It’s not every day you hear the phrase “Lionel Messi” and “Caitlin Clark” in the same breath. But here we are, standing on the verge of something extraordinary, as the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 women’s basketball league is preparing to slide into Caitlin Clark’s DMs with a deal that screams, “Please be our Messi!” Yeah, you read that right. Clark could be the basketball version of Messi, only with fewer soccer balls and more behind-the-back dribbles.
Unrivaled’s inaugural eight-week season kicks off in Miami this January (because what better place to spend your winter than in the land of eternal sunshine and overpriced beach drinks?). Sources have whispered to Front Office Sports that the league is ready to roll out the red carpet for Clark in much the same way Inter Miami CF wooed Messi in 2023. Spoiler alert: it worked. Messi didn’t just come for the paycheck—he snagged partial ownership, revenue sharing with Apple, and likely a lifetime supply of pastelitos.
Now, the question is: will Clark bite? With a freshly minted title as the fourth-most-marketable athlete on planet Earth (sorry, LeBron), the 22-year-old phenom is about to be offered a package that might even make the Kardashians jealous. We’re talking upwards of $1 million for just a couple of months of hoops, plus a sweet equity stake in the league. Imagine getting paid in buckets and stock options—who needs a 9-to-5 when you’ve got that kind of hustle?
From Rookie Salary to Superstardom
Let’s put things into perspective: Clark, fresh off her rookie season with the Fever, pocketed a modest (by basketball standards) $76,535. That’s chump change compared to NBA superstars like LeBron, who makes a cool $48.7 million just for lacing up his sneakers. Even WNBA big guns like Jewell Loyd and Arike Ogunbowale only pull in $249,032 each in 2025. Meanwhile, over in “I-can’t-believe-he-gets-paid-this-much” land, Steph Curry is raking in $55.8 million. So yeah, this $1 million for less than three months of work is the ultimate “how do you like me now” moment.
But don’t weep for Caitlin—she’s doing just fine, thank you very much. With an eight-year, $28 million Nike deal (who knew swooshes paid so well?), and endorsements with everyone from Gatorade to Buick (because nothing says “I’m a baller” like a sensible luxury car), Clark’s off-court portfolio is hotter than the Florida sun.
Unrivaled’s Dream: The “Clark Effect”
What Unrivaled is hoping for, beyond luring Clark with promises of palm trees and million-dollar paychecks, is the creation of what they’re calling the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” They’ve seen how the “Messi Effect” turned MLS into a talking point beyond people who own soccer scarves, and now they want that same magic in women’s basketball. Clark, with her game-changing skills and Tiger Woods-level TV ratings pull, is exactly the kind of player who could sell out arenas, crash TV ratings, and make advertisers throw their money like confetti.
You know Unrivaled is serious when it’s co-founded by none other than Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. With a roster that’s already filled up with stars like Chelsea Gray and Angel Reese, the league is throwing around six-figure salaries like it’s confetti at a New Year’s Eve party. And while they’re not going with a cookie-cutter approach to pay, the bigger your star power, the bigger your paycheck. Translation: If you’re not Caitlin Clark, better luck next season.
Miami Beach, Here She Comes?
In a plot twist straight out of a sports rom-com, Unrivaled isn’t just tempting Clark with cold hard cash (though that’s nice). They’re also offering her the chance to escape the brutal winter of Iowa and play basketball in the sun-drenched paradise of Miami. And let’s be real—if given the choice between shoveling snow in Des Moines or sipping mojitos after a game in South Beach, the decision isn’t exactly difficult.
But the ball is officially in Clark’s court. Will she take the “Messi-esque” bait and turn Unrivaled into the hottest ticket in women’s sports? Or will she chill out, hit the golf course, and let the rest of the basketball world figure out how to function without her?
One thing’s for sure—if Caitlin Clark does say yes to this offer, it could change the game in ways none of us can fully predict. And frankly, isn’t that the kind of chaos we all want to see? So, Caitlin, what’s it gonna be: Miami sun or Iowa snow?