WNBA fans won't have to wait until next season to see many of the league's top players compete.
A new women's 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 Lynx's Napheesa Collier and the New York Liberty's 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 who's suiting up? Here's everything to know about the new women's hoops league:
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
What is the Unrivaled basketball league?
Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 women's basketball league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The league's 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.
WNBA
Micky Lawler, a former president of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), was appointed as the league's 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 Liberty
- Napheesa 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, who's 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 Journal's Tom Friend then reported on Oct. 31, citing sources, that Unrivaled's offer to Clark includes a $1 million salary and "significant" equity in the league. Friend also reported that Unrivaled strategically signed two of Clark's 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 women's 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 hasn't 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 haven't yet been announced.
Are Unrivaled basketball games half-court or full-court?
Unrivaled will feature a "compressed" full court that's 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 hasn't yet announced ticket details.
