Well, it sure sounds like Caitlin Clark is joining Unrivaled to us.
The Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball league is set to announce its club selections on Wednesday, and it sure seems like another big piece of news will come out around then, too.
After months of speculation, an announcement about the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league’s team rosters being made official came with a pretty big wink that Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will be part of the competition.
The Unrivaled Basketball Club Selection will take place from 11 a.m. to 11:22 a.m. ET, which … c’mon. There is no world where the specific time 11:22 isn’t referring to Clark’s 22 number with Indiana.
Clark was reported last month to be considering a substantial offer from Unrivaled, and this sure makes it sound like she took them up on it.
We’ll know more soon enough. If this isn’t the league’s subtle way of announcing Clark’s involvement, we’re going to be really confused.
My boss told me to tell you to send this to your boss 😊 Tune in to the Club Selection presented by @StateFarm tomorrow at 11AM ET pic.twitter.com/sqSE5srLAD
One thing Caitlin Clark will do is call out the refs.
Caitlin Clark’s offseason activities are going quite well. She’s even found time to take in some Iowa basketball — just to call out the refs.
Caitlin has been having a ton of fun as her WNBA offseason continues. She’s been hitting up football games and also doing some serious golfing, but she can’t entirely avoid basketball. She recently attended an Iowa-Drake game, and I can’t say I’m surprised.
You knew Caitlin would find her way back to basketball at some point. But what’s perhaps even more unsurprising is that she was yelling at the refs after what she felt was a bad call. This feels 100 percent on-brand.
JuJu Watkins’ scored her 1000th career point at USC shortly after making NIL history and developing her robust national brand.
In the season following Caitlin Clark’s departure from women’s college hoops, JuJu Watkins of USC women’s basketball is the next big thing. The sophomore finished second in scoring behind Clark last season as a freshman. JuJu has picked up right where she left off this year, averaging 21.3 points per game to start the season.
On Friday, behind a 22-point performance in an 81-50 throttling of Santa Clara, Watkins became the fourth-fastest player to reach 1,000 career points in Division I history, passing none other than Clark. She also made USC history by becoming the fastest Trojan to reach 1,000. It took her only 38 games.
Off the court, JuJu is making history with her NIL deals. Watkins has inked a deal with Gatorade and a multiyear extension with Nike, but she also became the first student-athlete to sign a deal with Funko Pop! collectibles. On top of that, it was recently announced that she would star in and executive produce her own show on NBC and Peacock.
We are still in the early stages of Watkins’ career. She is already turning heads night in and night out and etching her name in the record books. The 1,000-point mark is just the beginning of what we will see from her this season, as it becomes clearer that USC has one of the top players in women’s basketball, and maybe the best of them all.
Caitlin Clark amazed world No. 1 Nelly Korda at the LPGA pro-am on Wednesday.
While enjoying the WNBA offseason following a Rookie of the Year campaign with the Indiana Fever, Caitlin Clark brought out her golf game in front of a large gathering on Wednesday in a pro-am for the LPGA Tour in Belleair, Fla.
Clark split the 18 holes of The Annika by playing the front nine with world No. 1 golfer Nelly Korda and shot the back nine with one of the winningest female golfers of all-time in Annika Sorenstam.
During a brief interview with Golf Channel, Clark was asked if she learned any tips from golfing with Korda.
“I’ve watched and she’s amazing,” Clark said. “But golf is hard.”
One of Clark’s many endorsement deals is with Indiana-based Gainbridge, the presenting sponsor of the LPGA’s penultimate tournament on the schedule. Clark also participated in a recent women’s leadership summit hosted by Gainbridge.
Korda said she has messaged with Clark on Instagram, but nothing surpasses spending time with her on the links.
“To see the influence that she has on people, bringing people out here, and to see how amazing of an influence she is just for sports, was really cool to see firsthand today,” Korda said.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Clark is no stranger to golf as she has admitted to enjoying the sport in her downtime and even played in the John Deere Classic pro-am last summer on the PGA Tour.
Korda spoke about Clark’s game by praising her ability to remain relaxed, which she attributed to her constant bombardment by sports media over the past two years.
“It was great to see how relaxed she was,” Korda said. “Obviously with the media attention she has gotten probably in the past year-and-a-half, two years, you can see how she’s comfortable playing in front of a larger crowd. And she was just really enjoying it. You can tell.”
Although most of the golfing day was a success for Clark, there was one shot from the tee box that she shanked into the gallery nearby. Clark was able to laugh off the poorly hit ball by firing off a second shot onto the fairway.
Just a reminder that @CaitlinClark22 is mortal. She is an absolute delight to follow- talking with fans, making jokes and having a good time.
As for Clark, it appears she is enjoying her own leisure life during the offseason prior to the start of her second WNBA season with the Indiana Fever in May of 2025.
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Rarely is the LPGA at the forefront of anything, including the current surge in women’s sports.
BELLEAIR, Fla. – In October 2021, Caitlin Clark sent a direct message to the LPGA’s Twitter account asking for one of its cotton-candy logoed hoodies designed by Michelle Wie West.
“Think you could hook me up w the best sweatshirt ever made?!!!” Clark asked. “Huge fan.”
Tour officials didn’t actually see the message until Clark made her debut in an LPGA pro-am, and they scrambled to present her with the hoodie Wednesday morning on the first tee at Pelican Golf Club.
In creating the WNBA-like hoodie, which raised awareness for the tour and money for charity, Wie West said “We’re often hidden; we’re often left out; we’re often not covered.”
That it took three years for the tour to even notice Clark’s request is a terribly on-brand whiff.
Rarely is the LPGA at the forefront of anything, including the current surge in women’s sports.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCU2BVrRHGu/
Yes, purses on the LPGA are at an all-time high. Major championship prize funds alone have more than doubled since 2021 to nearly $48 million. Total prize money in 2024 topped $125 million, up more than 80 percent since 2021.
It might be tempting to underline those numbers and deem LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s tenure thus far a success. The sport, after all, seems to center around money these days.
Except that’s not the whole story. Far from it, in fact.
Coming off the dreadfully public transportation disaster at the Solheim Cup, which quickly escalated into a crisis-management catastrophe, it’s appropriate on the eve of the LPGA’s season-ender to dig a little deeper and attempt to answer a simple question: After more than three years at the helm, how is she doing?
First, it was always going to be hard to replace Mike Whan, a master communicator. The current USGA CEO, Whan announced his decision to step down as LPGA commissioner in January 2021 after a successful 11-year stint. Hired in May 2021 as the tour’s ninth commissioner, Marcoux Samaan didn’t actually get to work in her new role until August, and the first thing on her 100-day agenda was to listen and learn.
The former Princeton athletic director got off to a painfully slow start.
Failure to breakthrough to the mainstream
At the 2023 CME Group Tour Championship, Marcoux Samaan called this a period of transformational growth for women’s golf. And yet, there’s little evidence that the LPGA has broken through into the mainstream at a time when female athletes are experiencing an unprecedented amount of exposure.
Even when World No. 1 Nelly Korda got off to an historic start to the 2024 season, her fame didn’t exactly explode. Domestically, the tour still lacks a bona fide household name.
There are bright spots, to be sure. Such as next week’s $4 million winner’s check, the largest prize in women’s sports history. Marcoux Samaan and CME Group Chairman and CEO Terry Duffy endured a rocky time two years ago when a long list of LPGA players no-showed an important dinner. An embarrassed Duffy blamed leadership, telling Golfweek he was “exceptionally disappointed.”
One year later, however, Duffy signed a contract extension and poured more money into the season-ending event. Duffy and the tour worked it out, but the black eye said much about Marcoux Samaan’s ability to relate to the game’s power players.
Players appreciate the focus on missed-cut money, free hotels and an increased health insurance stipend. But there’s a common refrain among many in and around the tour that they can’t articulate Marcoux Samaan’s overall vision. And when it comes to big-picture issues – such as the tour’s Gender Policy or its dealings with Golf Saudi and the potential of an LET merger – the tour lacks transparency and is slow to act.
Annika Sorenstam talks with Mollie Marcoux Samaan, commissioner of the LPGA, during a pro-am ahead of the 2024 The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican in Belleair, Florida. (Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
When there weren’t enough buses on Friday morning to transport fans at the Solheim Cup, resulting in wait times of more than two hours, the tour’s communication with the public and media was virtually non-existent for most of the day. It wasn’t until late Friday evening that the tour publicly addressed the issue with a plan (that was quickly deleted and replaced with a scaled-down statement). The commissioner didn’t take questions until the following morning.
What started out as a bus shortage turned into a crisis of leadership.
Promise of growth not being achieved
It’s not that the LPGA is struggling to stay afloat – which has been the case in the past – it’s that the tour’s not experiencing the transformational growth Marcoux Samaan preached.
The departure of Cognizant, a Fortune 100 company that was bullish on the LPGA from the start – signaled a red flag. The hope was that Cognizant’s leadership would sing the LPGA’s praises to other blue-chip companies and lead to organic growth.
Instead, they’re out after title-sponsoring four editions of the event, leaving the tour scrambling to back its own Founders Cup as the LPGA celebrates 75 years.
In addition, stops that have been on tour for decades in Portland and Toledo have been on life support now for several seasons. For reference, the inaugural Portland Ladies Classic dates back to 1972. The Toledo stop began in 1984.
As the LPGA looks to add to the number of events it owns and operates, it has become increasingly clear that the tour lacks the resources needed to make what it currently runs – such as the Solheim Cup and Founders Cup – a success. The tour has invested heavily in boosting its staff in recent years.
A demanding job that requires strong relationships
There’s no question that leading the LPGA is one of the most difficult and demanding jobs in sports. There’s no time to relax. It’s a constant turnover of sponsors, staff and talent. Just as one win goes up on the board, a fire breaks out somewhere else.
It takes help to be successful at this job, which requires strong relationships. And that’s probably where Marcoux Samaan, whose contract expires in the summer of 2026, currently struggles the most. She hasn’t won over enough key people in the event business, the player body, the press or inside her own headquarters. There’s a profound lack of confidence and inspiration among those in her charge.
The crowd following Clark’s foursome on Wednesday was larger than many final-round groups on the LPGA.
BELLEAIR, Florida – “Please, don’t push!”
“Guys, you’ve got to stop pushing.”
“Caitlin, please! Caitlin, please!”
“Breathe, everybody.”
Caitlin Clark mania descended upon the LPGA Wednesday, transforming what’s normally a sleepy pro-am day into a must-see event. After splitting her 18-hole round alongside World No. 1 Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, Clark made her way to the rope line behind the 18th green at Pelican Golf Club to sign autographs. The frenzied crowd swarmed to get to her, holding out posters, jerseys and basketballs.
Security officials encouraged everyone to relax amidst the crushing support. The crowd following Clark’s foursome on Wednesday was larger than what many final-round groups attract on the LPGA.
From the moment Clark stepped on the first tee just before 7 a.m., fans lined the fairway for a rare close-up view of the WNBA superstar. Terry and Tina Beert came down from Davenport, Iowa, to watch Clark. Tina wore a sign on her hat that said, “It takes an Iowa village.”
Terry and Tina Beert take in the sights at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club (Photo: Beth Ann Nichols/Golfweek)
Five-time LPGA winner Barb Mucha, now 61, drove over from Orlando, Florida, to watch the pro-am. She didn’t watch women’s basketball until Clark came on the scene.
“The way she draws everybody together,” marveled Mucha, “She’s like a Michael Jordan, like a Billie Jean King.”
Current LPGA player Maria Fassi chased Clark down the 18th fairway so that she could beat the rush of fans. She wanted a photo, but she also wanted to say thank you.
“Being out here and supporting us, but also what she’s doing for women’s sports,” said Fassi, “it goes beyond the basketball court or the golf course. I think she’s changing a lot of people’s lives, and I wanted to make sure she heard it from me as well.”
Fassi, for the record, also didn’t watch women’s basketball before Clark, echoing a common refrain.
Clark showed up on the range 18 minutes before her 7 a.m. tee time and hit fewer than 20 balls. She started off with a worm-burner but found a groove, easing in by teeing up a few irons.
On the first tee, Clark played her left-to-right shot to perfection, finding the way to the delight of the adoring crowd. She played from the same tees as Korda and playing partners Dan Towriss, president and CEO of Group 1001 and Gainbridge, and Jason Rickard, who played collegiate golf at Iowa.
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“It was so amazing,” said Korda. “She’s so sweet, so nice. It was nice it kind of get to spend some time with her. We’ve messaged a little on Instagram beforehand but to get to spend some time with her and to see the influence that she has on people, bringing people out here, and to see how amazing of an influence she is just for sports, was really cool to see firsthand today. … We just felt like two friends hanging out.”
Clark engaged regularly with fans outside the ropes and smiled profusely. Bad shots did nothing to spoil her day.
“She’s super mature for 22,” said Sorenstam. “I’m going like, wow, she’s 22; I’m 32 years older. Yeah, she’s an older woman in a younger body if you know what I mean, in a good way. She handles herself really well and good with people, says the right things.”
Clark loves to pound drivers and wasn’t afraid to step up and give it a rip. The natural athleticism and star power were on full display.
“It’s captivating,” said Mucha.
Sorenstam gave Clark a few pointers along the way, noting that when it’s windy, it’s important to find good tempo and get the clubface square to the target.
“She hits it a little quick,” said Sorenstam. “She played with Nelly on the front and Nelly is about power, so of course when you play with someone like that you want to swing harder and faster.”
That actually happened on the par-3 ninth, where she missed one left with fans lined from tee to green.
“Thanks for the good kick, whoever I hit,” Clark joked as she walked up to her ball. She then autographed a ball for the fan and apologized.
“I got hit, too!” another fan yelled.
Professional basketball player Caitlin Clark reacts on the eighth green prior to The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2024 at Pelican Golf Club on November 13, 2024, in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
More than a dozen junior players from Miami made the trip up to watch Wednesday’s pro-am round. The LPGA-USGA Girls Golf crew held handmade signs for Clark. It was a good day to skip school.
“The young girls that are at our games having the time of their lives, all lof of them, if you go up to them start crying,” said Clark during Tuesday’s leadership summit. “It’s cute, but also I was just in their shoes however many years ago, I was begging my dad or my mom to take me to whatever sporting event it was and I was screaming, ‘I want to meet the players,’ whether they were a high school team or the pros or college because it was so impactful.”
She was well aware of how many young faces followed her for more than four hours on Wednesday.
Clark signed on with Gainbridge before she even turned professional, and her appearance this week was a natural fit for the partnership. The hope, of course, is that Clark returns to the tour for years to come. There’s a void of female celebrities in the game, making Clark’s presence all the more potent.
“It was so fun,” she said. “Obviously getting to see them do what they do up front, like people would pay for that. I got to do it for free and have fun with them. … Very lucky and fortunate.
Caitlin Clark took over the LPGA on Wednesday when she played in The Annika pro-am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam — she played the front nine with the world No. 1 and the back with the GOAT.
Fans came out in droves to Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, to get an up-close look at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and her golf game.
Her one goal for the day was to avoid hitting a fan, and she nearly failed. However, she rebounded and played some great shots throughout the morning.
Social media quickly picked up on Clark’s shoes and were obsessed with the gold bottoms. Her shoes were Nike’s Infinity Tour 2, however, they were a Player Exclusive, meaning they’re not available to the public.
Before she even struck a shot Wednesday morning she was showing off the shiny gold soles on the bottom of her custom Nike Infinity Tour 2 shoes.
Gold soft spikes?
It seemed only fitting for the WNBA megastar, who warmed up as the sun rose at Pelican Golf Club. The evening before, she was out chipping barefoot near the media center.
The Indiana Fever star played the front nine alongside World No. 1 Nelly Korda and the back nine with tournament host Annika Sorenstam.
“It was so fun,” she said after the round. “Obviously getting to see them do what they do up front, people would pay for that, and I got to do it for free and have fun with them. Definitely a fun morning.
“I feel very thankful that Gainbridge had me out here, and obviously their support of women’s sport is tremendous. Just very lucky and fortunate. Hung in there, did alright. It was a good day.”
Caitlin Clark is good at golf, but on the first day at the LPGA Pro-Am known as The Annika — the legendary Annika Sorenstam is host — she nearly nailed the patrons watching her tee off while hitting her shot into the water.
What’s wild about that is that Clark had one stated goal before the tournament, per Golfweek: to avoid hitting anyone in the gallery.
But she calmly took a ball out of her pocket after that shot and hit another one that looked much, much better.
Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, was buzzing early Wednesday morning as world No. 1 Nelly Korda and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark warmed up for their nine-hole pro-am at The Annika, one of the biggest non-major events on the LPGA schedule.
It’s not often you get two of the biggest stars in women’s sports together, and fans took advantage of the opportunity. They came out in droves to watch Korda and Clark, with tournament host and women’s golf GOAT Annika Sorenstam and LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan making an appearance on the first tee.
After Korda and Clark finish the front nine, the No. 1 pick from the 2024 WNBA draft will play the back with Sorenstam.
Here are must-see photos from an incredible morning at Pelican Golf Club.
