Unrivaled Basketball is set to debut in 2025. Its highly-anticipated debut has been discussed throughout the season and offseason, as WNBA players can now stay in the United States and play during the offseason. The league, which was founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, received a big update on Thursday.
While speaking in a video that was shared to Unrivaled Basketball's account on X (formerly Twitter), Collier announced that the league will be adding six extra roster spots. The roster limit was originally set at 30, but now 36 players will receive the opportunity to play in the league.
Unrivaled projects to help the WNBA. It will give players an opportunity to establish themselves as stars in the offseason, which could lead to even more interest in the WNBA. Of course, the league enjoyed a historic season from both a viewership and attendance standpoint in 2024. Women's basketball is unquestionably trending in a promising direction.
Details of Unrivaled Basketball
Unrivaled Basketball will begin in January of 2025. For those who may not have heard about the league, it will feature a 3v3 setup. Games will be played in Miami to begin the league. The Unrivaled Website also says that players will receive record-setting average salaries.
In total, Unrivaled will last eight weeks and there will be a postseason. As for the gameplay, it will implement four quarters to go along with a shot clock and game clock. It projects to be similar to the WNBA as far as the games goes, with the big exception being the 3v3 format.
Players who participate in Unrivaled will still have plenty of time to rest and recover for the regular season. Since the league only lasts eight weeks, Unrivaled players should have a month or two before the WNBA season begins in the spring.
It will be interesting to see how much interest the league gets. It should be noted that all 36 roster spots have not been announced yet. Perhaps Caitlin Clark, who emerged as one of the most popular players in the WNBA this past season, will end up joining the league. Even if Clark does not play, though, the league should still draw plenty of interest.