Unrivaled: The New 3-on-3 Basketball League
The WNBA season concluded on a spectacular note with the New York Liberty clinching their first championship in 28 seasons after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the finals. The excitement doesn't end there, thanks to Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, launching Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league set to take place during the WNBA off-season.
#### What Is Unrivaled?
Unrivaled is an innovative 3-on-3 basketball league played on a 70-by-50-foot compressed court. Founded by WNBA veterans and Olympians Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, the league will feature six teams, each likely consisting of six players. The inaugural season kicks off in January 2025 and will be based in Miami at Mediapro, a custom-designed facility with a capacity of 850.
#### Who Is Playing in the Unrivaled League?
Unrivaled has officially announced all 36 players, with NY Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu as the final recruit. The roster includes several WNBA Finals stars like Stewart, Collier, and Courtney Williams, as well as respected veterans like Brittney Griner and Jewell Lloyd, and popular rookies such as Angel Reese, Kate Martin, and Rickea Jackson. Here is the full list:
- Breanna Stewart
- Napheesa Collier
- Chelsea Gray
- Arike Ogunbowale
- Jewell Loyd
- Rhyne Howard
- Kahleah Copper
- Jackie Young
- Angel Reese
- Dearica Hamby
- Kayla McBride
- Marina Mabrey
- Satou Sabally
- Allisha Gray
- Natasha Cloud
- Skylar Diggins-Smith
- Rickea Jackson
- Dijonai Carrington
- Courtney Vandersloot
- Brittney Sykes
- Shakira Austin
- Tiffany Hayes
- Brittney Griner
- Azurá Stevens
- Courtney Williams
- Kate Martin
- Aaliyah Edwards
- Lexie Hull
- Aliyah Boston
- Alyssa Thomas
- Stefanie Dolson
- Rae Burrell
- Jordin Canada
- Sabrina Ionescu
- Cameron Brink
- Katie Lou Samuelson
#### Unrivaled Teams
The league consists of six basketball clubs: Vinyl, Mist, Laces, Rose, Phantom, and Lunar Owls. Each team has six players:
- **Vinyl BC**: Arike Ogunbowale (Club Captain), Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Jordin Canada, Dearica Hamby, Rae Burrell
- **Mist BC**: Breanna Stewart (Club Captain), Jewell Loyd, Dijonai Carrington, Courtney Vandersloot, Aaliyah Edwards, Rickea Jackson
- **Laces BC**: Alyssa Thomas (Club Captain), Jackie Young, Kayla McBride, Stefanie Dolson, Kate Martin, Tiffany Hayes
- **Rose BC**: Chelsea Gray (Club Captain), Angel Reese, Kahleah Copper, Brittney Sykes, Azurá Stevens, Lexie Hull
- **Phantom BC**: Satou Sabally (Club Captain), Natasha Cloud, Marina Mabrey, Brittney Griner, Sabrina Ionescu, Katie Lou Samuelson
- **Lunar Owls BC**: Napheesa Collier (Club Captain), Courtney Williams, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Shakira Austin, Allisha Gray, Cameron Brink
#### Unrivaled Coaches
The coaching staff includes an all-star group of leaders:
- Teresa Weatherspoon - Vinyl BC
- Phil Handy - Mist BC
- Andrew Wade - Laces BC
- Nola Henry - Rose BC
- Adam Harrington - Phantom BC
- DJ Sackmann - Lunar Owls BC
#### When Does Unrivaled Basketball Start?
The Unrivaled season begins on January 17, 2025, in Miami, FL. The season will last eight weeks, including playoffs, with the six teams playing in a round-robin schedule. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs. Additionally, there will be a 1v1 championship within Unrivaled to determine the best 1v1 player in the world, with a $250,000 prize.
#### Player Salaries
Unrivaled is setting a record with the highest average salaries in women's sports history, starting at $100,000. All 30 initial Unrivaled players will also receive equity ownership, addressing the long-standing pay gap and the need for WNBA players to compete overseas during the off-season.
"As elite basketball players and also moms, we get it. We get both sides of it," Stewart said in a recent interview. She emphasized creating a league where players can stay home, be close to their families, and remain relevant without playing overseas.
Unrivaled is also offering equity to players not on the team, including NIL partnerships with collegiate phenoms Flau'jae Johnson and Paige Bueckers.
#### Tickets and Viewing
Tickets were released on Ticketmaster starting November 21, with newsletter subscribers receiving exclusive early access.
Fans can watch Unrivaled games three nights a week on TNT, with twice-weekly games on Mondays and Fridays, and Saturday games on truTV. All games will also be streamed on Max.
Opening night will feature Napheesa Collier and the Lunar Owls BC vs. Breanna Stewart and the Mist BC at 7 pm ET, followed by Angel Reese and the Rose BC taking on Aliyah Boston and Vinyl BC at 8:15 pm ET.