Last season was a huge success for the WNBA, as it was the most-watched regular season in 24 years, finished with the highest attendance in 22 years and set records for merchandise sales. After the most-watched draft in history, in which Caitlin Clark was selected first overall, it was clear that more eyes would be on the league, which now has more superstars than at any time in its history, a key factor in its success. However, the season ended last October and won’t return until April with the draft, in which Paige Buckers is the favorite to go first overall, and the start of training camps. With the league starting on May 16th, some of the top players will be participating in the new Unrivaled League, an innovative 3v3 professional women’s basketball league.
Angel Reese’s new team out of Chicago
The league kicks off on January 17 and all games will be played in Miami. It was founded by this year’s WNBA champion with the Liberty, Breanna Stewart, and runner-up with the Lynx, Napheesa Collier. It will feature six teams of six players each, meaning 36 WNBA players will be getting ready and staying in shape for next season – and no, Caitlin Clark will not be a part of the inaugural season. Although the players are rivals in the WNBA, some seem to have built strong relationships and fit in well with their new teams, at least for the two and a little more months this league will last. For example, the “Rose” team, which includes Angel Reese on its roster, are even making TikTok challenges.
Joining Reese on the “Rose” team are Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Chelsea Gray (Aces), Lexie Hull (Fever), Azura Stevens (Sparks) and Brittney Sykes (Mystics) – a well-balanced roster that is sure to make Caitlin Clark a little jealous when Hull and Reese take the court together. This tournament will be incredibly beneficial for the players involved, not only because the league is setting a record with the highest average salaries in women’s sports history, but also because they’ll be facing top-level competition over the next few months. In addition, they’ll head into the WNBA season with a better understanding of how certain players who are their teammates in Unrivaled play, even though they’ll be rivals again in the WNBA.
How will the Unrivaled League be like
The first season of Unrivaled will consist of nine weeks of play, including the playoffs. The six teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top four teams in the standings at the end of the regular season advancing to the playoffs. There will also be four quarters of play with both a game and shot clock, making it very similar to a WNBA game, but in a 3v3 format. It would be fascinating to see NBA players try something similar. While the Big3 league founded by Ice Cube exists, it hasn’t had the same impact, most likely because the NBA’s top players don’t participate – likely due to contractual obligations and the risk of injury.
The most notable aspect of this new league may be the absence of Caitlin Clark, who, if she were to participate, would certainly boost the ratings, as her performance and, more importantly, impact in the WNBA fully justifies her Athlete of the Year award. Meanwhile, Reese, Clark’s “nemesis,” has unfinished business with the Chicago Sky, so the money and finding some rhythm after her season-ending injury is perhaps what makes her choose to participate. Despite leading the league in rebounding during her rookie season with an incredible 13.1 boards per game-the highest average in WNBA history-she was unable to lead the team to the playoffs. With a new head coach, she will look to hit the ground running in the upcoming season.