The new Unrivaled League announced that they have expanded their 30-player roster for their inaugural season in January and signed Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever team-mate, whipping social media into a frenzy at the prospect of Clark competing in Miami.

A nine-figure offer is reportedly on the table for the Iowa native, who has transformed women’s basketball in just one year as a professional. Unrivaled chiefs have openly admitted that they are courting the WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Created by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is a new challenge to the WNBA as a three-on-three tournament taking place in January. They have pledged to dwarf salaries handed out in the top US professional basketball league, offering six-figure minimum contacts for each player who signs up.

For comparison, Clark earned just $76,535 (£58k) in her first year in the WNBA.

Clark’s Fever team-mate Lexie Hull has recently been confirmed as the latest addition to Unrivaled, where fellow star Angel Reese will also compete, but adding Hull and expanding the roster has prompted many to believe that their new recruit will be Clark.

As Unrivaled counted down their first 30 recruits, with Hull named as the 29th arrival, many fans took to social media adamant that Clark would become the last of the first wave of announcements.

“#30 can’t be more obvious CC (Clark) you are unrivaled,” @juloccd wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). It was a comment repeated on several occasions, with @bce4au writing: “Imagine that was part of Caitlin’s negotiating – that she’ll play but they have to offer Lexie as well.”

While others felt that Hull and Clark’s good friend Kate Martin joining would only lead to speculation that they may team up together again.

@Giftaveli commented: “Lexie, CC, Kate all on the same team going to be epic.”

Then @FroemelAndy suggested: “Caitlin Clark is next. You don’t add her best friend Kate Martin, and her closest friend in the Indiana Fever Lexie Hull without Caitlin already in the cards. Caitlin being 30th is just for dramatic effect!”

While Alex Bazzell, president of the Unrivaled League, suggested earlier this week that the door is very much open for Clark to join – even if she doesn’t sign on the dotted line for the inaugural season.

“We’re always going to have a roster spot for Caitlin Clark,” he said. “We’re not applying a full-court press the way people think. She knows that we have a spot for her when she’s ready.”

Clark, however, has so far not confirmed whether or not she will join Unrivaled directly. Instead, the guard is spending her off-season playing golf and taking a well-earned break from basketball.