Jason Whitlock once declared, “It’s going to be a disaster” when talking about Unrivaled. But Angel Reese? She turned that doubt into fuel. From viral stare-downs to a national title, and a rookie year filled with redemption, Reese has flipped the script in style. With a championship in tow and $27 million in league revenue, the Bayou Barbie is proving that doubt has no place in her game. Meanwhile, Caitlin Clark is making waves of her own—but this time, it’s off the court, turning heads in ways even she didn’t expect.

Welcome to the latest season of women’s basketball’s most viral duo.

As the WNBA season nears, Clark was spotted backstage at a Shane Gillis comedy show in Indianapolis. The moment quickly blew up online, and Gillis himself couldn’t resist telling the full story on his podcast, painting the scene with his signature deadpan delivery.

“Before the show, we were in Indianapolis on Saturday and we were like… this is the house that Caitlin Clark built,” Gillis said, referring to the Pacers arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It was supposed to be just another stop on his comedy tour. But over lunch with his crew, Gillis recalled throwing the idea out there: “I was like, you’d be f—— sick if Caitlin Clark came to the show. That’d be nice.”

Hours later, pacing nervously between the green room and backstage, Gillis was stunned when the vision manifested. “Then I just—Caitlin Clark walked by… just where she was like, do you want to hang out in the green room? She was like, yeah, sure.”

Clark’s casual charm and surprise appearance added to her growing off-court mystique, especially in Indiana, where she’s already being treated like basketball royalty before playing a single WNBA game. But while Clark was going viral for crashing comedy shows, Angel Reese was going viral for something else entirely: domination.

In the inaugural season of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, Reese didn’t just show up—she owned it. The LSU legend earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, recorded the league’s first-ever 20-point, 20-rebound performance, and led her team, Rose BC, to a championship.

And it wasn’t just flash—it was business. Backed by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the Unrivaled league pulled in over $27 million in revenue in its debut season. “We almost broke even in the first year,” said Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler. “We know there’s more that we can do.”

The numbers made waves across the industry. With an average player salary of $200,000—close to WNBA’s maximum base salary—Unrivaled sent a clear message: dominance has value, and Angel Reese is cashing in. The league’s popularity extended beyond the court, too. Merchandise sales alone topped $1.4 million, and the championship game drew 364,000 viewers. Plans to expand beyond its Miami base are already underway, with two additional cities under consideration for the 2025 season.

“This is sustainable,” Lawler added. “There’s definitely an appetite and great support for it.”

From highlight reels to hard revenue, Reese’s redemption arc is redefining the business of women’s sports. And as Caitlin Clark wows fans in unexpected places—from buzzer-beaters to green rooms—the most viral duo in basketball continues to reshape the narrative of the game, one moment at a time.

But don’t blink now.

Barbie’s got a Jumper, Bueckers brings the buckets, Clark Pulls up from Pluto—and the W might go Nuclear

Because just when the WNBA thought it had caught its breath from Clark-mania and Reese’s rampage, in steps Paige Bueckers—the next phenom with a fanbase that travels, tweets, and turns arenas into viral events. Bueckers, fresh off UConn’s 12th NCAA crown, isn’t just stepping into the W—she’s storming in to rewrite the league’s power script. So, if last year, new blood supercharged the league. This year, it’s turning radioactive.

Imagine this: Clark pulling up from half-court. Reese owning the glass and chirping back. And Bueckers slicing through defenses with surgical grace. No scriptwriter could’ve planned it better.

And the stage is set. The WNBA tips off May 16, featuring a new 44-game regular season schedule, the debut of the Golden State Valkyries, and sky-high stakes. Training camps open April 27. The Commissioner’s Cup takes over June, the All-Star Game lights up July 19, and the postseason madness begins September 14.

The Valkyries (latest addition to WNBA roster) will launch against the Sparks, while Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Sky will renew their rivalry a jaw-dropping five times—including a blockbuster season opener in Indianapolis on May 17. That’s not a game—it’s a pay-per-view event in sneakers.

All the while, the Unrivaled league continues to thrive in parallel, adding another layer of stardom to the women’s basketball boom. If 2024 was a revolution, 2025 is an arms race of talent, tension, and TikTok moments. So, yeah—this isn’t just a season.