For most WNBA players, the offseason means a break. For Napheesa Collier, it’s just another gear. As if being one of the league’s top stars and the reigning Defensive Player of the Year wasn’t enough, she’s also co-founding and playing in Unrivaled, a 3×3 basketball league that’s already shaking up the hoops world. Add “startup executive” to her résumé—alongside being a wife and mother—and you’ve got a real-life superhero without the cape.
Her husband, Alex Bazzell, who moonlights as the league’s president (because apparently running a basketball league is a family affair), gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their chaotic, jet-setting lives. In an Instagram story that screamed “parenting and entrepreneurship are team sports,” Bazzell shared a photo of the family—Collier, their daughter Mila, and a mystery woman named Sarah—on a plane headed to Miami. The caption? A casual flex: “On our way to Miami @unrivaledbasketball.”
Of course, this isn’t a vacation. The first season of Unrivaled tips off on January 17, and Collier, who will suit up for the Lunar Owls Basketball Club, isn’t exactly coasting into it. While most of us are wrapping gifts and inhaling holiday cookies, Collier is juggling more roles than your average overachiever.
“Work-Life Balance? Never Heard of It”
On the December 6 episode of The Ringer WNBA Show, Collier shared what it’s like to build a league from scratch. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.
“I think the biggest lesson is just how much work goes into it,” Collier admitted. “(Having) never started a league before, you don’t really know all the ins and outs of all that stuff.”
Bazzell chimed in, casually flexing his NBA connections: “I’ve been lucky to build relationships with players, agencies, and media. We aimed for visibility in year one and ended up getting both reach and visibility.” Not bad for a startup, huh?
“Stewie, Put the Camera Down”
Breanna Stewart, another co-founder and fellow WNBA superstar, has also been putting in the work. But if you’re wondering why her social media game has been a little lackluster lately, there’s a reason.
“We told Stewie she can’t post pictures yet, so don’t be mad at her,” Bazzell explained, leaving fans both frustrated and intrigued about what the league’s facilities look like. If secrecy were an Olympic sport, Unrivaled would already have gold.
While the behind-the-scenes details are still under wraps, the league’s roster is anything but. Thirty-six players, including big names like Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and DiJonai Carrington, are set to light up the inaugural season. Talk about star power.
From Miami to the Moon
As Collier and Bazzell prepare for the league’s launch, it’s clear they’re aiming high—like “outer space” high. Between Collier’s on-court skills, Bazzell’s business savvy, and Stewart’s unshakable dedication, Unrivaled is shaping up to be more than just a basketball league; it’s a movement.
So, while most of us spend the holidays binge-watching and pretending to work, remember that somewhere, Napheesa Collier is grinding away, proving that being “off” in the offseason is entirely overrated.
