{"id":77724,"date":"2025-01-11T09:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T14:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/?p=77724"},"modified":"2025-01-09T15:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T20:44:23","slug":"gauffs-investment-in-unrivaled-slam-dunk-for-basketball-womens-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/2025\/01\/11\/gauffs-investment-in-unrivaled-slam-dunk-for-basketball-womens-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Coco Gauff\u2019s Investment in Unrivaled: A Slam Dunk for 3×3 Basketball and Women\u2019s Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a groundbreaking move that bridges the worlds of tennis and basketball, 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff<\/a> signaled her investment in Unrivaled, the 3×3 basketball league founded by WNBA superstars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. She added that she was excited to “uplift” female athletes in “one of her favourite sports.”<\/p>\n

The Rise of Unrivaled<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unrivaled was launched by Collier and Stewart with a mission to provide WNBA players with opportunities to stay competitive and visible during the offseason. It offers a platform for players to showcase their skills in the fast-paced, dynamic format of 3×3 basketball, which debuted as an Olympic sport at the Tokyo 2020 Games.<\/p>\n

Since its inception, Unrivaled has drawn attention for its fresh approach to the game, blending traditional basketball excitement with the unique, high-energy vibe of 3×3 play. By securing influential backers like Gauff, the league solidifies its standing as a forward-thinking endeavor that challenges the norms of professional sports.<\/p>\n

Gauff is the most recent prominent investor in the league, and it will feature six teams of five players competing in 3-on-3 matches in Miami. Set to commence later this month, the league has secured $35 million in funding thus far, guaranteeing players a minimum annual salary in the six figures and providing the highest average salary among professional women’s team sports in the U.S.<\/p>\n

Gauff: A Champion of Women\u2019s Empowerment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At 20 years old, Coco Gauff has already established herself as a trailblazer on and off the tennis court. Her investment in Unrivaled underscores her dedication to empowering women and promoting equity in sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is about more than basketball,\u201d Gauff stated in a recent interview. \u201cIt\u2019s about creating opportunities for women to excel, inspire, and lead. I\u2019m thrilled to be part of this journey.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gauff\u2019s involvement brings significant visibility to Unrivaled, thanks to her global fanbase and influential social media presence. Her endorsement lends credibility to the league and aligns with her broader efforts to advocate for gender equality and diversity in sports.<\/p>\n

Implications for Women\u2019s Sports<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Gauff\u2019s involvement demonstrates the potential for cross-sport collaborations to drive investment in women\u2019s athletics. Her support may encourage other high-profile athletes and brands to back Unrivaled and similar initiatives.<\/p>\n

As a newer format, 3×3 basketball offers a fresh, fast-paced alternative to traditional games. Unrivaled\u2019s innovative approach could attract younger audiences and expand basketball\u2019s fanbase globally. By showcasing the talents of WNBA players year-round, Unrivaled helps address the visibility gap that women\u2019s sports often face. With a star like Gauff involved, the league\u2019s reach will likely extend far beyond basketball fans.<\/p>\n

Unrivaled Future for Women\u2019s Basketball<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Gauff\u2019s investment is a pivotal moment for Unrivaled, signaling that the league is not just a short-term experiment but a sustainable venture with long-term ambitions.<\/p>\n

As the league prepares for its next season, the involvement of high-profile figures like Gauff could attract further sponsorships, media deals, and global attention. This partnership marks a significant step forward for women\u2019s sports and underscores the power of collaboration in breaking barriers and building new legacies.<\/p>\n

Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane – USA TODAY Sports<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a groundbreaking move that bridges the worlds of tennis and basketball, 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff signaled her investment in Unrivaled, the 3×3 basketball league founded by WNBA superstars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. She added that she was excited to “uplift” female athletes in “one of her favourite sports.” The Rise of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4883,"featured_media":68019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15913,9],"tags":[2747,42718,42719],"class_list":["post-77724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","category-news","tag-coco-gauff","tag-unrivaled","tag-womens-sports"],"modified_by":"Shane Black","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4883"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77724"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77753,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77724\/revisions\/77753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/tennis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}