Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 basketball league that will begin its inaugural season in January, announced the names and branding for its six teams on Thursday.
Thirty of the top women’s players in the world will make up the rosters of the Laces, Mist, Rose, Lunar Owls, Phantom and Vinyl.
Players have not been assigned to teams, but stars like Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, Angel Reese, and co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, will among those taking part in the league.
Twenty-six of the 30 players have been announced by Unrivaled, which will take place between Jan. 17 through March 17 and see games played in Miami — 45 of which will be broadcast in prime time following a media rights deal with TNT Sports.
Unrivaled will see six teams with five-player rosters play 14 games each, with the season ending with a single-elimination Final Four. Games will be played on a 70-foot court and feature an 18-second shot clock, three 7-minute quarters and a final 15-point runoff in the final quarter.
There will be an all-star event on Feb. 10, as well as a one-on-one tournament featuring all 30 players. The winner will receive a $250,000 prize.
The league will also offer big salaries to players, with each player receiving a minimum of $100,000 for the season. The total payout for the league will be around $3 million. The six-figure salaries are likely to be the highest average in U.S. professional women’s team sports.
Two WNBA stars — A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark — have yet to say whether they will take part in Unrivaled. According to Front Office Sports, the league is considering a “Lionel Messi-like” offer to lure Clark to play, which could possibly include financial incentives.
