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Napheesa Collier Questions NBA Stars' Willingness to do 'Vulnerable' 1v1 Tournament

Unrivaled one-on-one champion Napheesa Collier cast doubt on whether the NBA's top players would put their reputations on the line for a one-on-one tournament.
Grant Young|
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) reacts to her basket against the New York Liberty during the first half of game three of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Oct 16, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) reacts to her basket against the New York Liberty during the first half of game three of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

On February 14, Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier defeated Aaliyah Edwards in the final of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, earning herself a $200,000 prize.

Collier was considered a favorite going on to the tournament, as her well-rounded and versatile offensive skillset combined with her winning 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year made her an obvious pick to win.

Another presumed favorite was Collier's Unrivaled co-founder, Breanna Stewart. However, Stewart was shut out by Edwards in the first round of the tournament, which was the contest's biggest upset.

While this upset was occurring, fans on social media were discussing how awesome it would be if the NBA adopted a similar tournament during NBA All-Star Weekend. But the sentiment was that NBA stars wouldn't be willing to potentially embarrass themselves in front of a national audience like the Unrivaled stars could have, which is probably why a one-on-one tournament isn't already in place for the men's game.

Collier discussed this during an ESPN interview after her tournament victory.

"I think it would definitely be entertaining. It's up to the players if they want to do it," Collier said of the NBA doing a one-on-one tournament, per an X post from SportsCenter. "You know, you're putting your name on the line, you're putting your reputation on the line. It's a vulnerable situation.

"So again, I really commend everyone who competed in this, because it's like a scary situation. You don't know how it's going to be. There's no shame in losing to anyone here, everyone is so good," Collier continued.

"But of course, you don't want to lose. And so it just depends if the guys are willing to put their name on the line like that or not. It would definitely be entertaining though."

Perhaps the NBA stars seeing the WNBA players competing in this tournament will convince them the potential embarrassment is worthwhile.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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