UConn's KK Arnold, right, celebrates with Sarah Strong (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Iowa Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in New York. (Frank Franklin II/Associated Press)
The UConn women's basketball-Unrivaled pipeline continues to deepen. Unrivaled announced Friday that KK Arnold and Sarah Strong have signed a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with the league's Future is Unrivaled Class of 2026 program. The two will travel to the league's headquarters in Miami this weekend for a multi-day event filled with skill development sessions, group bonding activities and participation in the league's upcoming branding and marketing campaigns. While this is Arnold's first year working with Unrivaled, this is Strong's second year after signing with the league's development program last summer. The two, along with fellow Husky Kelis Fisher, were seen participating in Unrivaled's fan activation last month during WNBA All-Star in Chicago. "We're proud to continue investing in the future of women's basketball through our Future is Unrivaled initiative and are thrilled to be working with this talented group of athletes," said Clare Duwelius, Unrivaled's general manager in a release. "The excitement we've seen from these players to be part of this year's Summit is deeply matched at the league level. We can't wait to welcome all nine athletes to Miami and continue building meaningful relationships as they become part of the Unrivaled ecosystem." Joining Arnold and Strong in the Class of 2026 Future is Unrivaled roster are Texas' Madison Booker, Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge, South Carolina's Joyce Edwards, Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo, Michigan's Olivia Olson, and LSU's Jada Williams and Mikaylah Williams. This is the third year Unrivaled has hosted its Future is Unrivaled program. Both Strong and former Husky Azzi Fudd were part of the Class of 2025. Paige Bueckers was one of two college players to make up its Class of 2024. Unrivaled was created by former Husky greats Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier. The league begins its third season this upcoming winter. Bueckers made her debut in the league last season and led Breeze BC with 22.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. This fall, Arnold begins her senior season with UConn, while Strong, the reigning national player of the year, begins her junior year. The Huskies are expected to begin the 2026-27 season on Nov. 5 when they travel to Ann Arbor to face Olson and Michigan. Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state. This article originally published at UConn women's basketball stars KK Arnold, Sarah Strong sign with Future is Unrivaled.