Project B basketball is not what we thought — new insider info reveals surprising details on funding, tech plans, player moves, and how it could shake the WNBA and Unrivaled to their core.
If you’ve been side-eyeing Project B for the past few months, trust me, I was right there with you. I had my doubts, my theories, and honestly… a few assumptions that didn’t age very well. But after talking to someone extremely close to the project, I got answers that flipped half the narrative upside down — and raised a bunch of new questions.
And yeah, I’ll admit it: I was wrong about some things.
Let’s break down what’s actually happening behind the scenes, why Alyssa Thomas joining has everyone rattled, and how this could completely reshape women’s basketball over the next few years.
So, Is Project B Saudi-Funded? Turns Out… No.
This was the biggest rumor floating around — and the one thing everyone seemed absolutely sure about. But the source I spoke to shut that down immediately.
According to them, Project B has zero Saudi funding.
None.
Zilch.
The confusion started because the league hired Cella, a production company that is part of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. But Project B isn’t taking money from Saudi Arabia — they’re paying Cella to run their events.
Is there still a connection? Yes.
Does that mean Saudi cash is fueling the league? My source says absolutely not.
And honestly, that changes the entire tone of the conversation.
The Tech Bros Are Coming — And They’re Serious
Once you look at who’s actually behind Project B, everything starts making sense.
- Grady Burnett (former Google/Facebook exec)
- Jeff Skoll (Skype co-founder)
These guys are not “sports league” people. They’re distribution and engagement people. They’re platform builders. They think in algorithms, not arenas.
And apparently, the real heart of Project B isn’t just the games — it’s the streaming platform they’re building.
Think:
A global YouTube-style app where anyone, anywhere, can watch women’s basketball live.
No geo-locks.
No broadcaster restrictions.
No waiting for ESPN to give you a 2 PM Wednesday slot.
Project B wants frictionless access. Just open an app and watch.
And that’s where the tech world comes in:
They care way more about eyeballs than immediate profit.
Which is exactly why, unlike the WNBA, they’re not stressing over revenue today. They’re playing a long game the W couldn’t play even if it wanted to.
So How Do They Make Money? Spoiler: They’re Not Worried About It
I asked this straight up:
“How do you profit from this?”
The answer was basically:
“You don’t — at least not anytime soon.”
These tech founders are used to building platforms that don’t make a dime for a decade. YouTube didn’t print money immediately. Same with Instagram. Same with TikTok.
Visibility first.
Monetization later.
Repeat until dominant.
If that’s truly their mindset, the ceiling here is way higher than anyone originally thought.
And Yes, Player Salaries Are Going to Be Massive
We’re talking seven-figure contracts at minimum.
And that’s before you even get to players like Caitlin Clark, where the money could explode past anything the WNBA has ever offered.
This is why Alyssa Thomas signing felt like the first domino falling.
If you’re a WNBA player making $70K for a full summer season, and another league offers you $2 million for the offseason, what do you do?
Be honest.
How Does This Affect Unrivaled? Short Answer: Badly
Unrivaled was built around a simple idea:
Players don’t want to go overseas.
Players want to stay in the U.S.
Players want stability.
Totally fair.
But Project B is basically dropping a briefcase full of cash on the table and saying:
“Yeah cool, but what if we pay you more than any overseas league ever has?”
Suddenly staying home isn’t such a moral high ground.
Money talks — and Project B is yelling.
With Alyssa Thomas already jumping, Unrivaled has to be feeling the pressure. And if Project B flashes a $2–3 million offer at a few big names?
Contracts or not, players will be lining up to get out of Unrivaled deals.
What About the WNBA? Honestly… This Is Where It Gets Messy
The WNBA keeps insisting Project B isn’t a “rival league” because it runs during the offseason.
But here’s the problem:
If you’re making 20–30x more overseas, why would you risk your body for a summer league paying you a fraction of that?
You wouldn’t.
This is the exact same issue that let EuroLeague pull top WNBA talent for decades — except Project B is offering even more.
It also lands right in the middle of CBA negotiations.
Players want more money.
The league says “we don’t have the revenue.”
Meanwhile Project B walks in with a checkbook the size of Jupiter.
This is going to be a showdown — and I have absolutely no clue who wins.
The One Warning Project B Needs to Hear
All the lights, all the cameras, all the global streaming, all the vibes — none of it matters if the basketball isn’t good.
You can market a mediocre product for only so long before fans dip.
The women’s game is growing because the game is improving.
People want:
- real basketball
- real competition
- real matchups
- real coaching
- real refs (please)
If Project B can deliver high-level hoops, they win.
If they can’t, fans will see right through the glitter.
So Where Do We Go From Here?
Honestly?
I don’t know. And that’s what makes this so wild.
- The WNBA is stuck in tense CBA negotiations
- Unrivaled is recruiting young players while watching stars jump ship
- Project B is quietly stacking money, tech, and infrastructure like a supervillain origin story
- And players are—for the first time ever—standing at a three-way crossroads
This is the biggest shift in women’s basketball in at least 20 years, and most people still don’t fully grasp how massive this could be.
I’ll keep covering it, because things are changing fast — and we’re nowhere near the finish line.
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