Kelsey Plum Backs Out of Unrivaled

Kelsey Plum didn’t do much sitting this year, helping the U.S. women’s basketball team win Olympic gold and starting 44 regular and postseason WNBA games with the Las Vegas Aces. 

Now she wants a break.

The three-time WNBA all-star announced on Instagram Wednesday evening she was pulling out of Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 basketball league set to tip off in Florida from January through March.

“I’ve decided to not take part in the inaugural season of Unrivaled in order to take some more time for myself this offseason,” Plum wrote. “I appreciate the league understanding and being so accommodating.” She added that, although she won’t be playing, she plans on watching the games.

It marks the second player-related setback for the upstart league in as many weeks. Last week, Caitlin Clark told Unrivaled she won’t be taking one of the 36 roster spots, Front Office Sports reported, despite a rumored seven-figure offer. 

Unrivaled still boasts plenty of big names. In addition to league founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, it’s secured commitments from Jackie Young, Brittney Griner, and Chelsea Gray. But Plum’s withdrawal from the competition means the league is still looking to sign three more players. 

Unrivaled shouldn’t have too much of a problem filling those three slots. It’s publicly stated that minimum salaries will be in the six-figure range for a 10-week commitment—higher than the WNBA’s, which also has a much longer season. Clark, for instance, was the No. 1 pick in the draft but earned just $76,535 in salary her rookie year; a supermax contract in the WNBA in 2024 was worth just under $242,000. Many players spend the offseason abroad to increase their earnings. Unrivaled means they may not have to.

But with the W’s preseason beginning May 3, elite players like Plum may be more interested in recuperation than remuneration. 

Plum, who helped the Aces win two titles, is already one of the WNBA’s highest-paid players; she’s coming off a two-year deal worth $400,000 and she’s an unrestricted free agent heading into the 2025 season.