Napheesa Collier in Lynx uniform
Photo via Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

On the latest episode of Locked On Women’s Basketball, host Howard Megdal chatted with Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell. The two discussed the history and origin story of the league, what the league can offer for players, and more.

Megdal opens the show by asking Bazzell how the story of Unrivaled began. “I came up and built my resume on the NBA side,” Bazzell explains. “I think what we have really enjoyed is just the overall growth of women’s basketball. … It was about, how do we provide a solution for some of the top players in the world, where they could stay home, rest their bodies, be around family, … right?


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“We needed all the time we could have,” Bazzell continues. “But it led us to this point today, which is really exciting.”

Later, Megdal asks Bazzell about how players are taking more control and promoting safety within Unrivaled. “What we’ve always said is, we don’t want to disrupt the growth of the sport,” Bazzell says. “We are paying aggressively, resetting the market, we are proud of those things. … And I think everyone wants the same things, which is, stay home, stay visible, stay rested.”

Megdal wraps things up by asking Bazzell about his charming toddler, Mila, and how his family life is impacted by Unrivaled. “It’s been the most enjoyable part,” Bazzell says. “… It’s so great to have Mila around these great women.”

Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more!

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