So sad to hear: Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin refused to join the new WNBA offseason 3×3 basketball league due to…. Read more
Unrivaled Basketball League is set to launch in January, and it’s shaping up to be pretty epic. For the first time, the WNBA’s biggest stars have the option of staying and playing in the U.S during the offseason rather than going overseas, thanks to Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The UConn duo is launching a new 3×3 basketball league that will take place in Miami for 8 weeks during the winter, offering a $150,000 base salary, ownership equity, and lots of other unique elements, including a one-on-one tournament with a $250,000 cash prize.
What we do know is that there’s going to be 30 women’s basketball stars partaking in the inaugural year, which will be comprised of six teams made up of five players each. So far, the names of 15 WNBA stars have been revealed: Allisha Gray (Dream), Angel Reese (Sky), Arike Ogunbowale (Wings), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Chelsea Gray (Aces), Dearica Hamby (Sparks), Jackie Young (Aces), Jewell Loyd (Storm), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Kelsey Plum (Aces), Marina Mabrey (Sun), Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Rhyne Howard (Dream), and Satou Sabally (Wings).
Notably absent from that list are 12 All-Stars from the 2024 season: DeWanna Bonner (Sun), Brionna Jones (Sun), Jonquel Jones (Liberty), Kelsey Mitchell (Fever), Nneka Ogwumike (Storm), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Diana Taurasi (Mercury), Alyssa Thomas (Sun), A’ja Wilson (Aces), Caitlin Clark (Fever), and Aliyah Boston (Fever).
Some of those are likely to play (I’d put my money on A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu) while others are more likely to use the time to rest (I’d imagine that 42-year-old Diana Taurasi and 37-year-old DeWanna Bonner look at the winter as a c
