Miami’s Unrivaled sets the stage for the future of women’s basketball
Women’s sports, especially basketball, are surging in popularity. In 2024, the women’s NCAA finals outdrew the men’s in viewership. Yet with limited U.S. opportunities, two WNBA stars saw a gap in the U.S. sports industry: last year, about half of the WNBA players joined foreign leagues in the offseason to supplement their income and gain more exposure.
Enter “Unrivaled” – a new, Miami-based league aimed at closing that gap. WNBA 2024 Defensive Player of the Year and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier co-founded the league alongside two-time WNBA Finals MVP and New York Liberty player Breanna Stewart.
Unrivaled rules and format: a new kind of basketball
The Unrivaled League features a unique 3-on-3 format with six teams, known as “basketball clubs,” each comprising six players: Lunar Owls BC, Vinyl BC, Rose BC, Mist BC, Laces BC and Phantom BC.
A standard basketball court is 94 x 50 feet, while the Unrivaled court is 50 x 43 feet. Each game has four periods—the first three are eight minutes long, shorter than the WNBA’s standard 10-minute quarters. The fourth period uses the Elam Ending, eliminating the game clock and introducing a “target score.” The leading team’s score has 8 points added to it, and the first team to reach that number of points wins the game.
Other basketball competitions have used the Elam Ending, including NBA All-Star games and FIBA 3-on-3 competitions. Unrivaled Laces BC player Kayla McBride, also with the Minnesota Lynx, praised the format.
“So I’m just having fun with that, and I’m super competitive. So just trying to win every game, and I think the Elam Ending is really cool because now you’re playing for us,” McBride said. “You play for a game-winner every game. So I think it just brings out the best competitively in all of us. But as far as my game, like just having more space and being able to have the freedom to create my own shot from the outside but also get to the rim, it’s been a lot of fun.”
Rae Burrell, a forward for Vinyl BC and the Los Angeles Sparks, highlighted the fun of playing in Unrivaled.
“Just experience this together and knowing that we’re together as a team, whether we’re losing or winning, we’re all on the same page at all times,” Burrell said. “There’s really no point when we’re not on the same page, and it just makes you enjoy it even more, whether we’re losing or winning.”
Focus on player development and wellness
A major advantage for Unrivaled players is the opportunity to hone their skills without the stress of overseas travel while having access to top-tier training facilities and resources. Satou Sabally, a WNBA player for the Phoenix Mercury, called Unrivaled’s amenities a “game-changer,” noting the amenities and support system offer a more sustainable off-season experience.
“In between games, like people are able to rehab, people are able to use amazing resources that we usually are not provided with during the off-season,” Sabally said. “So that’s a big change. Like you spend a lot of money to stay in shape, but here you actually get paid to do what you’re the best at.”
Basketball legend Lisa Leslie praised the league for its exceptional support of players.
“All these moms have places where their children can attend,” Leslie said. “They have a spa where they can get hot and cold treatments. And they also have an institution where they can get facials and then a whole Sephora room, which is lovely. So, when you talk about first class and doing it right, I think Unrivaled has really stepped up to the plate.”
The league also allows players to stay in the United States, reducing the physical and mental strain of playing overseas.
Sabally, who has played in Turkey during previous off-seasons, believes this will extend players’ careers by providing the resources they need to rest and recover.
“Also, in a sense, taking care of what we need to take care of in the off-season, like that’s big,” Sabally said. “Rather than going to China or going to Turkey, which I love playing in,” Sabally said. “They’re able to stay here and recover their bodies so that they may actually be able to play five years more than previously just because they are given more resources to rest.”
A new skill set for players
Unrivaled’s 3-on-3 format also develops a different skill set compared to 5-on-5 leagues. The fast-paced, defense-heavy nature of the game forces players to stay engaged on both ends of the court.
“It’s competitive. They’re playing full speed, full contact, and we are coming down to the wire here, so you can feel the intensity,” Brendan Glasheen, an Unrivaled and WNBA broadcast play-by-play commentator. “And at the end of the day, they’re all competitors, and they want to win. Yeah, I think finding out how they fit into a five-on-five scheme, the beauty of this league and 3-on-3 is you can’t hide anybody offensively [or] defensively.”
Social media growth and player exposure
Thanks to platforms like TikTok, Unrivaled has enjoyed significant exposure, boosting the league’s visibility. Tiffany Hayes, a player for Laces BC and the Golden State Valkyries, emphasized how important social media is for growing the league.
“I think that a big thing is social media is definitely helping push us,” Hayes said. “I mean, we’ve been on so many channels, I can’t even keep count of so many things.”
Unrivaled gives players a chance to showcase their personalities, which Hayes finds refreshing.
“And it’s not just about basketball, but it’s also showing our personalities and how we are as people too,” Hayes said. “So I think that’s one of the better things that has come out of Unrivaled as well.”
While the social media virality of Unrivaled is an incredible growing opportunity for players’ personal brands as well. Angel Reese, one of the most notable current women’s basketball players, has faced challenges always being in the spotlight.
Reese talked about being able to work closely with team veterans and how working once a week with Leslie, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time WNBA champion, has changed not only her gameplay but also how she handles the spotlight as the youngest player in Unrivaled.
“Angel’s just a phenomenal player and person, and I really enjoyed getting to know her even more,” Leslie said. “She is such a hard worker … I just felt like she has so much talent, and it’s like she’s just scratching the surface. And sometimes you can have people or coaches that can help you and tell you things, but a person who’s actually experienced it and gone through it.”
“At 22, it’s hard living this life, but I’m grateful. I’m blessed, and I’m lucky to be around this group,” Reese said. “And being here and Unrivaled has just been the best thing for me.”
Mentorship and pay opportunities
In addition to exposure, Unrivaled offers significant financial incentives. Players earn an average salary of $220,000 for the eight-week season, a 233% increase from the WNBA minimum salary of $66,079.
There is also a 1-on-1 mid-season tournament with a $350,000 prize pool during the season. Collier, who won the tournament, donated half of her $200,000 prize to her team’s staff.
Players also received equity stakes in the league, ensuring long-term financial benefits as the league grows.
League results and plans for growth
Out of six teams, the top four qualified for the playoffs: Lunar Owls BC (13-1), Rose BC (8-6), Laces BC (7-7), and Vinyl BC (5-9). Mist BC (5-9) and Phantom BC (4-10) were the two teams that missed the playoffs. In the semifinals, Rose BC defeated Laces BC 63-57, and Vinyl BC pulled off an upset over Lunar Owls BC, winning 73-70. Rose BC won the inaugural Unrivaled Championship, defeating Vinyl BC 62-54.
Looking ahead, Unrivaled is planning to expand in its second season. While Miami will remain the league’s base, there is potential for “tours” in four other non-WNBA cities across the U.S.
“It’s great for women’s basketball, and it’s going to be great for the [WNBA],” Mist BC player and Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot said. Just being able to, you know, use our offseason to sharpen our game, and, I said this before, I wish it happened when I was younger. I would do this every single year. I think it’s going to be really great.”
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