Unrivaled is officially back, as the offseason 3×3 basketball league tips off Season 2 on Monday afternoon — packed with more teams, deeper rosters, and an expanded broadcast schedule.

The WNBA offshoot has grown from six to eight teams this year, adding Hive BC and Breeze BC to its founding lineup while also bringing in a developmental player pool to supplement absences and injuries.

Plus, each week of the regular season now features four nights of action, running games on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays through February 27th.

This year's formatting will mirror Season 1, with small-sided full-court play, targeted fourth-quarter scoring, single-shot free throws, seven-minute periods, and a shortened 18-second shot clock.

Unrivaled's popular midseason 1v1 tournament will also make its comeback next month ahead of March's newly expanded playoffs.

Unlike Season 1, the Miami-based league will hit the road on January 30th, when four teams will play in Unrivaled's first-ever "tour stop" in Philadelphia.

Napheesa Collier's injury looms over the Lunar Owls

The Lunar Owls will be without their biggest star on Monday, as Unrivaled co-founder and last year's leading scorer Napheesa Collier announced last Thursday that she'll miss all of Season 2 due to dual ankle injuries.

Collier will undergo double surgeries to fix the problem, with a four- to six-month estimated recovery time putting an additional question mark on her WNBA availability for its 2026 season.

"I have fought hard over the last few months to be back with my Owls and was devastated to be told by my team of doctors that surgery was the best path forward," Collier posted to Instagram late last week.

Forward Temi Fagbenle (Golden State Valkyries) will fill Collier's Unrivaled roster spot, with the Owls also relying on guards Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm) and Marina Mabrey (Connecticut Sun) alongside versatile forward — and last year's 1v1 tournament runner-up — Aaliyah Edwards (Connecticut Sun).

Reigning Unrivaled champs Rose BC shoot for consistency

After getting hot in the 2025 postseason, Rose BC will shoot to defend their inaugural 3×3 title without two of last year's regular-season starters.

Star forward Angel Reese (Chicago Sky) did not sign with Unrivaled this year while guard Brittney Sykes (Seattle Storm) jumped ship to the Laces, with the team returning guards Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces), Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury), and Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever) plus forward Azurá Stevens (LA Sparks).

"A lot of us have played with each other already, so that helps, obviously we have four returners," said Copper. "Chelsea does a really good job of setting us up to be successful, so it makes it really easy."

Rose BC will also have a returning presence on the bench, as Dallas Wings assistant coach Nola Henry comes back after leading the team to a championship in her first-ever head coaching role.

Young superstars bring the 3×3 heat to Breeze BC

Newcomer Breeze BC is already bringing the heat, as the 2026 expansion team looks to transform a powder keg of young talent into a 3×3 dynamo.

Reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings) will make her Unrivaled debut alongside forward Dominique Malonga (Seattle Storm) and guard Aari McDonald (Indiana Fever), joining second-year stars Cameron Brink (LA Sparks), Kate Martin (Golden State Valkyries), and Rickea Jackson (LA Sparks).

"It means a lot that I get to be back here and play with someone like Paige," said Brink. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, as great of a player as she is. I think her mid-range game is really going to tear people up."

The team's lack of experience will be tempered by former Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn, as she assumes her first sideline role post-Storm.

Vinyl BC gets ready to stir the 3×3 pot

Falling one game short of the 2025 title, Vinyl BC returns to the court armed with amped up versatility and a renewed focus on crossing the finish line.

Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), Rae Burrell (LA Sparks), and Dearica Hamby (LA Sparks) are back on the roster, joining big-name signings Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx) and Brittney Griner (Atlanta Dream).

"We might crash out a couple of times," laughed rookie guard Erica Wheeler (Seattle Storm). "We gonna talk some mess...we all have one goal, and that's to win."

Returning head coach Teresa Weatherspoon will also bolster the Season 1 runners-up, with the ex-Chicago Sky boss known for developing players eager to improve their 3×3 skills.

Mist BC shoots for Unrivaled redemption

One of just two teams missing the playoffs in 2025, Mist BC is gearing up for a redemption tour behind newly healthy Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart.

Stewart competed last season with limited availability before undergoing minor knee surgery, returning to the 3×3 court rested following the New York Liberty's early WNBA postseason exit.

"I can't tell you the last time where I was just not on the basketball court for a month," she said ahead of Monday's tip-off. "I was able to take a step back and feel better, and then move forward."

Stewart's leadership will come in handy this year, with the Mist rebuilding their lineup around the 31-year-old.

Five new faces are also joining the squad, including top WNBA performers Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas Wings), and Veronica Burton (Golden State Valkyries).

Veterans shape Hive BC's Unrivaled debut

Hive BC will look to lean on leadership this year, as tested WNBA veterans line up beside up-and-comers to form the 2026 expansion team.

Experienced pros Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever) and Monique Billings (Golden State Valkyries) make their Unrivaled debut with the Hive, balancing out rookies Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics) and Saniya Rivers (Connecticut Sun).

"We're vets on this team," said Billings. "Setting an example, setting the tone, and having an enjoyable season."

"Fun is important," added Mitchell, now fully recovered from the muscle condition that saw her depart the 2025 WNBA semifinals. "If you're not enjoying it, you can't really do it if you truly want to be good at it."

Billings and Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm) are set to battle in the interior, as backcourt playmaker Natisha Hiedeman (Minnesota Lynx) gives the still-gelling Hive options behind the arc.

Revamped Phantom BC relies on top-tier signings

After finishing the 2025 season in last place, Phantom BC is looking to change things up, bringing back just two players from last year's disappointing run.

Second-year guard Natasha Cloud (New York Liberty) will try to better her team's results, with returning forward Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercrury) set to miss the start of the season with lingering concussion symptoms dating back to October's WNBA Finals.

Former Laces guard Tiffany Hayes (Golden State Valkyries) will take over Sabally's duties for now, with the starter potentially rejoining the squad later this season.

The Phantom will instead bet on flashy newcomers, combining three-point shooting specialists Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks) and Dana Evans (Las Vegas Aces) with the sharp inside game of forward Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics) as the trio make their 3×3 debuts.

"I'm just excited to be here, excited for the opportunity to get better," said Plum after opting out of the 2025 season for personal reasons. "So far my experience has been nothing short of amazing."

Laces BC's Unrivaled bounce-back hinges on health

Laces BC is betting on health in 2026, with multiple returning stars anticipating greater availability as the team looks to recover from their early 2025 playoff exit.

Key starters Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces) and Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury) are coming back in top form, boosting the potential for regular-season momentum.

"Last year was kind of different for me. I was hurt most of the season," said Young. "So kind of just building, and not having to start from from zero."

The Laces could present a mismatched threat this year, adding 6-foot-2 forwards Maddy Siegrist (Dallas Wings) and Naz Hillmon (Atlanta Dream) while undersized guards Brittney Sykes (Seattle Storm) and Jordin Canada (Atlanta Dream) run the backcourt.

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How to watch Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball's Season 2 tip-off

All eight Unrivaled teams will be in action as Season 2 tips off with two stacked doubleheaders on Monday.

In the opening slate, Mist BC will kick off the season against Hive BC at 1 PM ET before Vinyl BC faces off against the Laces at 2:15 PM ET.

Both opening tilts will air live on truTV.

Then in the nightcap, the Lunar Owls will aim to start the season strong against Rose BC at 8 PM ET, with the Breeze making their debut vs. Phantom BC at 9:15 PM ET.

Live coverage of both evening games will air on TNT.

The host of the 2022 Men's World Cup is back in the headlines, with Middle East nation Qatar reportedly in talks with FIFA to house the inaugural Women's Club World Cup in January 2028.

Despite recent gains on the men's side, the Qatar women’s national team is currently unranked due to a lack of official matches — founded in 2009, the squad has not competed in any official capacity in 12 years.

The lack of support for the nation's women's team is unsurprising given Qatar's concerning human rights record — one that the soccer world has long called into question, particularly concerning the treatment of women, migrants, and the LGBTQIA+ population.

The reported aim to host the 2028 Women's Club World Cup would constitute another example of Qatar sportswashing those international human rights concerns using the country's close relationship with the international soccer governing body — one bolstered by the fact that FIFA president Gianni Infantino resides in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Despite this week's reports, FIFA said they have yet to receive a formal bid for its first-ever women's club competition.

With 16 teams expected to compete from January 5th through 30th, 2028, European clubs are already bracing for calendar disruptions thanks to the Women's Club World Cup's winter kick-off.

At least five teams from Europe and two each from Asia, Africa, South America, and North America will compete, with the remaining three clubs determined by a 2027 qualifying tournament.

US Figure Skating is hoping to make Olympic history this year, naming powerhouse trio Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito to the official 2026 Winter Games roster on Sunday as Team USA aims to end a 20-year medal drought in Milan next month.

Glenn earned her spot after winning her third-straight national title on Friday, with reigning world champion Liu and 18-year-old 2024 Worlds runner-up Levito chasing her onto the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships podium.

"Just so grateful. That was terrifying," Glenn said after her win. "And I had to skate after two incredible ladies brought down the house."

Liu is the only US women's singles skater returning with Olympic experience — at just 16 years old, she took sixth place in Beijing — but the group's national podium tally adds to Team USA's renewed confidence.

"All we've got to do, is do our job," said 26-year-old Glenn. "I think the US ladies have come so, so far in the last two decades that if all three of us do our jobs in Milan, then more than likely someone's going to be up there [on the Olympic podium]."

How to watch the 2026 Olympic figure skating competition

While the US women will first take the ice in the team competition on February 6th and 8th, the trio will begin contending for individual glory by skating their short programs at 12:45 PM ET on February 17th, airing live on USA Network.

The 2026 Olympic podium will then be finalized in the free skate competition at 1 PM ET on February 19th, with live coverage on NBC.

Incoming Denver Summit FC rookie Jasmine Aikey capped her Stanford career by earning the top honor in NCAA women's soccer, lifting the 2025 MAC Hermann Trophy last Friday.

Aikey is now the sixth Cardinal to win the award, joining fellow alums and USWNT standouts like Kelley O'Hara (2009), Christen Press (2010), Catarina Macario (2018, 2019), and Andi Sullivan (2017).

"I am so happy that Jasmine's hard work and dedication paid off, as she is one of the most talented and competitive student-athletes I have ever coached," said Stanford head coach Paul Ratcliffe in the school's Friday announcement.

The 20-year-old topped both Stanford and the ACC in goals scored this season with 21, tallying 11 assists as she led the Cardinal to both the 2025 ACC Championship and last month's College Cup Final.

Even more, her dominant season saw Aikey claim the 2025 MAC Hermann Award over fellow finalists and ACC stars Jordynn Dudley, a junior forward for reigning NCAA champion Florida State, and Izzy Engle, a Notre Dame sophomore attacker and the 2025 ACC Offensive Player of the Year.

With her Friday win, Aikey also made history as just the second student-athlete to win both the Hermann Trophy and the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, joining Portland alum and international soccer's all-time leading scorer, Canada legend Christine Sinclair.

The forward won't be resting on her laurels for long, however, with Aikey now gearing up for next month's NWSL preseason after signing a two-year deal to join 2026 expansion side Denver Summit last Thursday.

"I'm ready to get to work and help set the standard in Denver," remarked the newly minted pro in a club statement.

As top tennis talents turn toward the 2026 Australian Open, this week's WTA rankings refresh hints at the drama to come as the year's first Grand Slam nears.

Following her strong 2026 United Cup showing against world No. 2 Iga Świątek, Team USA favorite Coco Gauff jumped to No. 3, leapfrogging fellow US star No. 4 Amanda Anisimova along the way.

Meanwhile, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys hit a slight skid, falling two spots to No. 9 after unwavering No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ousted her from last week's Brisbane Open quarterfinals.

Sabalenka aside, Switzerland's No. 10 Belinda Bencic might have the hottest hand heading into Melbourne, busting into the Top 10 after winning all five of her 2026 United Cup singles matches — including a dominant three-set victory over Poland's Świątek.

Bencic also made history in this week's rankings update, becoming the first returning mother to crack the WTA's top tier since US tennis icon Serena Williams did so in 2021.

"I think it's been a huge goal, maybe a huge ride after the whole comeback, to come back and prove this to myself, that it's possible," Bencic said this week.

How to watch top WTA ranked tennis players this week

Next up for the WTA rankings' elite will be the record-breaking 2026 Australian Open, with the main draw of the season's first Slam kicking off down under on Sunday.

Live coverage from the Melbourne hardcourt will air across ESPN platforms beginning at 7 PM ET on Saturday.