Women’s basketball is hotter than ever. Along with the highly anticipated start to the 2025 WNBA season, ‘Unrivaled’ just reached its epic conclusion to its first-ever campaign. The three vs. three all-women’s league was won by Team Rose, led by superstar Angel Reese.
Advertisement
Including the initial seed round and the subsequent Series A funding round, Unrivaled managed to raise $35 million in investor money. The league has attracted a star-studded group of investors, including Stephen Curry, Michael Phelps, Dan Staley, and Giannis Antekounmpo. Those who neglected to invest in the league are surely regretting it now. One of those being former NBA star Dwayne Wade.
“I had no idea what it was,” admitted Wade on the latest edition of his podcast. The three-time NBA Champion added that he regrets not buying into Unrivaled when he had the opportunity to, especially since he considered himself a “serial investor.” But why did he sit the initial investment cycle out?
“I had just invested in the WNBA league. One, I’m a retired player my money only going to stretch so far. Two, I go back and I’m like damn I wish I would have invested in the league early on I just didn’t know a lot about it and I didn’t because of my investment in WNBA I didn’t understand what it was.”
In 2023, the year Unrivaled was founded, the Chicago native joined the ownership group of Chicago Sky, buying in at the $85 million valuation. So it makes sense how he didn’t immediately jump on board the Unrivaled investment train.
He eventually figured out “what it was” though. The 13-time All-Star and his wife, acclaimed actress Gabrielle Union, were spotted sitting courtside at an Unrivaled playoff game.
Wade then mentioned that anything that contributes to the “growth of the game” has him very excited. Now that he’s seen the success in Unrivaled’s first season, he is ready to contribute in the next investment round.
“We know Steph Curry is one of the investors in this league, he has a group, and now they’re letting groups to come,” the Heat legend stated.
It’s unclear how much an investment into the league would cost Wade. But the former point guard has never shied away from putting money into the things he truly believes in. As an added bonus, Angel Reese is also involved with Unrivaled, and we all already know how much Wade likes her.
Wade is a big advocate for the growth of women’s basketball
Wade’s nearsightedness on Unrivaled doesn’t mean he doesn’t hope that big things grace women’s basketball. The now 43-year-old legend appeared on CBS seven months ago and was asked what he sees for women in the future.
“That women’s basketball is like men’s basketball,” stated Wade. “I wanna see $200 million contracts. I want the game to grow.”
After all, he did invest in the Chicago Sky. He’s spoken repeatedly about the greatness that Angel Reese puts on display when she’s in the zone.
“She’s owning it. She is owning who she is. She wants to be great and she wants to be a great teammate. And so, our conversations, when we do talk, it’s about that and giving her that confidence to continue to be that,” Wade had said about Reese after becoming part-owner of the Chicago Sky.
It’s safe to say D-Wade is more than just a fan of the growth of the game. Most importantly, Wade claimed that he wants young girls to grow up and know that the game of basketball can change their lives forever, much like it did for his life. Given the fact that he’s raising two daughters, regardless of whether or not they decide to go down the basketball route, having them see women empowered on an international stage certainly motivates him.
