“We Love the WWE”: Cavinder Twins, Hanna and Haley Cavinder Decide to Leave College Basketball For a New Career
When Hanna and Haley Cavinder, the very famous Cavinder sisters, choose to forgo their fifth year of eligibility and leave college basketball, many people were astonished. They have no intention, meanwhile, of stepping away from the spotlight anytime soon.
The identical former Miami basketball stars, who have since emerged as some of the most shining instances of NIL, think they still have the opportunity to develop off the court in the future. The Cavinder sisters discussed their decision to leave the game and their plans for the future when they appeared on NBC’s The Today Show on Thursday morning.
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Haley Cavinder told that:-
“I think after playing all four years together and deciding not to take our fifth year, we decided there’s more opportunities besides basketball.” “Obviously it’s such a difficult position to be in, because we wanted to take our fifth year and continue to play, but I think it came down to just optimizing all the opportunities that we have ahead of us.”
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Hanna and Haley Cavinder decided to continue playing collegiate basketball with the Hurricanes last spring after leaving Fresno State and entering the transfer portal. More NIL chances were presented by their relocation to South Beach, which raised their national exposure.
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Additionally, it allowed their On3 NIL valuations to soar to incredible heights; Haley Cavinder’s valuation is at $930,000, while Hanna Cavinder’s is at $924,000. The rankings for women’s college basketball place such teams at second and third, respectively.
NCAA women’s basketball stars @CavinderHaley and @CavinderHanna opened up to @LlamasNBC about their retirement from the sport and what’s next in their new chapter, including their deal with WWE: "I think it came down to just optimizing all the opportunities we have ahead of us." pic.twitter.com/QSmXozylkC
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 13, 2023
Additionally, the Cavinders were able to enjoy this season’s success both on and off the basketball court. Miami had a fantastic NCAA Tournament run, reaching the Elite Eight before losing to LSU, who went on to win the championship.
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However, as NIL specialist Pete Nakos of On3 noted, their legacy will always be linked to NIL and its influence on college athletics.
“I think when we look back in a few years, we’ll view NIL as the bridge that got us to revenue sharing and possibly a new NCAA structure. The Cavinders will always be associated with this time in college athletics,” Nakos said. “They announced their first NIL deal in Times Square. And according to their agents, they’ve earned and have ownership values higher than any collegiate basketball player or WNBA player.
“How they continue to evolve post-basketball will be an interesting case study on how NIL can help athletes after graduation.”
What is going to be the next chapter for the Cavinder Sisters
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The Cavinder Twins are also anticipating prospects after basketball, including a foray into the realm of professional wrestling with the WWE. As they emphasized their love for the company they’ve worked with in the past on The Today Show, perhaps we’ll see them contending for the Women’s Tag Team titles in the future.
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Haley Cavinder stated that:
“We love the WWE. Their fanbase, their sport, the fitness side of it. That fits Hanna and I’s brain, and aligns great with us.” “So yeah, we’re very excited about the future with them.”
The former Miami Heat basketball players also mentioned that they just inked two long-term contracts, one with Cacktus AI, which was previously revealed, and the other with an unnamed media business, both of which they feel best represent who they are as a brand.
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Hanna Cavinder said:
“We have a lot of long-term deals too. We just signed two long-term deals, one with Cacktus AI, and another with a media company that fits who we truly are as a brand.” “Sports, business and health and fitness. So we’re super excited to announce those in the week.”
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As you can see, even though they won’t be playing basketball in the near future, the Cavinder Twins have a bright future. Whether it’s in the WWE, on TikTok, or somewhere in between, Haley and Hanna Cavinder won’t be stepping away from the spotlight any time soon.