Guest writer Caroline Logush talks about the latest development in 3x3 basketball, a new league with superstar WNBA players.

Last Friday marked the beginning of the inaugural “Unrivaled” season. Unrivaled is the latest American professional sports league, founded by two of the biggest names in the WNBA, Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
The two faced off on Friday at the MediaPro center in Miami for the debut of the new 3x3 basketball league.
The president of Unrivaled is Alex Blazzell. He’s one of the best NBA trainers in the game and husband of Napheesa Collier. According to Blazzell, the goal was to create a “great product for the fans” and so far, so good - after much fanfare Friday night was an exciting start to the season.

The games, played on a 'condensed' full-court, have three, seven-minute quarters and the clock turns off for the fourth. Teams play to a winning score that is decided by adding eleven points to the highest team score at the end of the third.
Players have more space and freedom to move with the ball, which is intended to showcase their individual talent. The inclusion of the back-and-forth aspect of 5v5 will highlight speed and athleticism, and the 18-second shot-clock sets a faster pace of play, though this is slightly longer than the FIBA 3x3 shot-clock, which is 12 seconds.
There’s some players that are great role players in the league that are never going to be the star player, that are going to get out there and just ball, and play a more entertainment-focused style … It’s going to be free. It’s going to be fun. I’m really excited.” - WNBA legend Sue Bird on her podcast ‘A Touch More'.
In addition to the entertainment value of 3x3 basketball, many basketball experts believe that it is also one of the best forms of player development. Players maximise their reps in 3x3; they get more touches on the ball and are always involved in the play.
The league’s coaches worked together to place the players into teams, without knowing which team they would be coaching. Each team plays 14 regular season games, so the stakes are high for each of them.
The Friday games were explosive and the crowds loved the high intensity of it all, especially Skylar Diggins-Smith's game winner.
Stewart and Collier were originally inspired to create their own league to give WNBA players a domestic league to play in during their offseason. The WNBA salary requires players to have multiple income streams. Players also need to develop their game during their long, 8-month offseason. Up until now, uprooting their lives every year and living far away from their families was a reality that came with being a WNBA player.
Some NBA players have voiced their support too, including NBA superstar Kevin Durant.

Receiving recognition and better pay has been a long fight for female athletes and Unrivaled is helping to bridge the gap. The league’s average player salary is around $220,000 which is the highest average salary in a professional women's team sport (AP News). Players also get an equity stake in the league.
"You can either beg for a seat at the table or you can build your own table. We’re building our own table." - Breanna Stewart
The idea is genius, and the timing of its debut is fortuitous. Stewart and Collier hatched their plan in 2023, when women’s basketball started to gain media traction, largely due to the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry in the college game. Fast-forward another year, and the WNBA has completely taken off, experiencing unprecedented increases in attendance, viewership, fan engagement, and an expansion!
A list of some of the league's investors: NCAA Championship coaches Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley; NBA all-stars Carmelo Anthony and Giannos Antetokounmpo; Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps; US and French Open Champion Coco Gauff; and ESPN president John Skipper. Unrivaled will also be the only professional sports league with every game broadcasted on national television.
3x3 basketball has created an opportunity for women to define a sport from their perspective; It is the first time that a professional American sport is being led by women, and the rest of the sports community is following. If the first game is anythng to go by, the rest of the league will be amazing to watch.
Interested in more news, 3x3 breakdowns or information about 3x3 events? Follow the RISE 3x3 socials @rise3x3 for more!
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