The all-new national women’s basketball league kicked off Friday, as Unrivaled held its first two matches outside of Miami. The 3×3 league co-founded by stars Napheesa Collier And Breanna Stewart intends to provide WNBA features an alternative to playing overseas during the offseason. Ten 2024 WNBA All-Stars took the court for Unrivaled’s debut.
Ben Pickman of , attended the opening night of the games, while Sabreena Merchant watched the broadcast to share her thoughts on the new adventure of women’s basketball.
Ben Pickman: The energy began to build in Wayfair Arena about an hour before Unrivaled’s debut as fans began to gather on the show court. Coaches and executives from several WNBA teams were in attendance, and players from the two teams not participating in Friday night’s first doubleheader were scattered throughout the crowd. You could tell even before the announcement how excited people were to see Unrivaled debut.
Sabreena Merchant: Even watching TV, I had the feeling that it was something special. I’m already on board with a half-hour pre-game show that explains everything you need to know about Unrivaled. The production value on these pre-game segments, jumping between multiple players as they detailed the rules, was also impressive. As someone who watches a ton of NBA on TNT, there was really no difference between the shows.
Pickman: The production value in the arena was also high. Players participated in presentations reminiscent of an All-Star Game. There was a fog machine, loud music, and they walked out onto a center court stage as their names and honors were read aloud.
How did it go on television?
Merchant: It felt like I was watching a game from the WNBA bubble. There were few indications (visual or audible) that fans were in the building. (In hindsight, focusing the camera angle on the side of the field that doesn’t have fans distorted this perception.)
Pickman: Interesting. Because even though it was clear that this arena was smaller (an announced sellout of 870 spectators), the cheers seemed incredibly normal – in a good way; like I was watching a competitive WNBA game. There was nothing special about being there, from the basketball to the crowd reactions.
The fans were loud when Stewart scored the first field goal in league history. They roared when DiJonai Carrington blocked Courtney Williams with just over two minutes left in the first quarter. I also heard some slight heckling from the referees. At the start of the second quarter of the first game, a fan sitting near me yelled, “What? Is this the final? Every time Courtney Vandersloot checked in, the fans would yell “Sloooot,” much like they do at the Barclays Center. In the second game, Angel ReeseThe reverses of received loud ovations or a number of Rhyne HowardThat’s six 3-pointers.
Merchant: Reporter Allie LaForce gave us a tour of the building (more simply walking past the doors and telling us what’s inside each one). It’s pretty clear that this league’s marketing is as much about the player experience as it is about basketball itself.
Pickman: I can’t say I’ve ever seen referee jerseys with SEPHORA printed on them. That’s a difference from the WNBA. And while there are logos throughout the arena (Samsung Galaxy has a sticker on the court and Miller Lite has its logo on each baseline), the sponsorship elements in the arena aren’t overwhelming.
What was your impression of the piece itself?
Merchant: As for the game itself, the basketball looked more like 5×5 than I thought. Howard dumped 3 seconds, Kahleah Copper got to the rack easily and Collier hit his short fade. Everything WNBA fans know.
However, there were a few possessions when a defender was knocked down and you remembered it was 3×3 because no one came to help you. I would also have liked to see more offensive sets. Lots of isos, lots of first pull-up jumpers. Ideally, actions become more creative as the season progresses.
Pickman: The extra space without four players was noticeable, but you’re right, the gameplay resembled 5×5 pretty closely. The format adapts well to players showcasing their offensive repertoires. Jewell Loyd said the players “took their normal shots.”
One thing I have been monitoring and will be monitoring all year is the fitness levels of the players. Heading into Friday night, many players were excited about how Unrivaled would put them in better shape for the WNBA season. That may be true, but for now, it seems like players are still adjusting to the modified full court. The coaches substituted a lot, but I saw a few players put their hands on their knees as well.
Merchant: DJ Sackmann had the same substitute models for Collier as Cheryl Reeve: as in, he didn’t.
It also appears that the Lunar Owls only had five players, compared to six for all other teams, because Cameron Brink is on their roster but out for the season as she rehabs her torn ACL. I wonder if they will have a difficult player like Phantom did with Natisha Hiedemanwho replaced Marina Mabrey (calf strain).
Pickman: Sabreena, I’m curious: there was a lot of talk before Unrivaled about this being a made-for-TV event and that fans would be able to hear the discussions on the court. Was this the case?
Merchant: No way.
Pickman: So that’s a benefit of being in person. I sat seven rows from the court in press row and clearly heard the players calling the switches and the two coaches giving instructions on when to increase the pace and how to maintain floor spacing. The squeaking of sneakers was part of the chorus of sounds in the arena, as were the thuds of bodies hitting the ground.
Merchant: It was hard to watch without thinking about what this league means for these players’ WNBA careers. Obviously the first matchup was meant to feature Stewart vs. Collier, but it also gave us Loyd vs. Skylar Diggins-Smith. In case you need a reminder, Diggins-Smith joined the Seattle Storm in 2024, but things didn’t exactly go as planned, and Loyd has since requested a trade from the Storm.
The intensity between these two exceeded anything happening on the field in my opinion.
Pickman: One of the big questions hanging over WNBA free agency this offseason is what the Storm will do with Loyd. If she can replicate her performance from Friday night (34 points on 12 of 23 shooting), it’s easy to imagine that it will improve her trade value. “It’s great to come out there and just have joy,” Loyd said.
Merchant: In terms of TV product, I would be a little concerned if the first game exceeded the one hour mark before the fourth quarter since the plan is for each game to fit into a 60 minute window. The first match lasted 76 minutes while the second match lasted 83 minutes (the broadcast window ending almost an hour after the scheduled end).
Pickman: That’s true, but in person the pace was pretty smooth. Halftime breaks lasted only eight minutes with fan engagement like any other game. THE FreedomArena host DJ Ria hosts Unrivaled. They played part of Flau’jae Johnson’s song “Came Out a Beast” during one of the night’s breaks. (The LSU star signed a NIL deal with the league in December and will participate in collaborative content, marketing campaigns and merchandise activations.) But I’m sure your observation on timing is something to watch for. future because it is a fact- for the TV league.
Merchant: Speaking of made for TV, thanks to Unrivaled for using white jerseys rather than a solid color. Little things help the visual product.
Another smart move? The target score.
Pickman: Playing the fourth quarter with an objective winning score (11 points from the leader after three quarters) bore fruit immediately. From the start of the period in the first game, the defenses tightened up – the players said so afterwards – and the fans seemed equally engaged. The Lunar Owls overcame a six-point deficit and ended up winning the league opener 84-80 after Diggins-Smith scored a game-ending 3-pointer. The celebration was certainly not that of an All-Star Game or an exhibition. Her teammates mobbed her and she strutted down the sidelines, tugging at her jersey as a fog machine billowed smoke above both baskets.
Merchant: I also saw Sackmann running onto the field to celebrate. How often do you see an enthusiastic head coach during a regular season game?
Even the second game had some juice at the end, with Dearica HambyThe layup gives Vinyl the victory 79-73. The beauty of a target score is that the last possession will always be dramatic.
Pickman: The start of the second game had the feeling of the second game in a NCAA doubles tournament. Many fans left the showground during the brief intermission between the two competitions, and it took a minute or two for the crowd to regain its energy. But it also didn’t take long for the players to start talking back to the referees. But what struck me the most was the intimacy of the environment.
Some Mist and Lunar Owls players then returned to the arena. Carrington received cheers before walking out. Collier posed for a few selfies with her fans. “We have the best players in the world and we want to do them justice,” she said. “We want to expose everyone’s talents and showcase them, and have a format where every match will be engaging. And so I think it was a great first game for that, just showing what we can do and showing what the experience can be like.
Merchant: Overall, it was a successful start. Unrivaled filled a college basketball dead zone Friday night, big names showed up and Diggins-Smith set up a highlight that will be rebroadcast on TNT over the next couple of months. Could we have expected anything better, Ben?
Pickman: No. I think the first night of Unrivaled was a success. The basketball was competitive, especially in the fourth quarters, and the crowd was engaged throughout. Even though there was a buzz because it was something different, seeing the world’s best WNBA players play this way also felt familiar.
And whether or not fans experienced Unrivaled on Friday, they will be able to watch Game 2 of the league on Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.
This article was originally published in Athletics.
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