Napheesa Collier Makes History with $200K Win in Unrivaled 1-on-1 Championship
Napheesa Collier, a standout player from the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, made history on Friday by clinching a remarkable $200,000 prize after triumphing over Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in the final showdown of Unrivaled's 1-on-1 tournament.
The victory not only secured Collier the title but also marked the largest one-day prize ever awarded in women's basketball, as confirmed by Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler.
As a co-founder of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league and a top seed in the 30-player tournament, Collier showcased her prowess by winning the best-of-three series 2-1 against the eighth-seeded Edwards, thus becoming the inaugural 1-on-1 champion of Unrivaled.
The intense games between these former UConn stars were played to a winning score of 8, with Edwards initially taking the lead in the opener, only for Collier to rally back and secure victory in the final two matches.
Collier's exceptional performance not only brought her personal success but also benefited her Unrivaled teammates, with each of them receiving $10,000 from the total $350,000 prize pool. Edwards, the runner-up, received $50,000 for her impressive journey to the final.
The triumph crowned a dominant tournament run for Collier, who represents Unrivaled's Lunar Owls. In the semifinals, she displayed sheer dominance by overpowering former UConn teammate and No. 6 seed Azura Stevens, scoring the first eight points and ultimately winning 11-2.
Prior to the final, Collier navigated through tough competition, breezing past Katie Lou Samuelson in the initial round, engaging in a physical battle against Rickea Jackson in the second round, and defeating her Lynx and Lunar Owls teammate Courtney Williams to secure a spot in the semifinals.
In the decisive Game 3 against Edwards, Collier showcased her shooting skills by making 4 of 6 shots and delivering a stellar defensive performance that left Edwards scoreless.
Edwards, on the other hand, displayed remarkable skill by defeating two top-seeded opponents on her path to the final. She notably outplayed No. 1 seed Arike Ogunbowale 11-2 in the first semifinal and shut down Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart 12-0 in the opening round.
Throughout the tournament, Ogunbowale and Stevens also demonstrated exceptional talent, earning $25,000 each for reaching the semifinals.
Prior to the finals, the rounds were single-elimination and played to a winning score of 11, with traditional scoring where each basket was worth either two or three points.
Collier and Stewart's vision in establishing Unrivaled was to provide WNBA players with opportunities to compete domestically and earn substantial salaries, offering an appealing alternative to playing overseas during the offseason to supplement their income.
Players in Unrivaled now enjoy an average salary exceeding $220,000, a figure that aligns closely with the maximum base salary in the WNBA, marking a significant step towards equitable compensation in women's basketball.
