For years, WNBA players played abroad during their off-season as a way to supplement their low salaries. The need to compete year-round was viewed as a downside in the sport, requiring players to spend their time in overseas markets and push their bodies, and limiting their ability to build strong personal brands and gain sponsorship opportunities in the U.S. year-round.
Today, the calculation has changed. The latest example is Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 draft pick of 2026 and now a star on the Dallas Wings. She’s the latest player to join Project B, Fortune is the first to report. Project B is an international men’s and women’s basketball league being built by a former Facebook exec, the cofounder of Skype, and advised by LeBron James’ business partner Maverick Carter. In early 2025, Bloomberg reported that Project B was seeking to raise as much as $5 billion as it works to make basketball the top global sport—ahead of soccer. Cofounder Grady Burnett says that number was a “little high” and the league has completed its capital raise; he declined to confirm how much funding the league has raised.
Project B hasn’t started play yet, but is planning to debut in January Formula 1-inspired “grand prix-style” basketball for men’s and women’s players in six cities, including Tokyo and Valencia, Spain. The model is that underutilized arenas will pay Project B to bring international stars to their cities, allowing the league to build an asset-light business. “It’s putting athletes on a global stage, connecting with fans in all parts of the world,” Burnett says. Like the domestic 3-on-3 league Unrivaled, which has also emerged as an off-season opportunity for women’s players, it offers players equity in the business.
For Fudd, international play was appealing. As an elite college athlete, the 23-year-old has been busy training stateside for most of her life and is excited by the opportunity to travel. “I want to be able to broaden my experience and go outside of just America,” she told Fortune. Her dad, Tim Fudd, played basketball abroad and she grew up hearing stories from him and other players about their experiences in other countries.
For the right player, international play can also be a business opportunity. Fudd traveled with Steph Curry to Chongqing, China last summer, and fans approached her with copies of Slam magazine, photos to sign, and custom Labubus. “People who are fans of me all around the world—I’m so far from home, in a country I’ve never been to, and people cheer for me, give me gifts, and welcome me with open arms—it was such an unreal experience,” she remembers. “It opened my eyes to just how much more is out there and how basketball can open the doors to so much.”
It’s also a different calculation for a post-NIL player like Fudd, who came into her professional career with more than 800,000 followers on Instagram and a similar following on TikTok. She already has major sponsorships in the U.S., like a deal with the hair color brand Madison Reed. She’s not building a personal brand in the U.S. from scratch in her first year, like players of earlier generations. The additional opportunity for her now is building her fandom abroad; for the Chinese market, she’s getting on the TikTok-like platforms Douyin and Rednote.
“What’s incredible now is that players have that option—they can go if they want, they don’t have to, they can stay if they want. It’s not forced,” Fudd says.
Meanwhile, the WNBA and NBA are both becoming more international themselves. With this year’s higher salaries after its new collective-bargaining agreement, the WNBA is attracting more players from outside the U.S.; in the NBA, an international player has won MVP for the past eight seasons. Burnett looks to soccer, which has multiple leagues that bring in more than $1 billion in revenue; he sees an opportunity to build the same competitive landscape in basketball.
Project B faced some controversy due to reports it was funded by Saudi money, a hot-button issue in sports. Burnett says the league accepted no Saudi capital; it worked with the Saudi Public Investment Fund-owned entertainment vendor Sela, but he says that partnership is no longer active.
Other players who have signed on to Project B include Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Mitchell, and Jewell Loyd. The league hasn’t announced any men’s players yet—and the men’s league is poised to be more disruptive to the NBA, where the off-season is short and the league would conflict. Burnett has framed its strategy as “extending the careers of established players” from the NBA.
For years, WNBA players have sought opportunities abroad during their off-seasons primarily due to the necessity of supplementing their comparatively low salaries. This trend limited their ability to develop strong personal brands and secure year-round sponsorships in the U.S., often requiring them to spend significant time in international markets. Players faced the demands of competing year-round, which placed additional physical strain on their bodies.
However, the landscape is evolving with the emergence of new opportunities for these athletes. A notable development is the involvement of Azzi Fudd, the No. 1 draft pick for 2026 and a rising star for the Dallas Wings, in Project B. This upcoming international basketball league, founded by former Facebook executive Grady Burnett and co-founded by the co-founder of Skype, aims to elevate basketball’s global presence, aspiring to surpass soccer as the leading sport worldwide. Project B is in the process of raising substantial capital, with earlier reports indicating a target of up to $5 billion to fund its operations.
Scheduled to debut in early 2025, Project B plans to introduce an innovative « grand prix-style » format for basketball, featuring both men’s and women’s leagues across six cities, including Tokyo and Valencia. The league’s business model is designed to be asset-light, with underutilized arenas paying for the opportunity to host international stars. This model not only aims to showcase athletes on a global stage but also to create a connection with basketball fans from diverse regions.
Fudd finds the prospect of international play particularly appealing. Having spent much of her life training in the U.S., she is eager to explore new cultures and experiences abroad. Her father’s experiences playing basketball internationally have further fueled her interest. For Fudd, playing overseas presents not just a chance for competition but also a unique opportunity to grow her brand on a global scale. With over 800,000 social media followers and existing sponsorship deals in the U.S., she is not starting from scratch in building her personal brand; rather, she sees international play as a chance to expand her audience, particularly in markets like China, where she has already begun engaging with fans through platforms like Douyin and Rednote.
The current dynamics of the basketball landscape also empower players with more choices. Fudd expresses that today’s athletes have the freedom to decide whether to pursue international opportunities or remain in the U.S., a stark contrast to previous generations who felt compelled to play overseas. This flexibility is indicative of the broader changes in the WNBA and NBA, both of which are becoming increasingly international. The recent collective bargaining agreement has led to higher salaries in the WNBA, attracting more international players, while the NBA has seen international players winning MVP awards consistently for the past eight years.
Grady Burnett sees the potential for basketball to develop a competitive landscape akin to soccer, which boasts multiple leagues generating over $1 billion in revenues. This vision for Project B positions it not just as an alternative league but as an innovative disruptor capable of extending the careers of established NBA players by offering them new competitive avenues.
Despite some controversy surrounding the league’s potential funding sources, particularly allegations of Saudi investment, Burnett has clarified that Project B has not accepted any Saudi capital. While they previously collaborated with a Saudi entertainment vendor, that partnership is no longer active.
Alongside Fudd, other notable players joining Project B include Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Mitchell, and Jewell Loyd. The league has yet to announce any men’s players, but its potential impact on the NBA could be significant, particularly due to the conflict it may pose with the NBA’s short off-season schedule.
In summary, the evolving landscape of basketball, particularly for women athletes, offers new opportunities for growth and exposure that were previously unavailable. The emergence of leagues like Project B not only presents a viable alternative for players to showcase their talents internationally but also reflects a shifting paradigm where personal branding and global engagement become increasingly vital for athletes. As the league prepares for its launch, the focus on both women’s and men’s basketball may ultimately redefine how athletes navigate their careers in a sport that is becoming ever more globalized.
