Kristian Ferrell
Unrivaled is a women's professional three-on-three basketball league in the United States. The league was founded in 2023 by UConn Women's Basketball alums and former teammates Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Collier and Stewart are also co-founders of the league. Unrivaled aims to allow WNBA players to play domestically and bypass complications from the WNBA's prioritization rule, which encourages players to play overseas during the offseason. The league's inaugural season began on January 17, 2025, in Medley, Florida, with games played on a condensed full court. Unrivaled has attracted significant attention and investment from notable figures in sports and media, and it offers the highest average salary in professional women's team sports.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2023 |
| Founders | Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart |
| Player Count | 36 |
| Team Count | 6 |
| Format | 3-on-3 |
| Court Size | 72 ft x 49.2 ft |
| Court Type | Full court |
| Game Length | 3 seven-minute periods and 1 "winning score" period |
| Overtime | No |
| Average Salary | $222,222 |
| Notable Investors | John Skipper, David Levy, Koby Altman, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Michael Phelps, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Coco Gauff, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
Unrivaled is a women's professional three-on-three basketball league
Unrivaled provides an opportunity for 36 of the top women's basketball players to compete in a domestic setting during the WNBA offseason, with higher salaries than the WNBA. The league's average salary is around $222,222, the highest in professional women's team sports. In addition to their salaries, Unrivaled players receive equity in the league. The inaugural season, which began on January 17, 2025, featured six teams and was held at the MediaPro Center in Medley, Florida, near Miami. Games were played each week on Monday, Friday, and Saturday, with a round-robin format. The season, including playoffs, lasted eight weeks.
Unrivaled games are played on a condensed full court, billed as 72 feet long by 49.2 feet wide, which is shorter than the 94-foot court used in the WNBA and other professional competitions. The shorter court allows for quicker, faster gameplay and more space for players to operate. Each game consists of three seven-minute quarters, followed by a fourth quarter played under "winning score" conditions. The "winning score" is determined by adding 11 points to the leading team's score at the end of the third quarter. For example, if the score is 50-48, the first team to reach 61 points wins. There is no game clock in the fourth quarter, but there is an active shot clock, and there is never any overtime.
Unrivaled has attracted significant investment and media attention. Notable investors include former ESPN president John Skipper, former Turner president David Levy, Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps, and WNBA stars Alex Morgan and Coco Gauff. The 2025 season is being broadcast on TNT and TruTV and streamed on Max in the United States, with plans to expand across the country for the 2026 season.
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It was founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart
Unrivaled is a women's professional three-on-three basketball league in the United States, founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Collier, nicknamed "Phee", is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She has won two Olympic gold medals playing for the United States women's national basketball team in Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Collier is also a member of the Women's National Basketball Players Association executive committee, where she serves as vice president.
Breanna Stewart, nicknamed "Stewie", is also an American professional basketball player for the New York Liberty of the WNBA. She is one of the most accomplished women in basketball history, having been named the WNBA MVP in 2018 and 2023, and a WNBA All-Star in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In high school, Stewart was the National Gatorade Player of the Year, the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, and a McDonald's All-American. She led the University of Connecticut Huskies to four consecutive national championships and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player a record four times.
Collier and Stewart founded Unrivaled in part to allow WNBA players to play domestically and bypass complications from the WNBA's prioritization rule for players who choose to play overseas during the WNBA offseason. The league's inaugural season began on January 17, 2025, in Medley, Florida, with the first-ever championship being won by Rose BC on March 17, 2025. Unrivaled has attracted several notable investors, including former ESPN president John Skipper and former Turner president David Levy, who are at the helm of the league's media rights and sponsorship sales. Other investors include Koby Altman, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Megan Rapinoe, and Michelle Wie West.
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The league's average salaries are higher than the WNBA's
Unrivalled is a new women's professional three-on-three basketball league in the United States. The league was founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, in part to allow WNBA players to play domestically and bypass the WNBA's prioritization rule for players who choose to play overseas in the WNBA offseason. The league minimum salary for the WNBA is $62,285 for players with two years of experience or less. As of the 2023 season, the average salary in the WNBA is $113,295 among 137 players, up from $102,751 in 2022. The maximum salary for the 2023 season is $234,936.
The salaries of WNBA players are starkly different from those of NBA players. The NBA salary cap per team is over twice the entire revenue generated by the WNBA. The average NBA salary is $9.6 million, and twelve teams of twelve players total around $1.4 billion. This is about 14% of the NBA's total revenue and 23 times the WNBA's revenue. The average NBA team is worth approximately $3.85 billion, with the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers each worth more than $6 billion. The highest-paid NBA player, Golden State Warriors star Nikola Jokic, has an annual salary of over $54 million.
The disparity in salaries between the WNBA and NBA is due to several factors, including revenue and viewership. The WNBA generates significantly less revenue than the NBA, with an annual revenue of about $200 million compared to the NBA's $60 billion to $72 billion media rights deal. The average Stanley Cup finals game had 1.23 million viewers, while the WNBA finals had about half that number.
The lower salaries in the WNBA have drawn outrage, with some arguing that players like Caitlin Clark, who is boosting the WNBA's finances, should be compensated accordingly. Some have compared Clark's salary to that of Michael Jordan, who made $30 million in 1997 and 1998 when the salary cap was only $27 million.
The Unrivaled league aims to address the salary gap between the WNBA and NBA by offering higher salaries to its players. For example, Paige Bueckers signed a three-year deal with Unrivaled, with the first year of her contract paying her more than her entire four-year WNBA rookie contract.
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Unrivaled games are played on a condensed full court
Unrivaled is a women's professional three-on-three basketball league in the United States. The league was founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, in part to allow WNBA players to play domestically during the offseason. Unrivaled games are played on a condensed full court, which is smaller than a standard basketball court.
The Unrivaled court measures 72 feet by 49.2 feet, which is shorter and slightly narrower than a typical WNBA court. This condensed court size allows for quicker and faster gameplay, giving players more space to work with and the stamina to keep up with the pace. It also creates a more intense and dynamic viewing experience for fans.
The smaller court size in Unrivaled is a strategic choice to encourage a faster-paced and more dynamic style of play. The reduced dimensions promote quicker transitions between offense and defense, favoring players with speed, agility, and quick decision-making skills. The condensed court also increases the physicality and intensity of the game, as players have less space to maneuver and must constantly adapt to the changing situations on the court.
One of the key features of the Unrivaled league is its unique scoring system. Each game consists of three seven-minute quarters, followed by a final "winning score" quarter. At the end of the third quarter, 11 points are added to the leading team's score, and the teams then play an untimed final quarter until one of them reaches or exceeds the target score. This innovative format adds excitement and unpredictability to the game, as the leading team cannot relax their lead, and the trailing team always has a chance to catch up.
The condensed court and unique scoring rules of Unrivaled create a distinct style of play that emphasizes skill, strategy, and endurance. The format encourages a fast-paced, high-intensity game that showcases the talents and competitiveness of the players. By combining the excitement of three-on-three gameplay with a full court, Unrivaled offers a fresh and captivating take on traditional basketball, attracting both fans and investors alike.
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The league's first-ever championship was won by Rose BC
Unrivaled Basketball is an innovative 3-on-3 basketball league that made its debut in 2022. It features some of the best professional basketball players from around the world, with teams representing major cities across the United States. The league is unique in that it combines the excitement of fast-paced, high-scoring 3-on-3 basketball with a strong focus on community engagement and social impact. Unrivaled Basketball aims to bring the sport back to its roots, with games played on outdoor courts in urban settings, creating an intense and intimate atmosphere for players and fans alike.
The league's inaugural season culminated in a thrilling championship tournament, with eight teams battling it out for the first-ever Unrivaled Basketball title. Among them was Rose BC, a team that embodied the spirit and talent that the league sought to showcase. Rose BC, representing the city of Chicago and its rich basketball heritage, rose to the challenge and made history by winning the league's first-ever championship.
Led by a dynamic trio of players, Rose BC dominated the court with their skill, strategy, and unwavering teamwork. Their journey to the championship title was not without challenges, as they faced tough competition from other highly skilled teams. However, their dedication, persistence, and unwavering belief in themselves and each other propelled them to victory. The team's success was built on a foundation of strong defense, precise shooting, and a deep understanding of the 3-on-3 game, allowing them to outmaneuver and outthink their opponents.
As the first champions of Unrivaled Basketball, Rose BC not only etched their names into the league's history books but also inspired a new generation of basketball players and fans. Their victory served as a testament to the league's vision of discovering and showcasing the incredible talent that exists within the world of basketball. It also highlighted the appeal of 3-on-3 basketball, which has since gained recognition as an Olympic sport, attracting fans and athletes worldwide. The win by Rose BC marked a significant milestone, setting the stage for future seasons and teams to strive for similar glory.
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Frequently asked questions
Unrivaled is a women's professional 3-on-3 basketball league in the United States.
Unrivaled was founded in 2023 by WNBA stars and former UConn teammates Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled Basketball began on January 17, 2025, in Medley, Florida, near Miami.
The games in Unrivaled Basketball are played on a condensed full court (72 ft x 49.2 ft) with three seven-minute periods followed by a "winning score" fourth period. The "winning score" is calculated by adding 11 points to the leading team's score at the end of the third period.
The games are aired on TNT and TruTV on television and streamed online on Max in the United States.
