Will Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark play in the new Unrivaled Basketball league? It seems unlikely at the moment, but it has not been officially ruled out of the question. Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell recently addressed Clark's potential participation, via Chloe Peterson of indystar.com.
"We’re always going to have a roster spot for Caitlin Clark," Bazzell said. "We’re not applying a full court press the way people think. We are letting her decompress from basketball. … She knows that we have a spot for her when she’s ready."
Bazzell says that although Unrivaled would be open to having Clark join the league, they understand if she needs an offseason to rest and recover following a long 2024 campaign. Clark did not have much time off after her final college basketball season and the beginning of the WNBA season.
Clark played well in her rookie season. She ultimately won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per outing. Clark also played a crucial role in helping the Fever reach the postseason. However, another important role Clark played was helping to grow the WNBA.
The league saw immense attendance and viewership increases throughout the 2024 season. Angel Reese and other rookies also drew in new viewership. The entire rookie class was quite popular.
Clark's impact was undeniable, though. Unrivaled knows that her possible participation in the league would likely bring in more attention.
For now, it remains uncertain as to whether or not Clark will play. Unrivaled still has open roster spots so it could happen.
Caitlin Clark's offseason
Clark's 2024 season was busy to say the least. She led the Fever to the postseason after leading Iowa women's basketball to the national championship game. She did not receive much of a break at all, although her absence from the Olympics gave her a few weeks off.
Now she is enjoying the offseason. Sure, Clark is still working on improving as a basketball player. However, she does not need to play competitive basketball at the moment. As a result, Clark is receiving necessary rest as she prepares for her second season in the WNBA.
Nevertheless, rumors will continue to swirl about Caitlin Clark potentially participating in Unrivaled until all of the roster spots are filled and announced. It will be a situation worth keeping tabs on ahead of Unrivaled's debut in January.