Esteemed athletes Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier begin a fresh 3-on-3 league
Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, two current WNBA stars and co-founders of Unrivaled, are eagerly anticipating the launch of their new 3-on-3 basketball league in January. With representation from six teams and 30 players, the league will be based in Miami.
Stewart, who has played for the Seattle Storm and is now with the New York Liberty, and Collier, currently playing for the Minnesota Lynx, believe that the higher salaries and opportunities offered by Unrivaled will give a new lease of life to WNBA players. "For years, women have relied heavily on off-court sponsorships for a majority of their income," Stewart explained. "With Unrivaled, we're shaking things up by prioritizing investments in our stars and reducing the disparity between on-court performance and pay."
They go on to state their aim to revolutionize the approach to women's sports and the management of sports leagues. "Our goal is to create a league that will raise the profile of women's sports and change the game as we know it," Collier affirmed, adding, "The league is player-owned, and our model reflects that."
Collier and Stewart expressed their delight with the WNBA's response to their venture, with commissioner Cathy Engelbert praising their efforts on social media. "On behalf of the WNBA, we congratulate WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart on launching Unrivaled. With the popularity of women's basketball at its peak, we will continue to support and showcase our WNBA stars," Engelbert wrote.
The new league aims to give players an opportunity to continue playing in the US rather than resorting to overseas leagues, which offer nearly double or triple the salaries. The WNBA's prioritization clause has created challenges for players who want to play in both the WNBA and overseas. Starting this season, under the collective bargaining agreement, players who fail to report to their WNBA teams will be suspended without salary payments for the year. Thus, initiatives like Unrivaled and Athletes Unlimited can provide alternative options for players to remain in the US.
Unrivaled's debut in 2025 precedes the 2024 Olympics, where 3-on-3 basketball will be held. The sport was first introduced at the Tokyo Olympics, resulting in the US women's team winning the first gold medal in this category. Stewart, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, hopes to qualify for her third team, while Collier – a gold medalist in Tokyo – aims to participate in her second one.
The league organizers have secured several notable investors, including former Olympic gold medalists, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, along with NBA legends like Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony. Geno Auriemma, who coached Stewart and Collier to the 2016 NCAA championship, is also investing in the initiative. Skipper and Levy, co-founders/co-CEOs of Horizon Sports & Experiences and former executives of ESPN and Turner, respectively, will oversee league media rights for Unrivaled.
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Stewart and Collier's investment partners in Unrivaled include former Olympic gold medalists Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, as well as NBA legends Steve Nash and Carmelo Anthony.
The new 3-on-3 league launched by Stewart and Collier aims to offer higher salaries to WNBA players, potentially reducing the need for them to play in overseas leagues for better pay.
