May 9, 2019; New York City, NY, USA; A general view of the game ball during the preseason WNBA game between the New York Liberty and the China National Team at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The WNBA is seeing incredible growth behind its young stars such as Chicago Sky Forward and the reigning Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. On Monday night, the next crop of young talent reached the WNBA as the 2025 draft was held.

As expected, the Dallas Wings selected Paige Bueckers with the number one overall pick. However, the Wings are going to have to share Bueckers with another team. In fact, the WNBA is going to have to share Bueckers with another league.

“Paige Bueckers is set to make more than $350,000 in her first season with Unrivaled. That’s more than her entire first WNBA contract will pay her over four years,” reported Front Office Sports.

Fans reacted to the news on social media.

“Is Unrivaled going to last? Attendance and ratings from the first season are not favorable,” one fan wrote on Twitter.

“The WNBA is just a poorly ran company…..Unrivaled is a company with one season played an already getting these women paid more than the WNBA,” someone else added.

“Not gonna hold you. Women’s basketball might be better off straying away from the WNBA and starting fresh with something way more cost effective,” another fan added.

It’ll be interesting to see if Unrivaled can dethrone the WNBA as the top women’s basketball league in the United States.

About Qwame Skinner

Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. At Next Impulse, Qwame covers sports with the same enthusiasm he brings to his recreational basketball and softball leagues.