On Tuesday, Unrivaled Basketball made an announcement that was seemingly hinting at Caitlin Clark's potential participation in the league. On Wednesday, though, it was revealed that Clark will not be participating in Unrivaled this year, via Michael Voepel of ESPN.
Voepel revealed that a source told ESPN that the Indiana Fever star will not play in the new league, which is scheduled to begin in January.
Caitlin Clark not playing in Unrivaled Basketball
Although fans are surely disappointed, it is difficult to blame Clark for her decision. She has not had much time off over the past year, having joined the WNBA right after her college basketball season came to an end. The first overall pick was immediately given plenty of responsibility with the Fever.
Clark led Indiana to the postseason but the Fever were defeated by the Connecticut Sun. Nevertheless, Indiana's future remains bright.
Rumors have swirled about Clark's potential Unrivaled participation throughout the WNBA offseason. Wednesday's update confirms that Clark will indeed not play in the league this year.
Fever fans may not mind Clark's decision. They would rather see her return once the WNBA season begins healthy and well-rested. Unrivaled Basketball will last two months as it is scheduled to end in March. Although Unrivaled players will still have some time to rest and recover before the beginning of the WNBA season, Clark will be especially well-rested heading into the new campaign.
Who is playing in Unrivaled?
Although Caitlin Clark will be missed in Unrivaled, there is still plenty of star-power in the league. Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled Basketball's co-founders, will play. Angel Reese, Arike Ogunbowale, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Plum and Rickea Jackson are among the other star players set to participate.
Unrivaled provides players with a competitive alternative to playing overseas. The league allows players the chance to improve while playing against WNBA competition. Of course, the competitive element cannot be ignored as each team will want to win the Unrivaled championship.
The primary goal, though, will be to stay healthy and continue to improve ahead of the 2025 WNBA season. It will be interesting to see what kind of reception Unrivaled Basketball receives in its first season. It projects to be exciting, so one has to imagine that fans will watch despite Clark's absence.