Unrivaled 3×3 is taking over Philadelphia on Friday, when the Miami-based league brings pro women's basketball back to the City of Brotherly Love the first time since 1998.
As the league's its first-ever tour stop, Friday's one-off doubleheader — dubbed "Philly is Unrivaled" — is already shaping up to be a success, with Unrivaled selling out the 21,000-seat Xfinity Mobile Arena with tickets averaging $165 each on the secondary market — nearly double the price to see the NBA's Sixers at the same venue.
"I'm just excited for the love from the city. People can really see this as a basketball city. One of the best cities in the world," said Philadelphia product and Rose BC star Kahleah Copper, as her hometown gears up to launch its own WNBA expansion team in 2030.
Friday's Unrivaled event promises a star-studded bill, with Paige Bueckers's Breeze BC first taking on Philly's own Natasha Cloud and the Phantom before Copper and the Rose square off against Marina Mabrey's Lunar Owls.
How to watch the "Philly is Unrivaled" doubleheader
Unrivaled tips off from Philadelphia on Friday when Breeze BC takes on Phantom BC at 7:30 PM ET, before Rose BC faces the Lunar Owls at 8:45 PM ET.
Both "Philly is Unrivaled" clashes will air live on TNT.
WNBA star Breanna Stewart is making her voice heard, with the New York Liberty forward launching her Syracuse-focused Breanna Stewart Foundation one day after protesting Saturday's ICE shooting in Minneapolis on the Unrivaled 3×3 court.
First acknowledging the platform that basketball gave her, the Unrivaled co-founder said in her Monday social media post "my responsibility goes far beyond the game."
"This foundation starts where I'm from, Syracuse, and grows through New York because real impact has to begin at home," Stewart explained.
In partnership with Athletes for Impact, the Breanna Stewart Foundation aims to build "long-term, sustainable systems for women and youth in the community" to combat poverty through initiatives like healthcare services, education and mentoring opportunities, and sports programs.
The news came after Stewart held up a hand-written sign reading "Abolish ICE" during Sunday's Unrivaled introductions, with the Mist BC star calling attention to this month's fatal shootings at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota.
"I wanted to have a simple message of 'Abolish ICE,' which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence," Stewart said after Mist BC's win.
"All day yesterday, I was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news," she added. "It's scary.... You see it splitting up families and dissecting communities.... It's the worst in all ways."
"We're so fueled by hate right now instead of love."
Breeze BC star Paige Bueckers is lining her pockets, with the Unrivaled rookie guard winning the league's inaugural free throw challenge this week, picking up $50,000 in prize money after going 13-for-13 from the stripe.
The 3×3 league's free throw challenge recognizes the player with the best free-throw percentage through their season's first five games, with a minimum requirement of six attempts in at least three games.
Although multiple players put up perfect percentages, Bueckers's 13 shots owned the leaderboard, more than doubling the six-for-six record of Phantom guard and challenge runner-up, Tiffany Hayes.
"I got some good plans, but no pocket watching over here," the 24-year-old joked when asked about her $50,000 payday plans. "I'mma take care of it."
Bueckers has been fueling the Breeze on and off the line throughout the 2026 Unrivaled season, averaging 23.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game for the 3-2 expansion side.
The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year showed out on Monday, draining 37 points including the game-winner to secure an 83-64 victory over the Mist — snapping Breeze BC's two game losing streak in the process.
"We invest so much in the game, to see other people invest that much into us as well, it's very motivating," Bueckers said afterwards.
How to watch Paige Bueckers in the 2026 Unrivaled season
The free throw challenge victor returns to the Unrivaled court on Saturday, when the No. 3 Breeze take on the No. 8 Lunar Owls.
The clash tips off live at 7:30 PM ET on truTV.
Fresh faces are shining on the 3×3 basketball court, as Unrivaled newcomer Breeze BC holds their own against veteran competition, riding a 2-1 record through their first three games of the 2026 season.
First-year guard Paige Bueckers leads the team with 18.3 points per game, with the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year also sitting third in the offseason league in assists with 7.0 per game.
It's not only Bueckers impressing from the young Breeze squad, however, as second-year Unrivaled vet Rickea Jackson and league debutant Dominique Malonga are posting 17.3 points per game so far, putting the pair at Nos. 11 and 12 among the league's 45 star players — just behind Bueckers at No. 9.
"I feel like we just stick together," said Jackson. "Our chemistry is insane for us to just [now] be playing together."
Experience did win out on Sunday, though, as reigning champion Rose BC's Chelsea Gray dropped 37 points on the young stars to secure her team's 3-0 record with a 73-69 victory.
Gray currently leads Unrivaled with 31.7 points per game, hitting two game-winners in the first week of play as Rose BC tops the Season 2 standings.
How to watch Breeze BC in Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball
Breeze BC will return to the Unrivaled court next weekend, tipping off their Saturday matchup against Vinyl BC at 8:45 PM ET on truTV before taking on the Mist at 8 PM ET next Monday, airing live on TNT.
Unrivaled Basketball and trading card manufacturer Panini America are teaming up, bringing the 3×3 league's first officially licensed trading cards to market on Friday.
As part of a multi-year agreement between the two parties, Panini will debut the Instant Cards just hours before the first full weekend of play in the 2026 Unrivaled season tips off on Friday.
Panini also plans to launch a Rewind set of trading cards celebrating the 2025 inaugural Unrivaled season, among other future drops.
"Our partnership with Unrivaled is a great way to reinforce and showcase our support of the women's game and female athletes," said Panini America SVP of marketing Jason Howarth in the pair's Thursday announcement. "Unrivaled's 3-on-3 format makes for exciting and compelling game play and continuing to work with the best players in the world in this format made this partnership make perfect sense."
Following Monday's Season 2 tip-off, Unrivaled is continuing to form strategic partnerships as the offseason pro league grows in popularity.
"We want to meet fans where they are, and Panini's history in this space makes them an ideal partner to highlight the biggest moments for women's basketball's biggest stars," said Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell.
How to purchase Unrivaled Instant Cards
The full Unrivaled Instant Card set will release online at 3:08 PM ET on Friday at PaniniAmerica.net.
Unrivaled leadership is back in the hot seat, telling reporters at Monday's Season 2 tip-off that the offseason 3x3 league is open to whatever the future might bring — even if it's a formal partnership with the WNBA.
"We're not in constant dialogue about that," Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell said from Miami. "But as I've made very clear, we are open to growing the ecosystem, whichever way that looks like."
"Nothing is on the table or off the table," he continued. "I'm not going to speculate what could happen down the road, but everyone knows our door is always open."
As reported prior to the 3×3 upstart's inaugural 2025 season, Unrivaled co-founders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier had approached the WNBA about a potential equity stake — in part to further illustrate that the new venture is complementary, rather than in competition with, the WNBA — but league leadership turning down the offer, citing a possible rules violation.
Questions have since come up about Unrivaled becoming a prioritization issue for players under the WNBA's still-developing CBA, but Bazzell underlined the league's benefits as being supplemental, rather than in direct conflict with the 5x5 league.
"As long as you can look at the space through an innovative lens, anything is doable," he said. "Anything is possible."
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.
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.
As Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball gears up for Season 2, broadcast partner TNT unveiled additional 2026 coverage plans last week while the offseason league crowned its team captains across the expanded field.
Unrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart will captain the Lunar Owls and Mist BC, respectively, while Season 1 veterans Jackie Young (Laces BC), Kahleah Copper (Rose BC), and Dearica Hamby (Vinyl BC) will also resume their boss roles next month.
Earning first-time captain status for the 2026 campaign are three league newcomers, with Kelsey Plum helming Phantom BC while 2025 WNBA rookies Sonia Citron and Paige Bueckers lead incoming Unrivaled expansion teams Hive BC and Breeze BC, respectively.
Stocked with eight clubs and an extra night of weekly programming, TNT is doubling down on Unrivaled this winter, tapping three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker to lead the network's coverage in the hot seat.
Joining Parker will be fellow WNBA retiree and All-Star Renee Montgomery as well as host Lauren Jbara, with special appearances throughout the season by basketball legend Lisa Leslie.
Each week will now feature four nights of Unrivaled basketball, with TNT airing Friday and Monday games while truTV broadcasts the 3x3 league's action on Saturdays and Sundays.
How to watch Unrivaled Season 2
The second season of Unrivaled Basketball will tip off with all eight teams in action across a pair of doubleheaders — one in the afternoon and one in the evening — beginning at 1 PM ET on Monday, January 5th, with live coverage airing on truTV and TNT.
Months after Napheesa Collier set the WNBA ablaze with her viral exit interview criticizing league leadership, the Minnesota Lynx star said "nothing has changed" at the front office level as CBA negotiations stall.
"The conversation has been had now [and] people are seeing that changes need to be made," Collier said this week from Miami, where Unrivaled 3×3 is gearing up for its second campaign.
"I feel confident in the [union] and where we are internally with our players and the future," she continued.
In her October press conference, Collier publicly called the WNBA front office "the worst leadership in the world," putting commissioner Cathy Engelbert in the hot seat amid tense CBA negotiations with serious implications on next season's play.
The league and the WNBPA are currently sparring over revenue sharing, with diverging compensation expectations further distancing the two sides.
"Obviously, there's frustration in that both sides are trying to get what they want, but we still have that fire within us that we're willing to do what it takes," Collier said. "We're going to do whatever it takes to get what we think we deserve."
As talks drag on, Collier sees Unrivaled — the offseason 3×3 league she co-founded with New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart — as fueling the players' fight.
"Us being here in December and January until March, it's a crucial time in the CBA," Collier acknowledged.
"Having us all in one place is beneficial," she explained. "To have players congregate in that way, where you can have those in-person conversations and updates like that, that does help to get things moving more quickly."
Sidelined Phoenix Mercury star Satou Sabally is still down for the count, with the 27-year-old set to miss the 2026 season tip-off of Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball as she continues to recover from lingering concussion symptoms.
Sabally suffered the head injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals on October 8th, requiring assistance in exiting the matchup after visibly swaying upon standing.
The concussion forced Sabally to sit out the remainder of the postseason series against the eventual 2025 WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces.
Both Sabally and Unrivaled planned her return to Phantom BC for the league's second season, with the German national impressing in the offseason venture's debut run by averaging 15.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
Sabally is under a multi-year contract with the upstart, with Unrivaled promising that while the forward will be out "indefinitely," medical personnel will reevaluate her fitness "at a later date" as both parties hope to see her on the 3×3 court this season.
In her stead, Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes — who suited up for Unrivaled's Laces BC last season — will join Phantom BC as Sabally's replacement.
The second season of Unrivaled 3x3 Basketball will tip off in Miami on January 5th, 2026.