Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images
Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin became the latest additions to Unrivaled, the new 3×3 basketball league set to take place in Miami during the offseason.
The list of players committed to the Unrivaled Basketball League continues to grow, with Washington Mystics players Brittney Sykes and Shakira Austin becoming the latest additions.
SHAKIRA IS UNRIVALED 22/30✅ WHO’S NEXT⬇️ pic.twitter.com/9EyB0sI9bq
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) September 25, 2024
Unrivaled is a new 3×3 basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier that will take place in Miami beginning in January. The league will be made up of six teams with five players each, and players will be divided up according to position and skill level. Some WNBA coaches will also be in the mix, Collier previously stated.
Already, the league boasts a number of the WNBA’s biggest names, including Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Arike Ogunbowale, Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Copper, and others.
The full list of Unrivaled Basketball League now includes:
Allisha Gray (Dream)
Angel Reese (Sky)
Arike Ogunbowale (Wings)
Breanna Stewart (Liberty)
Brittney Sykes (Mystics)
Chelsea Gray (Aces)
Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty)
Dearica Hamby (Sparks)
DiJonai Carrington (Sun)
Jackie Young (Aces)
Jewell Loyd (Storm)
Kahleah Copper (Mercury)
Kayla McBride (Lynx)
Kelsey Plum (Aces)
Marina Mabrey (Sun)
Napheesa Collier (Lynx)
Natasha Cloud (Mercury)
Rhyne Howard (Dream)
Rickea Jackson (Sparks)
Satou Sabally (Wings)
Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm)
Shakira Austin (Mystics)
As it currently stands, every WNBA team has at least one player participating in Unrivaled this summer, with the exception of the Indiana Fever. But, with 8 spots remaining, it’s very possible that a Fever player will be added to the list. As Indiana’s three All-Stars, Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston all headlining the list of potential prospects.
Napheesa Collier has also previously stated that the league will include four rookies in total — two of whom have already been announced, Angel Reese and Rickea Jackson.
It’s possible that Clark will serve as one of those two rookies, though she’s deflected the question when previously asked.
“Honestly, I’m just focused on this right now,” she told reporters last month at practice. “One thing at a time. Can’t always just be moving on to the next. My focus is right here.”
Committed players have expressed their excitement to joining the innovative league. Marina Mabrey previously told SB Nation she was excited to be able to stay in the U.S. during the offseason, rather than go abroad, while Reese mentioned she was excited by the chance to be a co-owner from the start.
“I’m just blessed that [Stewie] sees me as one of the top players of the league — her and Phee — and invited me,” Gray said after her Dream team was eliminated to the Liberty on Tuesday night, per Myles Ehrlich.
Games will be played on a compressed half court, three times a week for 8 weeks. Game length will be the same as “normal basketball”, Collier previously confirmed, indicating games will likely last 40 minutes, like WNBA games.