Exclusive: Mercury's Natasha Cloud details process of joining Unrivaled
01/16/2025 07:11 PM
Years ago, Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud began to hear about rumblings of a basketball league. That league would become Unrivaled. The 3×3 league, put together by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has been the talk of the WNBA offseason.
The 36-player league will feature an eight-week season that runs from January 17 to March 17 in a custom-built facility in Miami. She will play for Phantom BC, where Cloud be reunited with her Mercury teammate, Brittney Griner. As the league’s debut is set for Friday, the Mercury point guard knew it was only a matter of time before a league like Unrivaled surfaced.
“I knew that there was one to bring leagues here to the states,” Cloud told ClutchPoints in December. “To offset the offseason, but one of this caliber with the equity, and the pay that is involved for players.
“To not have to go overseas is ultimately what we always wanted. When you talk about players having to play year-round just to be able to provide for their families, that’s hard. That’s wear and tear on your body. It decreases the longevity of your career because of the wear and tear.”
Since the WNBA’s inception in 1997, players have had to play overseas during the offseason to offset some of the costs. WNBA salaries are not remotely close to overseas. For instance, Cloud’s teammate, Diana Taurasi, was offered $1 million to sit out of the 2015 WNBA season to be with her overseas team in Russia.
While she made a statement, another league has been ongoing since then. Athletes Unlimited debuted in 2022 and was a great way for players to remain in the United States during the offseason. Cloud took the opportunity and ran with it. However, there were some tweaks to work out.
Some of the pay was uncertain, housing was uncertain, as well as some commodities that the average person wouldn’t think of. Trainers, specialists, and facilities are among some of those amenities.
Natasha Cloud understands the offseason Unrivaled will bring
The bread is in the pudding for the Unrivaled athletes. However, it wasn’t always that way.
Going back to Taurasi’s 2015 move, the majority of the WNBA continually played overseas during the offseason. Some players still do, but a move drastically shifted the necessity of an in-state league.
In February 2022, Griner was wrongfully detained in Russia for having hashish oil in her luggage. The ongoing trial caused uncertainty, angst, and restlessness within the WNBA. One of the central points of her detainment was people asking this question: Why do WNBA players have to play overseas?
At that time, there wasn’t a league that had all of the financials worked out. Athletes Unlimited was still new and had some of those minute details to figure out. However, Unrivaled made sure to have those details ironed out. Cloud touched on those logistics and said that everything is taken care of.
From being paid on time, the proper staff, and many other details, the logistics put the players’ minds at ease. When asked about remaining in the states, Cloud showed gratitude, and how players will embrace that with this upcoming season.
“We get to stay home in the safety of our communities, our places, and our families because that all is in jeopardy when you do go overseas,” Cloud said. “You can be unsafe in any place. But to be in the comfort of your home country, in the comfort of your people that you play in the W with, that’s really important to me. The comfort that comes with playing too.”
Unrivaled has great potential, says Mercury’s Natasha Cloud
Again, 36 of the top WNBA players are participating in this league. From All-WNBA to all-stars to all-defensive teams, there’s a barrage of superstars. Plus, 3×3 is a different format than 5×5. Some players might excel in that game better than in a traditional basketball.
For instance, Rhyne Howard had the opportunity to be a part of the 5×5 Women’s National Team for USA Basketball. However, she chose 3×3 because of the opportunity, as well as improving her skills. Some players who are primarily playmakers, like Cloud, could turn into elite scorers.
With the 36 chosen, there’s still more room to grow. Even in its inaugural season, the Mercury guard emphasized that the United States has the best women’s players from across the world.
“I don’t think that’s a biased statement,” Cloud said. “I think that’s factual at this point that we have the best players in the world playing in one Central League. When you can get all those players to continue to play in the States in the offseason, it’s going to be a beautiful thing.”
Once again, it wasn’t always this way. When her former teammate, now assistant coach Kristi Toliver was playing, she would have to go overseas to play in the offseason. Cloud saw a glimpse of what she would have to do to grow her game, but simultaneously make ends meet. However, the generation five years from now could be looking to Cloud, and Unrivaled and see the standard that’s set.
The Mercury guard sees people investing in Unrivaled
The league itself received major funding from inside the sport and outside. For instance, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dawn Staley, and USC basketball standout JuJu Watkins are some of the top basketball names to invest in. On the flip side, people like Michael Phelps and U.S. Open Champion tennis player Coco Gauff have also invested.
As a result, the league has surpassed $35 million in funding. All of that goes to Unrivaled and its players. The interest in women’s basketball is at its peak. Also, Turner Sports has the broadcasting rights to the new league, which will give more national attention to the league.
While the first game hasn’t even been played, the future is bright. Many throughout the league are on Cloud 9 because of something like Unrivaled.
“I truly just see it continuing to expand,” Natasha Cloud said. “I’m sure you might see more teams, more numbers, more players but I think ultimately, Unrivaled has everything that it needs to be successful. That first and foremost starts with talent. When you have talent, people are always going to come.
When the talent is there, investors are always going to come, and we have the best players in the world. I see nothing but a high ceiling for unrivaled. Especially when people get to continue to see their favorite players playing in one Central League in the offseason.”
Phantom BC will debut on Saturday, January 18 against the Laces BC. It will be the debut of a new basketball league, but one that has been long overdue.
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