Amid tense negotiations for a brand new WNBA collective bargaining settlement, 54 of the league’s prime gamers are in Miami because the second season of Unrivaled suggestions off Monday.
The three-on-3 league — based by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, who’re additionally Ladies’s Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation vice presidents — was created to offer gamers a home offseason enjoying alternative. Alongside the way in which it additionally has provided gamers a six-figure wage and fairness within the league, assets that they’re preventing to safe within the WNBA as properly. Every member of this season’s Unrivaled championship group will win an extra $100,000 (every participant on the title group final 12 months gained $50,000).
Unrivaled’s inaugural season in 2025 made round $30 million in income, a league supply advised ESPN, which is double what Unrivaled officers had projected. In September, Unrivaled officers mentioned the league had been valued at $340 million.
Unrivaled’s second season is seeking to construct on the momentum, including two new groups for 2026 and a participant pool of reserves to sub in when accidents happen.
Will Rose BC repeat after successful the inaugural title in 2025? There will probably be a brand new MVP, as Collier introduced Thursday she is present process surgical procedure on each ankles and will probably be sidelined for 4 to 6 months.
Earlier than the season suggestions Monday, we verify in with every part to find out about all eight six-player groups, together with our preseason energy rankings, what’s new this season and methods to watch weekly video games.
Soar to groups: Breeze | Hive | Laces | Lunar Owls | Mist | Phantom | Rose | Vinyl
Soar to extra information: How one can watch | What’s new | Crew choices | Primary guidelines | 1-on-1 match
1. Laces BC
Jordin Canada, guard
Naz Hillmon, ahead
Maddy Siegrist, ahead
Brittney Sykes, guard
Alyssa Thomas, ahead
Jackie Younger, guard
Coach: Andrew Wade
The Laces completed final season with a 7-7 document. In late January, accidents sidelined two of their finest gamers, Thomas and Younger, and the group went 1-5 with out them in February.
Thomas, a perennial WNBA MVP candidate, and Younger, a three-time WNBA champion, have the potential to be among the best duos within the league. Younger can rating in any respect three ranges, and Thomas’ playmaking — she tallied a WNBA-record eight triple-doubles within the 2025 common season — is amplified in a 3-on-3 setting. The Laces’ depth permits them to be unrelenting regardless of who’s on the court docket.
Jackie Younger returns for the Laces after lacking six video games final February. Courtesy of Unrivaled2. Breeze BC
Cameron Brink, ahead
Paige Bueckers, guard
Rickea Jackson, ahead
Dominique Malonga, ahead
Kate Martin, guard
Aari McDonald, guard
Coach: Noelle Quinn
The Breeze be a part of Unrivaled as one in all two new golf equipment this season and have a roster stuffed with a few of the WNBA’s most fun younger stars.
The Breeze had the primary decide in Unrivaled’s draft and took Bueckers, the No. 1 decide within the 2025 WNBA draft. (Learn extra on how groups have been chosen under.) Malonga and Brink, the No. 2 picks from the previous two WNBA drafts, be a part of Bueckers, the reigning WNBA Rookie of the 12 months. Bueckers’ playmaking and taking pictures, paired with the dimensions and talent of Malonga and Brinks within the paint, might make them an elite trio in 3-on-3.
3. Rose BC
Shakira Austin, ahead
Kahleah Copper, guard
Chelsea Grey, guard
Lexie Hull, guard
Azura Stevens, ahead
Sug Sutton, guard
Coach: Nola Henry
Earlier than successful the inaugural Unrivaled championship, the Rose had a rocky season. They began 1-4 and handled a number of accidents, together with shedding Copper for the ultimate 5 weeks of the season with a proper leg damage. But every part clicked within the playoffs. Grey scored a league-record 39 factors within the semifinals and was named playoff MVP.
This 12 months, the Rose return 4 gamers — Copper, Grey, Hull and Stevens — in addition to their coach. Shedding Angel Reese, who just isn’t enjoying in Unrivaled this season, is a blow because the membership discovered numerous success with a double-big lineup with Reese and Stevens in 2025. Now, Stevens and Austin will probably be pressured to step up their efficiency on the glass.
4. Mist BC
Veronica Burton, guard
Allisha Grey, guard
Arike Ogunbowale, guard
Alanna Smith, ahead
Breanna Stewart, ahead
Li Yueru, middle
Coach: Zack O’Brien
The Mist have been bitten by the damage bug in 2025, shedding DiJonai Carrington and Jewell Loyd for many of the season. The group struggled from the beginning, shedding its first 4 video games earlier than ending 5-9 and turning into one in all two groups to overlook the playoffs.
This season’s roster is loaded with 2025 WNBA honorees: Smith was co-Defensive Participant of the 12 months, Burton was Most Improved Participant and Grey was an All-WNBA first-team honoree. Stewart continues to be the chief of the group, and her mixture with Smith might trigger issues for opponents. The Mist have the potential to be one of many higher defensive groups within the league.
5. Vinyl BC
Rae Burrell, ahead
Brittney Griner, middle
Dearica Hamby, ahead
Rhyne Howard, guard
Erica Wheeler, guard
Courtney Williams, guard
Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Editor’s Picks
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The Vinyl have been the ultimate group to clinch a playoff spot final season, going 5-9 and ending fourth within the standings. They then pulled the upset of the season, beating the Lunar Owls within the semifinals earlier than shedding to the Rose within the championship sport.
Howard, Williams and Wheeler ought to mix for an thrilling offensive trio, and Hamby has proved she is usually a dependable presence inside who takes benefit of mismatches.
6. Lunar Owls BC
Rebecca Allen, guard
Rachel Banham, guard
Skylar Diggins, guard
Aaliyah Edwards, ahead
Temi Fagbenle, middle
Marina Mabrey, guard
Coach: DJ Sackmann
The Lunar Owls have been title favorites heading into final 12 months’s playoffs after going 13-1 (their lone loss was towards the Rose) throughout the common season, however they fell within the semifinals to the Vinyl. Collier was the most effective participant — on the group and within the league — all through the common season, main the league in scoring with 25.7 factors per sport and successful the in-season 1-on-1 match.
The group began increased on this listing however dropped after the information of Collier’s upcoming surgical procedures. Her absence leaves Diggins, who additionally had a robust first season, as the one returner on the roster. The group provides Mabrey from the Phantom (although she performed simply three video games final season) and league newcomers Allen and Banham.
Shedding Collier takes away the Lunar Owls’ No. 1 possibility, however the roster has some steadiness and a mixture of measurement, versatility and taking pictures. Fagbenle, a Golden State Valkyries middle, replaces Collier, however few gamers possess the identical two-way repertoire.
Skylar Diggins made the primary game-winning shot in Unrivaled’s historical past final season. Wealthy Storry/Getty Images7. Hive BC
Monique Billings, ahead
Sonia Citron, guard
Natisha Hiedeman, guard
Ezi Magbegor, ahead
Kelsey Mitchell, guard
Saniya Rivers, guard
Coach: Rena Wakama
One other new membership, the Hive look to be a group constructed to run and play with a fast tempo. Mitchell, Hiedeman and Rivers are recognized to push the tempo within the WNBA, and with 3-on-3 already performed at a quick tempo, their ability set might work properly.
The Hive are a smaller group general — at 6-foot-4, Billings and Magbegor are the tallest gamers — however they need to be entertaining to look at due to their velocity and taking pictures.
8. Phantom BC
Aliyah Boston, middle
Natasha Cloud, guard
Dana Evans, guard
Tiffany Hayes, guard
Kiki Iriafen, ahead
Kelsey Plum, guard
Satou Sabally, ahead
Coach: Roneeka Hodges
The Phantom had a disappointing first season, going 4-10 and failing to make the playoffs. Cloud and Sabally are the roster’s solely returning gamers, however the Phantom may be with out Sabally for some time as she’s indefinitely sidelined as a result of lingering signs from the concussion she suffered within the WNBA Finals.
Nonetheless, the Phantom’s roster is intriguing with Cloud’s protection, Boston’s paint presence, Plum’s scoring and younger up-and-comers Iriafen and Evans.
How one can watch Unrivaled
Video games will probably be performed in a doubleheader format on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Video games on Fridays and Mondays will air on TNT and truTV and also will be obtainable to stream on HBO Max. Saturday and Sunday video games will probably be obtainable on truTV and HBO Max. Video games usually final about an hour.
What’s new for Unrivaled’s second season
Two video games will probably be held in Philadelphia this season. Whereas all video games have been performed in Miami in 2025, the Phantom will play the Breeze and the Lunar Owls will meet the Rose on Jan. 30 at Xfinity Cell Enviornment, residence of the NBA’s 76ers and NHL’s Flyers.
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Moreover, Unrivaled is debuting a improvement pool of six gamers who will stay on web site all through the season and be instantly obtainable to any group in case of damage or absence. WNBA gamers Hailey Van Lith, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, Emily Engstler, Laeticia Amihere and Makayla Timpson make up this season’s reserve pool.
Once they’re not assigned to a roster, gamers within the improvement pool will prepare, observe and take part in scrimmages. They will play for a number of groups all through the season.
The addition of a participant pool comes after Unrivaled was hit onerous by accidents final season that pressured a number of gamers to drop out of the midseason 1-on-1 match. In 2025, the league introduced in six gamers on “aid participant contracts” as wanted to step in for injured gamers, but it surely typically trusted who was obtainable and will get to Miami.
League officers hope that having a delegated improvement pool from the beginning this season will alleviate the stress of discovering obtainable gamers whereas additionally giving youthful gamers a devoted coaching alternative.
How have been the groups chosen?
In early November, all eight coaches met in Miami to draft groups. Gamers have been divided into six position-based pods of guards, wings and forwards. By way of six rounds, picks alternated among the many eight groups.
The 2 new golf equipment, the Breeze and Hive, have been awarded the highest two picks. The 4 playoff groups from final season — the Rose, Lunar Owls, Vinyl and Laces — every have been allowed to guard two gamers who weren’t eligible to be drafted. The Phantom and Mist, the 2 groups that did not make the 2025 playoffs, have been allowed to guard one participant every.
Paige Bueckers was the primary decide within the draft for the second season. Courtesy of Unrivaled
The golf equipment with protected gamers forfeited the corresponding variety of draft choices. For instance, a playoff group defending two gamers surrendered its first- and second-round picks.
Format and guidelines
Unrivaled will play within the renovated and newly named Sephora Enviornment. The league added 15,000 sq. toes for participant services — together with a second observe court docket — and 150 seats to the sport enviornment to convey the capability from 850 to 1,000 seats. The court docket has the identical dimensions as earlier than: a 49.2-by-72-foot condensed full court docket reasonably than the half court docket (36 toes by 49 toes) used on the Olympics for 3×3. The WNBA is performed on a 94-by-50-foot court docket.
The principles are unchanged from Unrivaled’s inaugural season. Every sport could have three seven-minute quarters and a fourth quarter performed towards a “successful rating.” The successful rating will probably be decided by including 11 factors to the main group’s rating via three quarters. For instance, if the rating is 50-48 heading into the ultimate quarter, the primary group to achieve 61 factors wins. There’ll by no means be extra time. Video games could be gained on free throws, which is how the Rose gained the championship final season.
When a participant is fouled she is going to get just one free throw. The one shot is value two factors for a foul on a 2-point discipline aim or three factors if the foul occurred on a 3-point try. A free throw try after a foul on a made basket is value one level.
What’s the in-season match format?
The midseason 1-on-1 match is returning for a second 12 months, with the winner receiving $200,000. The runner-up receives $50,000, and the opposite two semifinalists get $25,000 every. Final season, Collier gained the match and gave half of her earnings to the help and medical workers at Unrivaled.
On Jan. 23, voting will open for coaches, gamers, media members and followers to rank gamers 1 via 8 in 4 separate pods. The No. 1 seed in every pod will get a bye within the first spherical, which will probably be performed Feb. 11. The second spherical and quarterfinals are on Feb. 13, and the semifinals and finals will happen Feb. 14.
Video games will probably be performed within the half court docket and can final 10 minutes (with a working clock) or till a participant reaches 11 factors. If the sport clock expires and neither participant has scored 11 factors, the participant with the upper level whole will probably be declared the winner.