Coco Gauff's $35m investment in new league as it faces rejection from Clark

The deal took a hit after WNBA star Caitlin Clark chose not to pursue the $1m offer.

The first season of Unrivaled is set to get underway next Friday, January 17th. It will feature a brand new, unique 3-on-3 format that consists of four seven-minute periods. A total of six teams, each comprising six players, will compete against one another in a bid for victory.

The WNBA players' league was founded by Olympic greats Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, providing a competitive outlet for athletes during their off-season. With talented players like Angel Reese and Sabrina Ionescu on board, Gauff's involvement boosts the league's profile and prestige.

Basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps, and NBA standout Carmelo Anthony have all made donations, as well as Hollywood celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

Coco Gauff has jumped into the funding bandwagon, saying on X: "My dad has always pushed me to follow in his footsteps and play basketball. No luck, Dad, this is as close as I'll come."

I'm truly thankful for the chance to make a positive impact on women's sports and I'm really looking forward to being part of the @Unrivaledwbb team - I'm eagerly anticipating the games.

The growing popularity of women's basketball in the US has led to increased interest in Unrivaled, with Caitlin Clark, star player for the Indiana Fever and former standout at Iowa, playing a key part in this surge of interest. Clark, a highly recognizable sports figure nationally, is instrumental in fueling this trend.

She stood out in her inaugural WNBA season with the Fever, a standout performance that earned her WNBA Rookie of the Year recognition after having been selected first overall in the draft.

After being offered a reported $1 million to become the top player for Unrivaled, the 22-year-old player decided to pass on the opportunity. She cited the need for some off-season rest following consecutive seasons in the NCAA and WNBA.

Clark mentioned that she won't be attending the Miami event this year, but hasn't ruled out attending in the future. According to her, this year isn't the right time for her, and she'd rather focus on her own projects and having some space. She'd also prefer to keep a low profile.

The President of the Unrivaled League, Alex Bazzel, stated, "Caitlin Clark will always have a roster spot available to her. Our approach isn't as intense as people seem to think it is. We're giving her space to unwind from basketball... She's aware that we're reserving a spot for her whenever she's ready."