A lot of attention has been paid to the launch of Project B, a professional 5x5 women's basketball league that is expected to begin play in November 2026. Despite ongoing concerns surrounding the league's perceived lack of clarity about operations and funding, a lot of that attention is justified because Project B has already managed to sign some major WNBA talent.
But there's another professional women's basketball league debuting in the summer of 2026, and this one may mean more to players who will be leaving college that month. UpShot, which is backed by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, will begin its season in May 2026. The league will be lead by former WNBA president Donna Orender and has the financial backing of a group that includes Cheryl Miller; perhaps more importantly, it's being described as a type of G League, or developmental league, for college graduates who didn't make it into the WNBA right away.
First-round WNBA picks could end up in UpShot
An ongoing problem within the WNBA for players and fans alike is that rosters simply aren't built to accommodate all of the talent that could exist in the league. As a result, some first-round draft picks don't always send up in the league, and most second and third-round picks opt to play overseas, or stop playing basketball entirely. That's a sharp fall from collegiate basketball, where many of those same players were stars.
UpShot offers these players a chance at playing pro basketball here in the United States, in a league that runs alongside the WNBA's season but doesn't conflict with it. The first team announced will be based in Jacksonville, Florida, and Savannah, Georgia, will also be home to a team. Two teams will be based in North Carolina (in Greensboro and Charlotte, respectively). In November the league announced the formation of a fifth team based in Baltimore (that team will begin playing in 2027).
The league also intends to sign 44 players to begin the season, giving each of the first four teams a roster of 11. That's 44 more spots that will suddenly be available to athletes who deserve a shot at the WNBA, and it's likely that list could include those who were drafted in 2025 and waived, or those who just missed the draft entirely.
The inaugural UpShot season is four months, something that could drain athletes since there are only four teams. Twenty games will be played at home and 20 games will be played on the road.