The growth of women’s basketball and 3-on-3 basketball has led to the creation of a historic league, spearheaded by two-time WNBA champion Breanna Stewart and Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier. The New York Liberty star announced the league, named Unrivaled, on Good Morning America. This league will make history as the highest-paying women’s pro league ever.
The first 30 players to sign deals with Unrivaled will also receive an equity ownership stake in the league. Reviews so far have been mixed, with some fans seeing the value it can bring to women’s sports, while others believe it will be another failed league that will fizzle out.
However, the rise and stardom of WNBA rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink bring a new dynamic to the teams and the league’s marketing potential. The two-month league, running from January to March, will feature a 3-on-3 setting and a 1-on-1 format, played on a full court roughly two-thirds the size of a WNBA court.
Some of the star-studded funding members of the league include soccer stars Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, NBA legends Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony, UCONN women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, and many others. This is an exciting time for women’s sports, and the growth within the sport shows that investments like this are just the tip of the iceberg if America continues to support women’s athletics.
