With the rise of women’s basketball, new pro leagues have been popping up left and right, headlined by Unrivaled and the still somewhat mysterious Project B. UPSHOT, which is backed by some big names like Cheryl Miler, Ann Meyers Drysdale, and Tamika Catchings, hasn’t received the same buzz as those other two leagues—mostly because it takes place at the same time as the WNBA season and is a place for players who couldn’t make a W roster instead of featuring the biggest stars in the game during the offseason.
However, UPSHOT is forging its own connection to the WNBA. A few days ago, the Indiana Fever signed Michelle Onyiah, who was playing for the Charlotte Crown, to a development contract. Indiana knows all about signing players mid-season after last year’s string of season-ending injuries. Many of those players joined the team after not playing for a while. That’s not the case with Onyiah, which is what makes Upshot so valuable.
“I think UPSHOT’s great,” Stephanie White said during a practice media availability on August 4, per a video on the Fever’s YouTube channel. “It gives you an opportunity to stay ready for a WNBA season. Certainly for us a year ago, we’re bringing in players who weren’t actively competing. It was a challenge. So, being able to have players that are actively competing, that are continuing to grow their skill set and continuing to get experience in-game is important. So, I’m thankful that she was participating in the league.”
UPSHOT is in its first season and lacks the kind of star power other leagues have, so being praised by Stephanie White, the head coach of one of the most popular WNBA teams, is invaluable for the new league.
What is UPSHOT?
UPSHOT currently features four teams: the Jacksonville Waves, the Savannah Steel, the Greensboro Groove, and the Charlotte Crown. The rosters feature some familiar names for WNBA fans, like A.D. Durr, Deja Kelly, Shyanne Sellers, Zee Spearman, Jessica Timmons, and Harmoni Turner.
The season features 34 games per team. More than halfway through the first season, the Waves, led by Ariel Hearn and Rennia Davis, sit on top of the standings with a 20-6 record. Kelly, who currently leads the league in scoring with 17.5 points per game, helped power the Crown to a 16-10 record and second place in the standings.
All of the games can be watched on the league’s YouTube page.
About a month ago, former WNBA player Taj McWilliams-Franklin, the VP of basketball operations for UPSHOT, told Jordan Robinson on The Women’s Hoop Show, “My inbox, I got like 42–the only reason I know is because I just answered two more. Players sent me some messages about wanting to play in UPSHOT, and they want to play professional, and they just want a chance … I’m constantly getting them. The coaches are constantly getting these emails, even from agents.”
That demand is showing already. Upshot will expand to Baltimore and Nashville for the 2027 season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google