- We're learning more about Haley and Hanna Cavinder's relationship with the WWE.
- The Cavinder Twins recently took college basketball by storm but are looking at other opportunities.
Haley and Hanna Cavinder — social media personalities and Miami basketball players — announced last week that they would not pursue their fifth year of NCAA eligibility with the Hurricanes, instead opting to "start a new chapter in our lives."
That very well could lead them from the hardcourt to the WWE ring.
The twin sisters, who helped Miami storm to the Elite Eight in last month's NCAA Tournament, are among the most popular college athletes in the country. They were famously the first college athletes to score an endorsement deal when the NCAA's name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules loosened in July 2021. And their roster of brand partnerships has steadily grown since, including a deal with WWE in December 2021.
In the last week, it seems that the Cavinders' relationship with the market-leading sports entertainment brand is growing even stronger, offering the twins a lucrative outlet to compete now that their basketball careers are done.
Haley Cavinder: 'We love the WWE'
When speaking on NBC's The Today Show, the Cavinder Twins said that after four years of playing college basketball, they're keen to explore opportunities away from the sport.
The WWE could be one such opportunity, they said according to Sports Illustrated.
"We love the WWE," Haley said.
"Their fanbase, their sport, the fitness side of it. That fits to Hanna and I's brain and aligns great with us.
"So yeah, we're very excited about the future with them."
Then, on Monday, their agent Jeff Hoffman told The Street that the Cavinders will even begin training at the WWE Performance Center — its hallowed developmental ground in Orlando, Florida.
"The potential — what could be — I think they'd be excited if that type of opportunity presented itself for them to be main features in the WWE," Hoffman said.
"WWE fans provide such positive comments, feedback, and energy to the twins."
Hoffman added: "The WWE, they have a very specific training process. They don't just fit people into storylines and say, 'Here you go.'
"The twins are D-I athletes, they're extremely fit, healthy, exercise constantly, but there's also a process through the training to make sure you understand not only movements but safety," he said.
The Cavinder Twins and the WWE could be a perfect fit
Considering their popularity on TikTok, the Cavinder Twins could be the next internet sensation to follow Logan Paul into the squared circle.
WWE executive Triple-H once told Insider that he laughed to himself when he heard Paul wanted to join the WWE but, over time, saw how talented the YouTube creator was and has now grown to become a formidable player.
Paul, though, is not an active part of the WWE roster. It is unclear if the Cavinder Twins would wrestle infrequently, like Paul, or seek to become a regular force.
What is clear, though, is how the WWE invests in the talent it identifies.
When Stephanie McMahon was chief brand officer for the WWE, she told Insider that athletes who are not pro wrestlers can excel in WWE provided they have one key ingredient.
"It's not for everybody, but the beautiful thing about WWE is that if you're an athlete with a personality and can connect [with the audience], you can be trained in WWE," McMahon told us in 2020.
"It doesn't matter what sport you come from. It opens the door a lot very widely for a number of female and male stars, for sure."
Considering how well the Cavinder Twins have connected with their audiences on social media, combined with their obvious athletic prowess on the court, it seems success in WWE may well follow.