FANFAQ: Unrivaled Is Back for Season 2. What Should Fans Know?
The player-founded women’s basketball league is bringing an expanded roster, new teams, and a growing spotlight into its second year.
The player-founded women’s basketball league Unrivaled is officially back for its second season, and with more stars, more attention, and more questions, Fangirl Forward has your starter guide to following along with this year’s games.
Whether you’re a returning viewer or a new fan curious about what makes Unrivaled different, here’s what to know as the league heads into year two.
What is Unrivaled?
Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded in 2023 by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), with its inaugural season launching in 2025. The duo created the league so players could continue competing within the United States during the WNBA offseason, offering a domestic alternative to playing overseas.
While Unrivaled and the WNBA share many of the same stars, they serve different purposes. Unrivaled runs during the WNBA offseason and features a smaller league structure and condensed schedule.
Headquartered in Miami, Unrivaled was also built to address long-standing financial gaps in women’s professional basketball by providing additional financial opportunity during the months when players have historically sought competition abroad to supplement their income.
The league has promised players the highest average salaries in women’s pro sports history, with all participants earning six figures and receiving equity in the league, which means they can benefit financially even after their playing days end.
By offering a well-paid, stateside alternative, Unrivaled aims to keep top talent in the U.S. year-round, increasing player visibility and allowing athletes to focus on development and longevity.
Combined with state-of-the-art training facilities in Miami, which some players have said exceed what they have with their WNBA teams, Unrivaled is quickly positioning itself as both a competitive league and a long-term investment in players’ careers.
“I think we’re excited to show at Unrivaled that it is possible to pay the players and create a successful business,” co-founder Collier recently said in a Good Morning America interview.
What are the rules of Unrivaled and how do they differ from the WNBA?
As for the rules of the game, Unrivaled plays a faster, more simplified version of professional basketball that’s designed to keep games moving and easy to follow.
Unrivaled is organized into club teams, similar to a traditional professional league, with players assigned to consistent rosters for the duration of the season.
Games are designed to move quickly and feel different from traditional 5-on-5 basketball:
Played on a full court that’s slightly smaller than a standard WNBA court
Fewer players on the floor (3-on-3 instead of 5-on-5)
Shorter quarters (seven minutes instead of 10)
A quicker shot clock (18 seconds vs. 24 seconds)
Instead of a traditional fourth quarter, games are decided by a “winning score,” meaning the first team to score 11 more points than the leading team’s total at the end of the third quarter wins, eliminating overtime and late-game stalling. Fouls are also simplified, with most shooting fouls resulting in just one free throw worth the value of the shot.
What’s new for Season 2?
This year, an additional 18 new players are being added to the Unrivaled roster, with two brand new clubs: Breeze and Hive. Six additional players will enter through a development pool, bringing the full league roster to 54 total players.
With the expanded roster, the league has added a fourth night of games to the weekly schedule, eliminating back-to-back games and easing the physical load on players.
Unrivaled has also expanded its multi-year partnership with Sephora, with the league’s Miami headquarters and arena officially renamed Sephora Arena (previously Wayfair Arena). The popular Sephora Tunnel will return this season, alongside new brand activations designed to enhance the fan experience.
While Miami remains the league’s home base and the rebranded arena looks amazing, Season 2 will also mark Unrivaled’s first time leaving Florida. The league will head north for a special one-time event at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, with matchups taking place on January 30. The event is already completely sold out.
Matchups in Philly will be between:
Breeze vs. Phantom
Rose vs. Lunar Owls
Who’s playing this season?
This season’s Unrivaled roster features a mix of MVPs, Olympians, WNBA champions, rising rookies and international standouts, highlighting the league’s goal of pairing elite experience with the next generation of talent.
54 players fill the rosters of eight different clubs and a newly introduced development pool. Check out this season’s full roster below:
Breeze BC — Paige Bueckers, Dominique Malonga, Aari McDonald, Kate Martin, Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink
Vinyl BC — Courtney Williams, Rhyne Howard, Dearica Hamby, Erica Wheeler, Rae Burrell, Brittney Griner
Hive BC — Kelsey Mitchell, Sonia Citron, Ezi Magbegor, Natisha Hiedeman, Saniya Rivers, Monique Billings
Laces BC — Jackie Young, Brittney Sykes, Alyssa Thomas, Jordin Canada, Maddy Siegrist, Naz Hillmon
Rose BC — Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Azura Stevens, Sug Sutton, Lexie Hull, Shakira Austin
Lunar Owls BC — Skylar Diggins, Marina Mabrey, Aaliyah Edwards, Rachel Banham, Rebecca Allen, Temi Fagbenle
Mist BC — Allisha Gray, Breanna Stewart, Alanna Smith, Veronica Burton, Arike Ogunbowale, Li Yueru
Phantom BC — Tiffany Haynes, Aliyah Boston, Natasha Cloud, Kelsey Plum, Kiki Iriafen, Dana Evans, Satou Sabally
Developmental Pool — Hailey Van Lith, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, Emily Engstler, Laeticia Amihere, Makayla Timpson
When does the season run and how can fans watch?
Unrivaled’s Season 2 tips off Monday, Jan. 5 at 1:00 PM ET, with opening matchups between:
Mist vs. Hive
Vinyl vs. Laces
The regular season runs for eight weeks, culminating in a championship game on March 4. There’s also a midseason one-on-one tournament that will take place Feb. 11-14 with a $350,000 prize pool.
The full schedule can be found here.
Fans who can’t make it to a game in Miami or Philly can watch matchups across TNT, truTV, and streaming on HBO Max.
FANFAQ is a recurring column from Fangirl Forward that demystifies the entertainment industry for fans. Got something you’ve always wondered about? Send us your question here.