Napheesa Collier made headlines for Minnesota Lynx in history as she won the first Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament on the night, beating Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in an exciting final. Collier walked home with a stunning $200,000 prize-the largest one-day payout in women's basketball history-another historic moment in women's sport.
Changing Variables for Women’s Basketball
The inaugural Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament, co-founded by Collier and another star player from the WNBA, Breanna Stewart, seeks to bring exposure and opportunities for both competitive play in the States and massive salaries. For most athletes who rely on overseas competitions during the offseason, this becomes an eye-opener especially for WNBA athletes. Average salary pay during an eight-week Unrivaled season earns more than $220,000-outlining the near-maximum base salary of WNBA.
Referring to her once-in-a-lifetime experience, that was most aptly Collier's take on its financial significance: "That is pretty much my entire salary in the WNBA just for 30 minutes of one-on-one play," she recounted. "Which is insane to even say. And same for [playing] overseas. Many, for example, have this full contract: you're doing seven months for this."
Collier's Commanding Victory
Collier held the ace in this competition, and she really showcased all her elite top-of-the-line skills towards winning the competition. She faced off with the No. 8 seed in this match, Aaliyah Edwards, in a best of three final series; Collier took it with 2 wins and 1 loss. Each was to win the first player to score 8 points, with the last game finished with Edwards winning the first but Collier rolling to win the next two.
Attaining that victory made a complete tournament run through dominance. Earlier today, Collier ran riot over former UConn teammate Azura Stevens in the semifinals, bidding for the final score of 11-2. The final field trip brought victories over Katie Lou Samuelson, Rickea Jackson, and Lynx and Lunar Owls teammate Courtney Williams.
Edwards' Wonderful Journey to the Final
Aaliyah Edwards, a bright young talent heading into her second season with the Mystics, was also among the stars of the tournament: defeating everyone, including the top-ranked ones, with a stunning 12-0 shutout of Breanna Stewart in the first round and an 11-2 victory over Arike Ogunbowale in the semifinals. Edwards earned a whopping $50,000 for finishing second in the tournament, and all of these prove that she is indeed an excellent investment in her development as a player.
"I'm proud of myself. Like nobody could take that from me," added Edwards. "All that hard work I put in, I was able to just showcase that and kind of let everybody know that, you know, I'm not one to play with."
A New Dawn for Women's Basketball
Collier had hoped that this one-on-one format would catch up in women's basketball, such that it would push more players to more informal competition. "I mean, you see guys or boys playing in the parks, like pickup or one-on-ones, and you don't see that on the women's side as much," she said. "So that's something we're trying to change, just that atmosphere where everything's not as organized basketball but just playing in your backyard or at the park."
In fact, the $350,000 prize purse for the tournament spread wealth beyond Collier, as all her five Unrivaled teammates took home $10,000 as well. Semifinalists Ogunbowale and Stevens received a sweet $25,000 apiece.
Physicality and Future Improvements
Collier reported how strenuous the tournament has been; many cannot recover from the intensity of the matches, and adjustments could be made regarding it for future seasons. In that same breath, Collier added she envisions invitations extended for an event of this nature for NBA players, borrowing that bravery it takes to compete under such high-stakes, individual circumstances.
"Up to the players, if they want to do it," said Collier. "Just putting a name on it. Reputation on it. A vulnerable place to be in. So, again, a real good shout out to all the people who competed in this because ... anybody can win."
A Landmark Moment for Women Sports
Napheesa Collier winning at the Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament, besides entrenching her credentials as one of the sport's very best, captured a watershed moment for women's basketball. The tournament approached a bold step in liberating the women's athlete by offering excellent monetary rewards and competitive options for individuals. And, as this is how Collier and fellow compatriots push the boundaries ahead, the future of women's basketball looks promiseful as never before.