Breanna Stewart of USA during Final of Women's Basketball, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan on Sunday 8th August 2021. Mandatory credit: @ Kenji Demura / www.photosport.nz Photo: ©︎Photosport Ltd 2021
It's not the WNBA, and the jerseys will look a bit different, and there will be less players on the court, but the players scoring layups, knocking down deep shots, grabbing gritty rebounds and dishing out sweet assists will be the same.
Here is Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 women's professional basketball league founded by American stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, debuts this weekend, with two games being played in South Florida.
The league's been created to give WNBA players another choice in the off-season, an alternative to going overseas, and the chance to stay in shape, make money, and have some fun in a different variation of the sport without having to travel abroad.
Brittney Griner is among the countless group of WNBA players who played overseas during the offseason in the past, but not since her detainment in Russia in 2022.
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury controls the ball against Joyner Holmes of the Los Angeles Sparks in their WNBA game in Los Angeles. Photo: AFP
Griner was held in a Russian prison for 293 days after being arrested on drug charges and was only freed after President Joe Biden negotiated a prisoner swap.
"I feel like something was missing in my off-season; I was used to playing year-round," Griner told ESPN. "This is going to help me stay fresh, knocking all the dust off... Hopefully, it helps the bring in more viewers, more partners. It's definitely going to put more pressure on the to do better, honestly."
Not only will Unrivaled give players the opportunity to play at home during the offseason, but they'll make good money doing it too.
The average salary in Unrivaled is $222,000, which is more than the supermax salary in the WNBA of roughly $214,000.
When Griner mentions Unrivaled putting pressure on the WNBA, that's what she means - especially with the WNBA's players opting out of its collective bargaining agreement with the league. To avoid a lockout ahead of a historic $2.2 billion media rights deal kicking in, the WNBA and its players will have to sign a new CBA by October.
Big-name investors from Coco Gauff, Michael Phelps and Giannis Antetokounmpo are backing Unrivaled, and the league has garnered brand partnerships with several organisations including Samsung.
Unrivaled is debuting off the heels of one of the most successful WNBA seasons ever in terms of audience growth and viewership, and the startup 3-on-3 league hopes to attract some of that attention with a fast-paced, often position-less, pickup style of play.
All of the games will be played in Miami on a bigger court than what 3-on-3 teams play on in the Olympics, with each game featuring three seven-minute quarters, and a final quarter that the league is calling "the winning score."
The winning score will be determined by adding 11 points to whichever team has the highest scoring and setting the mark there.
Unrivaled will run through March 17, with each of the six teams playing 14 games, finishing up just before the NCAA Tournament begins.
- Reuters
