Unrivaled Suffers Another Star Power Hit as Napheesa Collier Misses Season

Another one of women's basketball's biggest stars now won't be playing in Unrivaled.

Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) looks on against the Golden State Valkyries in the second half during game one of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Unrivaled women's basketball league is tipping off its second season on January 5. Yet, the league was dealt a tough blow before games even began, as news broke on January 1 that Minnesota Lynx star and Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier would be missing the entire season.

Collier is undergoing surgery on both of her ankles later this week, which will cause her to be sidelined for four to six months. She injured her right ankle in early August, which caused her to miss several weeks during the WNBA regular season, and then tore several ligaments in her left ankle during Game 3 of the Lynx's WNBA Semifinals series against the Phoenix Mercury.

While Collier has made many headlines (especially in the mainstream sports sphere) in recent months because of her criticism of WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert amid the ongoing CBA negotiations, those who have seen Collier compete know that she's one of the league's elite players.

And Collier's comments about Engelbert going viral caused her own star power and name recognition to rise within mainstream sports media. Therefore, not only is Unrivaled now without one of its best players on the court, but the league is also losing another big name.

Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles the ball against the Phoenix Mercury in the first half during game one of the second round for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Unrivaled already tested as Napheesa Collier misses season

It's no secret that Unrivaled needs to sport's biggest stars competing in it if it's to reach its potential and cement itself as the top league during the WNBA offseason. And while there are plenty of big names in the league right now, such as Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, and Brittney Griner, arguably four of the top five women's basketball stars are not competing.

These would be Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, A'ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu. Clark and Wilson didn't play in Unrivaled last year, and therefore their omission wasn't too surprising. Reese and Ionescu, on the other hand, did play in the league last year but decided against coming back for various reasons.

Losing Collier now means that another player who's arguably a top-10 star in women's basketball won't be on the Unrivaled court in Miami this offseason.

This doesn't mean that Unrivaled is doomed, or that fans won't be interested in watching the league's current crop of active players. However, with the upstart Project B league looming, Unrivaled needs all the head start it can get in terms of gaining a foothold and establishing itself as the premier non-WNBA league.

Having stars on the court is the best way to do that. And no Napheesa Collier makes Unrivaled's road tougher to tread.