls out WNBA
The 3-on-3 league, co-founded by WNBA All-Stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, is introducing a groundbreaking equity-based financial structure that offers players guaranteed salaries averaging $250,000 and part-ownership stakes.
The model has already sparked conversations about the WNBA’s current approach to player compensation and resources.
Griner, a 10-time WNBA All-Star and one of 36 players set to compete in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, believes the league is proving how quickly transformative changes can happen.
“Unrivaled is showing that you don’t need a lot of time to pool resources together,”Griner said during a press conference.
“Being happy with what we already have is not gonna fly.”
Unrivaled’s debut comes at a pivotal moment for the WNBA.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) recently opted out of the league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), seeking a model that reflects the value players bring to the game.
WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike explained the move: “We’re not just asking for a CBA that reflects our value; we’re demanding it, because we’ve earned it.”
Griner echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for the WNBA to adapt.
“Hopefully, it helps the [WNBA] bring in more viewers, more [corporate] partners,” she said.
“It’s definitely going to put more pressure on the [WNBA] to do better, honestly.”
Unrivaled’s inaugural season, set to run from January to March, has already drawn significant attention.
With games airing on TNT and streaming on Max, the league’s visibility is poised to rival that of major sports organizations.
This moment also marks a personal milestone for Griner, who is participating in an offseason program for the first time since her release from Russian custody in December 2022.