Unrivaled Basketball League: Everything You Need to Know

Before the year 2025, WNBA players were engrossed in earning offseason from the overseas leagues. The most popular center for off-season basketball play was the Russian Premier League. The players got the chance to earn about 14 times in Russia in comparison to what they got in the United States.

Even one of the founders, Napheesa Collier, said on the issue, “For a long time, going overseas was the only option that people had in their offseason, and so this is kind of changing the narrative around that and giving another option. Overseas is a great option for some players, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you can do to make money and play basketball and get better.” That’s why Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart came up with the idea of the Unrivaled Basketball League to provide alternative offseason income to fellow WNBA players.

What Is the Unrivaled Basketball League?

The Unrivaled Basketball League is a three-on-three women’s basketball league whose primary purpose is to be an alternate salary source for the WNBA players. Through this league, the players will not have to take the hassle of going overseas; rather, they will be able to play domestically. Also, the WNBA’s prioritization rule was a red tape complication for players who used to go overseas.

According to the official definition of the league from the press release, “Unrivaled is player-owned, offering participating players in its inaugural season equity opportunities for a vested interest in the league’s success – in addition to the highest salaries in professional women’s sports league history.”

The league has already taken the first step for the WNBA players in the offseason. In the first match that took place, the Lunar Owls with Napheesa Collier rattled the Mist squad, featuring players like Breanna Stewart. In the second game of the Unrivaled Basketball League, the Vinyl team beat the Rose squad.

Format:

According to the official format declaration, Unlike FIBA or Olympic three-on-three basketball, Unrivaled will play on a full court, with baskets at each end. Owing to the lower number of players on the floor at any given time, the playing surface will be 70′-by-50′ (as compared to the 94′-by-50′ size used in the WNBA). Games will be played in four seven-minute quarters.

Each team will play 14 games, with the top four teams at the end of the regular season advancing to one-game semifinals. The winners of those games will move on to a one-game final set for Monday, March 17.

Rules:

• Game Length: Three seven-minute quarters plus a fourth quarter called “winning score.”
• Winning Score: The first team to score 11 points beyond the leading team’s third-quarter total wins the game.
• Shot Clock: 18 seconds (shorter than the WNBA’s 24-second clock).
• Fouls: Players foul out after six fouls. If only three players are available and one fouls out, they remain in the game but rack up technical fouls for each additional foul.

Meet the Stars of the Unrivaled Basketball League

The prominent players who would be a part of the Unrivaled Basketball League are Aliyah Boston, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu, Jackie Young, Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd, and Brittney Griner. Another star player, Cameron Brink, was also supposed to play this season. However, she is out of the current season due to her 2024 ACL injury.

Other notable players include:

• Paige Bueckers: The potential 2025 no.1 pick in the WNBA draft has signed an NIL deal with the Unrivaled League. So, she will not play in the 2025 season. However, she is supposed to play in the 2026 season.
• Flau’Jae Johnson: LSU Junior Flau’Jae Johnson has also signed the NIL deal with the Unrivaled League. But there is no credible information about when she will join the league.

The name that was most abuzz among the audience was 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark. However, the Indiana Fever guard refused to play in the league after the hectic 2024 season as the WNBA star. Another prominent name that popped up during the league recruitment was 2024 MVP A’ja Wilson. The Las Vegas Aces forward has turned down the Unrivaled Basketball League offer.

Unrivaled Basketball League Teams, Coaches, and Roster Breakdown

Since a total of 36 players are playing for the Unrivaled Basketball League, the teams are divided into six parts. So here is a breakdown of each team along with their head coaches, players and which team they belong to in the WNBA as per CBS Sports.

Full List of Coaches

The Unrivaled Basketball League has assembled a roster of highly respected coaches, each bringing a wealth of experience and unique strategies. Here’s a detailed table:

Salary Structure of the Unrivaled Basketball League

The Unrivaled Basketball League has not disclosed any particular information about the remuneration that the players are getting for their off-season services. The salary pool is $8 million for the league so the average can be assumed to be $222,222 for each player. However, apart from the basic pay, the Unrivaled players also get certain amenities like:

• Personalized chefs.
• Two-bedroom apartments at no cost.
• Rental cars.
• Childcare stipends and family-friendly facilities.
• The Miami facility includes saunas, recovery rooms, and even a Sephora-sponsored glam room.

The league has mainly arranged such facilities to ensure that the players get everything they need during the offseason. The prime reason behind this structure is that players are stressed enough during the regular WNBA season. So, the league does not intend to become too hectic like the WNBA.

How to Get Tickets for the Unrivaled Basketball League?

The tickets for the Unrivaled Basketball League are available on the official website of the league. If one wants to buy the tickets to the league, one can click on the link here. However, if the fans want to visit other platforms for buying the tickets, they can shop the tickets on StubHub, SeatGeek and VividSeats.

• Early Bird Discounts: The league might also introduce some offers like this to gain the attention of the fans.
• Season Passes: The season passes might get available for the players for special occasions or special meeting opportunities with the players.

Schedule and Key Details for the Unrivaled Basketball League

The inaugural season doubleheader game started on January 17, 2025. However, across the span of nine weeks, the league promises a number of games to the fans. So let’s find out the whole schedule of the Unrivaled Basketball League as per the Ticketmaster:

Unrivaled Basketball League’s Website and Investor Insights

The official website of the Unrivaled Basketball League has various sections. However, the first page that appears on the screen after clicking on the link is an advertisement of the ‘Unrivaled’ season 1. As the fans scroll down the page, they get to see the updates related to the updates of the league. Along with the home section, the site has various sections.

The 10 sections present on the website can be given as follows:

• Schedule
• News
• Clubs
• Players
• Standings
• Tickets
• Newsletter
• Careers
• Contact Us
• Shop

The Role of Caitlin Clark in the League’s Expansion

There were speculations that Caitlin Clark would join the Unrivaled Basketball League since all the bigger stars were joining the league. However, she ultimately did not join since it was an exhausting season for her in 2024. So she might contribute a little later in the league but for this season, she did not participate and it can be safe to assume that she has not contributed to the league’s expansion yet.

Comparison: Unrivaled Basketball League vs. Other WNBA Leagues

When it comes to the distinction between the Unrivaled Basketball League and the WNBA league, some primary points make the key difference:

3-on-3 play: The most important aspect to know about Unrivaled is that it is a 3-on-3 basketball instead of the traditional 5-on-5 game of the WNBA, but it still is”fullcourt.” The Unrivaled court will be 70 feet long, which is about three-fourths the length of the WNBA’s 94-foot-long court.

Winning Score Format: This format in Unrivaled means games will be played to a “winning score” instead of a final buzzer. The first three quarters will be seven minutes long. After the third quarter, the “winning score” will be determined by adding 11 points to the leading team’s score. The two teams will then play to that point total, and the first team to reach it wins.

Shorter Shot Time: The games will use an 18-second shot clock, which is a significant difference from the WNBA (24 seconds) and college (30 seconds). That 18-second shot clock will remain in place during the untimed fourth quarter.

Less Number of Free Throws:

If a player is fouled on a two-point shot, they will get one free throw worth two points, and if they’re fouled on a three-point shot, they’ll get one free throw worth three points. In case of an old-fashioned three-point play, the lone free throw will still just be worth one point. 

On the foul front, players will foul out after six personals. If a team, through injuries or other absences, only has three available players, no one will be able to foul out. Instead, a player who picks up six fouls would remain in the game, but each additional foul would be technical as well, with an extra free throw, worth one point, awarded to the opposing team.

Future of the Unrivaled Basketball League: What’s Next?

The Unrivaled Basketball League has already made a calculated start with players, who are probably the best in the world right now. Also, they have collaborated with various famous names like Samsung Galaxy as a technical partner, Icy Hot as a recovery partner, and Sprite and Bodyarmour as a Sports Drink partner. However, despite having such collaborations and a much bigger salary pool, the league will still need some updates:

• If the Unrivaled Basketball League can introduce opportunities for young players in the offseason, it can groom players who have potential draft entry or will get drafted.
• The league is club-based so it can form fan bases and release exclusive content for the audience Eventually, it will increase the marketability of the league.
• The league has already started marching on the way of gaining more and more sponsors. The list will get longer and it might get more significant names in upcoming seasons.

Here Are the Players Confirmed for the First Season of Unrivaled League

Unrivaled is setting new standards for player compensation and equity in women’s sports while elevating visibility for female athletes year-round. Creating a sustainable model that prioritizes athletes’ well-being and competitive pay, could inspire similar leagues across other sports while continuing to grow interest in women’s basketball globally.

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