WNBA fans wont have to wait until next season to see many of the leagues top players compete.
A new womens basketball league called Unrivaled is set to debut months before the 2025 WNBA season kicks off.
Unrivaled was founded by a pair of WNBA stars in the Minnesota Lynxs Napheesa Collier and the New York Libertys Breanna Stewart. And since the league was announced in May, a long list of big names from the W have committed to joining.
So, when will the first Unrivaled games be played? And whos suiting up? Heres everything to know about the new womens hoops league:
What is the Unrivaled basketball league?
Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 womens basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The leagues season will be played during the WNBA offseason.
The league boasts several high-profile investors, including former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash, former U.S. soccer stars Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, and sports media executives John Skipper and David Levy.
Micky Lawler, a former president of the Womens Tennis Association (WTA), was appointed as the leagues commissioner.
How many players are in the Unrivaled basketball league?
Unrivaled was originally set to feature 30 players in its inaugural season before announcing on Oct. 31 that it was expanding the roster size to 36. Collier said on X that the league outperforming its financial projections allowed for the expansion.
How many teams are in the Unrivaled basketball league?
There will be six teams of six players each in Unrivaled. The team names are the Laces Basketball Club, Lunar Owls Basketball Club, Mist Basketball Club, Phantom Basketball Club, Rose Basketball Club and Vinyl Basketball Club.
Each club will have a head coach, assistant coach and team manager, Collier said in August on X.
Who is playing in the Unrivaled basketball league?
Unrivaled has announced 30 of the 36 players who will be suiting up in the debut season:
Breanna Stewart, New York LibertyNapheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
Marina Mabrey, Connecticut Sun
Satou Sabally, Dallas Wings
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Natasha Cloud, Phoenix Mercury
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Seattle Storm
Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks
Dijonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun
Courtney Vandersloot, New York Liberty
Brittney Sykes, Washington Mystics
Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics
Tiffany Hayes, Las Vegas Aces
Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
Azurá Stevens, Los Angeles Sparks
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx
Kate Martin, Las Vegas Aces
Aaliyah Edwards, Washington Mystics
Lexie Hull, Indiana Fever
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
UConn star Paige Bueckers, whos a contender to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, will join starting in 2026 after signing an NIL deal with Unrivaled.
Is Caitlin Clark playing in the Unrivaled basketball league?
Could one of the last remaining roster spots be for Caitlin Clark? Well, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported on Oct. 23, citing sources, that Unrivaled was preparing a “Lionel Messi–like” offer for the Indiana Fever sensation.
The Sports Business Journals Tom Friend then reported on Oct. 31, citing sources, that Unrivaleds offer to Clark includes a $1 million salary and significant equity in the league. Friend also reported that Unrivaled strategically signed two of Clarks closest friends Fever teammate Lexie Hull and former Iowa teammate Kate Martin as the league tries to convince the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year to join.
Is there an Unrivaled basketball league draft?
There will not be a draft to set the six rosters. Instead, a selection committee will split up the players into teams by position and skill, Collier said in August on X.
How much money do players in the Unrivaled Basketball League make?
Unrivaled says it will offer players the highest average salary in the history of womens professional sports, with all salaries being at least six figures. The average salary is expected to be in the $250,000 range, according to the Sports Business Journal. Players will also receive equity in the league.
In comparison, the highest base salary in the WNBA this past season was around $242,000, according to Spotrac.
When does the Unrivaled basketball league start?
The first Unrivaled games are slated for Friday, Jan. 17.
How long is the Unrivaled basketball league season?
The Unrivaled regular season and postseason will run eight weeks in total. The teams will play a round robin schedule, with the top four squads advancing to the playoffs.
A full schedule hasnt been released yet.
The league will also hold a single-elimination one-on-one tournament in February. Collier revealed in August on X that the tournament will feature a payout of at least $250,000 for the winner.
Where will Unrivaled basketball games be played?
Unrivaled will play its first season at a soundstage in Miami, with the exact location not yet announced. The venue seats 850 people, according to the Sports Business Journal.
The league plans to hold a tour-style season with games played across different U.S. cities in 2026, per the Sports Business Journal.
How long are games in the Unrivaled basketball league?
Unrivaled says games will be played in a one-hour broadcast window. Games will be broken up into four quarters with a game clock and shot clock, but full details havent yet been announced.
Are Unrivaled basketball games half-court or full-court?
Unrivaled will feature a compressed full court thats about two-thirds the size of a WNBA court.
Will Unrivaled basketball games be shown on TV?
Unrivaled inked an exclusive, multiyear media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in October. The deal will see games air across TNT and truTV, and stream live on Max.
TNT also invested an undisclosed amount of money into the league as part of the deal.
Can fans attend Unrivaled basketball games?
Unrivaled games will be played in front of fans, but the league hasnt yet announced ticket details.