Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese will join the new professional three-on-three league, Unrivaled, founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, in the WNBA offseason. The announcement was made official through an Instagram post on Wednesday by the league, where Reese was introduced as the “305 Barbie.”.
Reese already set a remarkable record by achieving 15 consecutive double-doubles during the first half of her rookie season in the WNBA. Her decision to play in Unrivaled marks a significant step as she becomes the first announced athlete in the league without prior professional international experience.
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Unrivaled will kick off in January 2025, and promises to pay the highest average salary in women's professional sports league history and provide equity to its inaugural participants. The league boasts a roster of high-profile investors, including sports and entertainment figures such as Alex Morgan, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash and Megan Rapinoe.
New league hopes to keep players like Angel Reese stateside
Collier has emphasized the importance of proper compensation and ownership for players, pointing out that while women's sports are growing in popularity, the athletes themselves often do not see proportional financial benefits. The pay structure in the WNBA, governed by a collective bargaining agreement, often forces players to seek additional income by playing overseas during the offseason. This practice puts a strain on their bodies and requires significant personal sacrifices, such as missing holidays with family and remaining out of the public eye for much of the year.
Unrivaled aims to keep top-tier players stateside, thus maintaining the momentum of one WNBA season into the next. The league's structure, with its short three-on-three season, is designed to keep players fresh and ready for the WNBA calendar, ideally extending their careers. By having All-Stars remain in the U.S. throughout the offseason, the league hopes to promote the WNBA and optimize its product.
The league will feature 30 players divided into six teams of five, competing over eight weeks in a modified 3×3 format. Unlike the international version played to 21, Unrivaled will use a compressed full court of about 70 feet long with games consisting of four quarters, according to Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman. The format is intended to let players highlight and keep up with their skills while reducing wear and tear on their bodies in the offseason/
Reese joins a roster of top WNBA talent in Unrivaled, including Stewart and Collier. Other notable players announced include Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard and Kahleah Copper, per a press release from the league.
Stewart, a two-time WNBA MVP and four-time NCAA champion, and Collier, a four-time All-Star, have both spent previous offseasons playing overseas but are now committed to building Unrivaled. Miami is its home base and the league has plans to potentially take games on the road during the regular season.
The league is continuing to finalize its player pool, with the full roster expected to be announced by July 30.
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