Napheesa Collier wins $200K by taking Unrivaled 1-on-1 crown, beating Aaliyah Edwards in final

MEDLEY, Fla.— Napheesa Collier of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx took home $200,000 on Friday after she beat Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in the final of Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tournament.The winner’s check was the largest one-day prize in women’s basketball history, Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler said, a big payday that was among the goals of Collier and fellow WNBA star Breanna Stewart when they founded the 3-on-3 league.Unrivaled gives WNBA players opportunities to compete in the United States and earn good salaries — an especially attractive option for players who for years suited up overseas in the offseason to supplement their income.

Players earn an average salary of more than $220,000 during the eight-week season, which is close to the maximum base salary in the WNBA.“My entire WNBA salary is what I just got in 30 minutes of playing 1-on-1,” Collier said.“Which is insane to even say.

And same for (playing) overseas.A lot of people, this is their full contract, so you’re playing seven months for this kind of money.”Collier, a No.

1 seed in the 30-player tournament, won the best-of-three series 2-1 over the eighth-seeded Edwards to become Unrivaled’s first 1-on-1 champion.Each game between the former UConn standouts was played to a winning score of 8, with Edwards coming from behind to take the opener and Collier winning the final two.Collier’s five Unrivaled teammates each received $10,000 from the tournament’s $350,000 prize pool.Edwards got $50,000 for reaching the final.Collier hopes women’s basketball can embrace the 1-on-1 format.“You see guys or boys playing in the parks — like pickup or one-on-ones, and you don’t see that on the women’s side as much,” she said.

“So that’s something we’re trying to change, just that atmosphere where everything’s not as organized basketball, but just playing in your backyard or at the park.”The win capped a dominant tournament run for Collier, who plays f...