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Whether you like her or not, Napheesa Collier is a leader in the WNBA — and she’s someone that the players trust. Collier is also the co-founder of Unrivaled and one of the vice presidents of the WNBPA, so when she speaks up about an issue, people pay attention.
Collier’s recent interview on “The Athletic Show” only highlights her expecptional leadership skills. She directly addressed the ongoing CBA dicussions in the WNBA, and also explained exactly what a league like Unrivaled brings to the forefront for athletes. As Collier noted, a lot of what players are fighting for in the WNBA are already givens in Unrivaled, which is something that’s making their argument stronger.
As she put it, “Players see here what professional life should look like, so it’s really hard, once you’ve been given that, to accept less. It gives us leverage. We don’t have to just accept anything you give us, because if you don’t give us what we’re owed, we have other places we can go.”
Collier also illustrated a crucial, but less-discussed part of the reality of life for most WNBA players. As many fans and observers are aware, their brand deals are a very important part of what makes a player successful off the court — and, up until potentially this new CBA — what financially sustains and supports players in the league.
But it’s difficult to attain and maintain brand deals if you’re spending half the year playing overseas, Collier pointed out. After all, part of the bargain is that the athlete is available to for parternship events and to promote products and brands — and that’s something that’s tough to do if you’re across an ocean or many hours away, even with social media. As she put it, “If you’re gone in another country for six months, they aren’t going to sign you because they can’t use you.”
That was part of the reason Collier and Breanna Stewart wanted to start Unrivaled in the first place. The pair, who are both moms to young children, also wanted to be able to spend more time with their families, instead of missing out on holidays and important moments because they were too far away.
Unrivaled’s second season has been enormously successful
Though some may have had their doubts about the professional 3×3 league initially, Collier and Stewart made sure to do everything the right way. That includes making sure players are paid well and provided for, and also making sure that the coaching staff is top-notch, facilities are on point, and fans feel included. To that end, the league traveled to two cities this season — Philadelphia and New York — to great success, and have announced plans to travel even more next year.
