By the athletes, for the athletes! The Unrivaled Basketball League, founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, is set for its big debut in Miami on January 17, 2025. With the ticket sales almost starting, Napheesa Collier’s husband and Unrivaled’s president, Alex Bazzell, revealed some game-changing news about the coaches.

When asked if we’d know the head coaches and assistant coaches before December, he confidently replied, “Yes, and should be out next month.” On top of that, he hinted that “very prominent player development people” will join the coaching staff. 

“Btw, we will have other VERY prominent player development people on staff down in Miami,” he wrote. This was enough to fill the fans with excitement. But do you know the whole purpose behind Unrivaled? Well, the WNBA stars have created this for the athletes’ benefit.

Most star players forced to play overseas during the off-season will now have a platform. With 30 top women’s basketball players across six teams competing in a 3-on-3, compressed full-court style of play, this will be quite entertaining. Moreover, it makes sure that the players are well-paid. 

“For years, women have relied heavily on off-court sponsorships for a majority of their income. With Unrivaled, we’re revolutionizing the game by prioritizing investments in our stars and ensuring their on-court performance is reflected in their pay,” co-founder Stewart. 

To which Phee added, “With the growing popularity of women’s basketball and the WNBA, this is an opportunity for us to extend our visibility into the traditional basketball season. We may have had the vision, but this isn’t just our league – it belongs to the players, and the Unrivaled model reflects that.“

Each team will have one head coach, one assistant coach, and a manager. Although the coaches are not known yet, we do know the athletes who will be playing. 

Napheesa Collier has rookie Angel Reese on board; talks with Caitlin Clark continue

The star-studded roster includes Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Khaleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Kayla McBride, Tiffany Hayes, Courtney Vandersloot, Courtney William, and more. 

One exciting name is rookie sensation Angel Reese. “I never planned on going overseas…I think it’s amazing. Who wouldn’t want to play with two great players like that? And I knew they were gonna bring on a couple more dogs. Nobody wants to go overseas. A lot of us never want to have to go overseas…,” Reese said.

She added, “Being able to make — what? — six figures. Being able to make six figures here within three months…just being able to get better…three-on-three exposes everything. So, I’m excited for it.” And Collier couldn’t be more happy about it. “Angel is a business woman & knows the power of ownership,” she expressed.

About Caitlin Clark, it’s still in the works. Unrivaled genuinely wants her to join, and why wouldn’t they? She has the caliber to gain more attention and viewership. However, she has made it clear that she wants to take a break until April. So, let’s see what happens. Either way, the league is going to be a must-watch!