Unrivaled Basketball, the innovative three-on-three women’s basketball league co-founded by Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) stars Breanna Stewart and Naphessa Collier, has commenced. Launched in mid-January, the league offers a fresh, fast-paced alternative to traditional basketball, featuring elite athletes competing in a compressed full-court format.
Unlike the standard half-court three-by-three format, Unrivaled games are played on a full court measuring 70 feet by 49.2 feet. Each game consists of four seven-minute quarters, with the final period played to a target score of 11 points higher than the leading total at the end of the third quarter. The league also has a quick 18-second shot clock, ensuring rapid and dynamic gameplay.
Unrivaled prioritizes its athletes by offering a total salary pool of $8 million, with an average salary of $222,000 per player: nearly double the WNBA average salary. This unique structure allows players to stay in the U.S. during the WNBA offseason, providing financial stability and work-life balance.
The league also owns a state-of-the-art facility in Miami, Florida. It is equipped with a weight room, multiple recovery areas, a physician’s office, and a glam room in partnership with Sephora. This comprehensive setup aims to elevate women’s basketball while offering players opportunities to grow their brand and earn revenue through sponsorships and social media engagement.
The league has attracted an impressive roster, including nine of the 12 Team USA players from the Paris Olympics and 12 WNBA champions. The six teams – Vinyl (Miami), Rose (Los Angeles), Mist (Chicago), Lunar Owls (New York), Phantom (Dallas), and Laces (Atlanta) – were formed through a draft system that ensures balanced rosters.
As if it wasn’t already interesting enough, another standout feature of the season is the one-on-one tournament, which began on Feb. 10 and ran through Feb. 14. This high-stakes competition featured 30 players competing for a $350,000 prize pool, with an impressive $200,000 awarded to the champion. The tournament was structured as a single elimination event, with the finals conducted as a best-of-three series. Games were played to 11 points, or 10 minutes in length, whichever came first, with a seven-second shot clock and a make-it, take-it (“winners”) rule. Traditional scoring applied, with shots inside the arc worth two points and those outside worth three points. Collier (“Queen Phee”) emerged victorious, defeating Aaliyah Edwards in the final one-on-one match. Reflecting on her win, Collier said, “My entire WNBA salary is what I just got in 30 minutes of playing one-on-one, which is insane to even say.”
The season has been underway since Jan. 17, with games airing on TNT networks throughout the nine-week schedule. The small, 850-capacity venue in Miami was intentionally designed to create an electric, intimate atmosphere, making every game feel like a high-stakes showdown. The championship match, marking the end of the Unrivaled season, takes place on March 17, just in time for the start of the WNBA season.
While it’s too early to predict which teams will succeed, players who thrive in fast-paced, adaptable settings may have an early edge. Stars like Sabrina Ionescu (Phantom), Alyssa Thomas (Laces), and Arike Ogunbowale (Vinyl) bring elite scoring versatility, and their past success in high-tempo systems suggests they possess the quick decision-making, versatile skillsets, and stamina needed to excel in this league’s unique format. However, the Lunar Owls, – led by the league’s co-founder Collier and standout Cameron Brink – have emerged as the team to beat, currently boasting an impressive eight-game winning streak.
Unrivaled isn’t just “another basketball league,” it’s changing the game. By emphasizing player experience, financial stability, and a fast-paced, fan-friendly format, this innovative platform is offering something fresh for both athletes and viewers. Whether it becomes a long-term staple in women’s basketball remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: it’s already making an impact.
By Kiran Singh
