Tag: Unrivaled 3×3 League

Cameron Brink has 1 good reason why Unrivaled makes her so emotional

Cameron Brink revealed the wholesome reason why Unrivaled makes her so emotional.

Los Angeles Spark center Cameron Brink has a lot of love for Unrivaled.

The star joined the new basketball league after receiving support from Steph Curry, and though she isn’t playing in the league this season, she enjoyed her time down in Miami. On the debut episode of her new podcast Straight 2 Cam, with Steph’s sister, Sydel Curry-Lee, Brink couldn’t help but smile when she spoke about Unrivaled.

“Unrivaled was kind of like a healing experience,” Brink explained while referencing a previous Instagram post about what the league meant to her. Brink went on to reveal why Unrivaled makes her emotional. Here’s more from Cam about her stint in Florida:

“It was just really cool to be around players I’ve looked up to, you know, for as long as I can remember. We’re all in like a very intimate environment. All of our locker rooms are in the same hallway. We’re all in the sauna together. We’re going to the same treatment hours. We’re in the same living quarters. We’re going out together. We’re getting ready …

“I felt so supported by all of my peers … Every single person would come up to me almost every day, and we would have some sort of conversation … Unrivaled had so many perks, and so, that’s why I’m kind of like sad I’m not there … But I’m just glad, at the end of the day, I was just accepted into the environment.”

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Unrivaled Week 2 storylines to watch, including what’s next for Angel Reese

Here’s what you need to know about Unrivaled Week 2.

Week 2 of Unrivaled is here after a historic opening week.

The debut of Unrivaled was fantastic. There were many incredible moments during the league’s inaugural weekend, including epic Skylar Diggins-Smith game-winning shots—twice. It was also really awesome to see teams separate from the pack.

The Lunar Owls put the whole league on notice as early championship contenders, and several other squads like the Vinyl and Laces are also in the mix. That made us think: what other storylines should we watch during Week 2?

Here are a few things to know ahead of this week’s slate of games, including what’s next for Angel Reese.

Angel Reese’s development in Unrivaled

MEDLEY, FLORIDA – JANUARY 17: Angel Reese #5 of Rose defends against Jordin Canada #3 of the Vinyl during the second half at The Mediapro Studio on January 17, 2025 in Medley, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

It’s not uncommon for WNBA athletes to use other leagues or trainers to get better during the offseason, and that’s what’s happening with second-year player Angel Reese.

Of course, Reese has been in Miami, playing with Unrivaled’s Rose BC. During her time there, she’s been connecting with other WNBA players, including Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier and Lisa Leslie, to focus on things like shot selection and finishing better around the rim.

It’s something to monitor as the season progresses because Reese is all-in on improving. Here’s what Copper recently said about working with Reese:

“It’s been great…On the court, it’s been great. You know, to see her on the court and really want to learn. You know, it’s a lot of young players that’s like, ‘I want to learn from the greats. I want to learn.’ And you get with them, and they don’t want to listen or they do want they want to do.

But, no. She communicates. She really wants to learn…and I see her —her growth every single day. So, respectfully, I have a lot of respect for her on the court and just how she wants to grow.”

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Which Unrivaled team pulls out its first win

(Photo courtesy of Unrivaled)
(Photo courtesy of Unrivaled)

The Phantom, Mist, and Rose basketball clubs are in trouble. Phantom can’t find its stride, Mist is struggling to finish games, and Rose is getting cooked defensively.

After one week of action, all three teams are winless. (Yes, ZERO wins.) It’s disheartening to see, given the talent level on every roster, and somebody—ANYBODY— needs to PULL IT TOGETHER.

Napheesa Collier is Unrivaled

Jan 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Napheesa Collier (24) of the Lunar Owls drives toward the basket as Courtney Vandersloot (25) of the Mist defends during the first half of the Unrivaled women’s professional 3v3 basketball league at Wayfair Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Napheesa Collier (24) of the Lunar Owls drives toward the basket as Courtney Vandersloot (25) of the Mist defends during the first half of the Unrivaled women’s professional 3v3 basketball league at Wayfair Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

It feels very fitting that Napheesa Collier, one of the co-founders of Unrivaled, is, well, unrivaled on the league’s court.

Phee’s been on a scorched earth tear since the 2024 WNBA season, and it was turned up a notch during the WNBA Finals. Since arriving in Miami, she’s still torching everyone, averaging 29 points, 8.5 rebounds and just over one steal a matchup.

WHAT?! Excuse me, Napheesa Collier?! Sending thoughts and prayers to anyone lining up against Phee. May the odds be ever in your favor.

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13 marvelous Unrivaled pregame outfits from Week 1, including Angel Reese’s glamorous 1950’s-inpired look

The Unrivaled tunnel walk fits are off to a terrific start.

Welcome to For The Win’s inaugural edition of Unrivaled’s tunnel walk roundup, where we bring you the best looks from the league’s stars.

You didn’t think we would forget about all the fits Unrivaled unleashed during its debut, did you? (Of course, we put all the creations in one place for you to review. Of course, we did.) One of the best parts of the league’s opening weekend was so many players brought their top-tier fashion to Unrivaled, and we gotta say the fits were a whole vibe.

To the surprise of no one, Rose BC forward Angel Reese was totally glammed up for her debut, sporting a 1950s-style wardrobe, including a lovely scarf and sunglasses. “I’m wearing Pucci. I’m wearing Chanel. I’m wearing Hermes. I’m wearing diamonds,” Reese shared ahead of her first game. The rest of the league did not disappoint, and there are some fabulous outfits you need to see.

Here are 13 marvelous outfits from Unrivaled’s Week 1:

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2025 Unrivaled basketball rules, including a reduced shot clock and tweaked quarters

The 2025 Unrivaled season has some unique rules. Here’s what you need to know.

The 2025 Unrivaled season is just days away, and there are some rules for the inaugural year that you’ll want to know.

When the Mist, Lunar Owls, Rose and Vinyl basketball clubs kick off the 2025 season on January 17 by playing the first-ever games for Unrivaled, things might look slightly different from what most people know 5-on-5 and even 3-on-3 basketball to be.

Unrivaled’s president of basketball operations, Luke Cooper, recently shared via ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, “This game is rooted in how you would play basketball as a kid on a blacktop.”

The changes to the rules will likely be unlike anything fans have ever watched and will take some getting used to for even the players. We’ve got you covered if you’re wondering what rules you should know.

Here’s what you can expect to see:

How big is the Unrivaled court?

(Photo rendering courtesy of Unrivaled)
(Photo rendering courtesy of Unrivaled)

A typical WNBA court is 94 feet by 50 feet, but Unrivaled’s full court is condensed—49.2 feet by 72 feet—a stark difference.

How long is each quarter in an Unrivaled matchup?

Sep 22, 2024; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey (4) looks to pass the ball defended by Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) in the fourth quarter during game one of the first round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Instead of the 10-minute quarters typically associated with women’s basketball, there will be three seven-minute quarters. The fourth quarter will work a bit differently. It will be known as the “winning quarter.”

The team with the highest score through three quarters will have 11 points added to its total. Both teams will play in the fourth quarter until they reach that total. For example, if Mist BC leads the Lunar Owls 40 to 35 at the end of the third quarter, the first team to 51 points wins.

Teams will never play overtime.

What kind of shot clock will Unrivaled use?

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JUNE 11: The number 10 is seen on the shot clock during Sue Bird’s jersey retirement ceremony after the game between the Seattle Storm and the Washington Mystics at Climate Pledge Arena on June 11, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

A typical WNBA shot clock is 24 seconds, but Unrivaled is expected to be much more fast-paced. The shot clock will only be 18 seconds.

Additionally, there’s a small change at the end of the quarter. Clocks will stop on any made baskets during the final 30 seconds of a period.

Will there be fouls in Unrivaled basketball?

Jul 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) is fouled by Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor (13) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There are fouls in Unrivaled, including free throws. But, of course, those work a little bit different, too.

If a player is fouled, regardless of the shot type, there will only be one free throw assessed. The lone free throw is worth two points on fouls committed during two-point baskets and three points for any foul committed during a three-point attempt. Any and-1 opportunities are worth just one point.

There’s also this to consider. Unrivaled is keeping the standard six-fouls-per-game limit. However, if a team gets into a situation where it only has three remaining players, and one picks up a sixth foul, that player can stay in the game. However, that player will pick up technical fouls for each additional foul after that.

Each technical foul is worth one shot and one point.

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Unrivaled’s lavish player amenities are the new standard. The WNBA should take notes.

Unrivaled is raising the bar for women’s basketball. The WNBA needs to meet it.

On a warm Miami night, 36 of the WNBA’s best players walked off buses and onto the grounds of a new athlete-led basketball league. A buzz was in the air as players walked under lights that illuminated the pathways to state-of-the-art facilities, carefully crafted with player experience in mind.

Something felt different. It felt, well, unrivaled—a fitting name for a new league designed to be unlike any other professional basketball organization.

“This is nice,” Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese emphatically said as she walked into the weight room during a tour.

“A motion bar!” Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes exclaimed.

Players seemingly unlocked an oasis of possibilities with a simple door swing. For many, Unrivaled’s perks and amenities are a breath of fresh air.

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From the saunas to childcare to the playing court, Unrivaled thought of every possibility that athletes might need. If the WNBA wasn’t paying attention, it might want to start taking notes now—in permanent ink.

“I think it just starts with the player experience …” Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull recently said, reflecting on lessons the WNBA could learn from Unrivaled.

“Making sure we’re experiencing the best version of the game that we can … I think the [WNBA] can do a really good job of listening to what we want …”

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WNBA players have made it abundantly clear that investment matters. They want to see their worth reflected in facilities, resources and support. This ongoing discussion amongst players is an active WNBA trend heavily influencing free agency decisions.

Sure, the argument is that amenities like these are easier for 36 players than for 156 players in the W. But league owners have the money to invest and need to find deeper pockets for their players.

If a player isn’t part of franchises like the Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle or Golden State Valkyries, they might be hard-pressed to find technologically advanced facilities readily available or spaces they don’t have to share.

Aces Owner Mark Davis initiated a shift with W facilities in 2023 when the franchise opened a 64,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters, the first in league history built solely for use by a WNBA team. Phoenix and Seattle followed suit with $100 million and $64 million investments in practice facilities, respectively. Golden State, one of the league’s newest teams, opens its inaugural season in 2025 with a 6,800-square-foot locker room and a 31,800-square-foot facility for training and development.

Unrivaled hopes to shift the current conversations around investing in women, redefine the standards and raise expectations. Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally identifies with that sentiment.

“Just being here has been a great experience,” Sabally told the media. “This is up to our standards that we expect and deserve. It’s really great to operate in a room where everything is functioning on a high-performance level.”

As future WNBA facilities are built, they should follow the blueprint Unrivaled created. It’s the best endorsement the league could give players, saying something they have been painstakingly waiting to hear: We see you, we hear you and we value you.

The WNBA is now on the clock. Unrivaled is applying pressure.

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Is Caitlin Clark playing in Unrivaled?

Here’s what we know about Caitlin Clark playing in Unrivaled.

With Caitlin Clark’s offseason well underway, you might wonder if she is playing in Unrivaled to keep her skills sharp ahead of the WNBA season.

Here’s the answer: No, she won’t play basketball in Unrivaled—for now.

In November 2024, ESPN Senior Writer Michael Voepel reported that Clark would not play in the new 3-on-3 league during its inaugural season. Why? The exact reason why Clark isn’t suiting up is unknown, but For The Win has its suspicions.

However, the door to play in Unrivaled isn’t completely shut should Clark decide to join later. “We’re always going to have a roster spot for Caitlin Clark,” Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell shared with Sportico last year.

“We’re not applying a full-court press the way people think…She knows that we have a spot for her when she’s ready.”

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Sue Bird expects Unrivaled will spur the next generation of WNBA superteams

“The level of recruiting—I can only imagine.”

The early parts of WNBA free agency started just days ago, and Sue Bird has some thoughts about an unexpected player in the mix—Unrivaled.

Yep. That’s right. Unrivaled might cause a little chaos. While the league is an additional option for players to utilize in the offseason to keep their skills sharp and to stay stateside, it’s hard not to notice the elephant in the room. So many WNBA players are down in Miami…from January until March…during the height of WNBA free agency.

See where I’m going with this? Sue Bird recently reinforced the same notion on her A Touch More podcast with Megan Rapinoe, and she added a bit more color to it. Here’s what she said (See the 28:20 mark of the YouTube video below.):

“Oh my God. There’s going to be so many superteams formed in Unrivaled. The WNBA free agency chatter that must be happening—in the training room, when they’re out shopping, when they’re getting some coffee—has gotta be next level…”

“Now they’re together for, like, two months during WNBA free agency. So, the level of recruiting—I can only imagine.”

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DiJonai Carrington gifted Marina Mabrey cooking seasonings in sweet but hysterical gesture

DiJonai Carrington gifted Marina Mabrey cooking seasonings, and we can’t stop laughing.

This story has been updated with new information about Marina’s cooking.

Dijonai Carrington gifted Marina Mabrey with cooking seasonings because friends don’t let friends suffer.

DiJonai and Marina have been cool since the latter was traded to the Connecticut Sun last year. Their enemies-to-friends redemption story is one of the best in sports, producing some pretty wholesome content. And the terrific shenanigans have continued now that both are down in Miami preparing for Unrivaled’s first season.

As you might expect, players have downtime when not training or practicing, which means things will be cooked. Marina shared a Gif photo to X (formerly Twitter) of her, uh, “spices,” thinking she was ready to throw down in the kitchen. But DiJonai had to intervene because Y’ALL. Marina had avocado oil spray, pepper and Himalayan pink salt. THAT’S IT.

Hours later, DiJonai shared a video of her gifting Marina some proper seasonings. “Alright, y’all. I had to run to the store and get my girl right!” Just a little starter pack,” Dijonai said.

Once Marina had her seasoning starter kit, she was ready to go. First, she tried eggs and then some pasta, which she shared with DiJonai.

News of her pasta found its way to Angel Reese, who provided some hysterical commentary that said the quiet parts out loud.

“Do you know I thought those were frosted flakes?” she told Marina.

Unfortunately, DiJonai won’t have Marina’s pasta either because she accidentally left it in a locker.

Maybe we’ll get more food adventures soon.

This is the kind of content we need in our lives. Marina versus the cooking seasonings is an underrated Unrivaled subplot. 10/10. No notes.

UPDATE: Apparently, Jackie Young and NaLyssa Smith have been involved with Marina’s cooking adventures. (See the final slide of the Instragram post for NaLyssa’s commentary.)

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6 awesome Unrivaled perks for players, from childcare to professional chefs

Unrivaled really thought of everything for its players.

Women’s sports is more than a moment; it’s a movement. Unrivaled knows that and is treating its players accordingly.

One unfortunate reality of women’s sports is that the support is often not up to par. It doesn’t reflect the value that these players bring to the table. However, a new basketball league, Unrivaled, hopes to change that.

For example, according to Tipesa Gray, the wife of Aces champion and Rose BC player Chelsea Gray, Unrivaled provides childcare for players and their families before, during and after games. The league also has support like a playroom and nursery on site with vetted nannies.

That’s awesome. Right? Well, that isn’t the only perk for Unrivaled players. Here’s five more things that should make this season a smooth one for athletes.

Unrivaled’s main playing court

Sephora makeup room

 

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A post shared by Sephora (@sephora)

Professional chefs

Weight room

 

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A post shared by Rose BC (@rosebc)

Locker room

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Rose BC (@rosebc)

Here’s a full tour with all these amenities:

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Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper are the Unrivaled friendship goals we need

Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper are Unrivaled’s best newfound duo.

Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper are the Unrivaled duo we didn’t know we needed.

When the new league launched, it was unclear how it might all work out or how the players would react. But the early results are really promising. Several WNBA players are getting to hang out and bond with people they typically wouldn’t see as much during the season.  It’s produced some incredible content—think WNBA all-star vibes—including a dope friendship between Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper.

During recent media availability, For The Win asked Kahleah how she feels about their friendship. Here’s what she told us and other media members:

“It’s been great…On the court, it’s been great. You know, to see her on the court and really want to learn. You know, it’s a lot of young players that’s like, ‘I want to learn from the greats. I want to learn.’ And you get with them, and they don’t want to listen or they do want they want to do.

But, no. She communicates. She really wants to learn…and I see her —her growth every single day. So, respectfully, I have a lot of respect for her on the court and just how she wants to grow.”

How awesome is that? So, here are four times Angel and Kah showed they have the best friendship at Unrivaled.

Angel calling Kah “grandma” for not wanting to do TikToks

Kah doing the TikTok with Angel anyway (Warning: NSFW language)

Angel asking Kah to sing LiAngelo Ball’s song “Tweaker”

Angel and Kah doing more TikToks, but this time, on a Sunday

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