The second season of Unrivaled basketball is down to two teams, as 2025's lowest-ranked finishers — Phantom BC and Mist BC — flipped the script this year, setting up a "worst-to-first" championship battle for the 3×3 league's 2026 crown on Wednesday night.
The Phantom entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, taking down Vinyl BC in Monday's semifinals before the No. 2 Mist scored a comeback victory over expansion side Breeze BC to book their spot in Wednesday's final.
"Our goal is a championship, and that has been the goal from the very beginning," said Mist center Alanna Smith prior to the playoffs.
The Mist will lean on the all-around dominance from forward Breanna Stewart and guard Allisha Gray as they look to secure the 2026 Unrivaled title, while Phantom BC will see their sharpshooting guards in the spotlight, led by the league's third-leading scorer, Kelsey Plum.
As well as bragging rights, Wednesday's champions will also take home a cut of the $600,000 prize pool, up from the $50,000-per-player payday Rose BC banked with their victory last season.
"This league is so tough, and everyone's coming to play," said Plum.
How to Watch the 2026 Unrivaled Championship
The No. 1 Phantom will tip off against the No. 2 Mist for the 2026 Unrivaled crown at 9:30 PM ET on Wednesday, airing live on TNT.
Unrivaled Basketball came to play on Monday, as No. 1 seed Phantom BC and No. 2 Mist BC took down their challengers at the 3×3 league's 2026 semifinals in Brooklyn.
Kelsey Plum dominated the first matchup, scoring 31 points to offset Vinyl forward Dearica Hamby's 30 points and help secure the 83-75 Phantom win.
Then in the night's second clash, the Mist mounted a 16-point comeback to beat the Breeze, with Arike Ogunbowale hitting the game-winning three-pointer to clinch the 73-69 victory.
In addition to setting Wednesday's final, Monday's Barclays Center festivities also showcased the second-year league's continued success.
Prior to tip off, Unrivaled Basketball announced that the league is raking in $45 million in revenue this year — including $1 million in semifinals sales alone — up from $27 million in 2025.
"That speaks to the financial performance, but it's as a natural byproduct of putting the players and the fans first while consistently raising the bar and setting new standards, thereby proving what's possible when you focus on the true value drivers of a sport," said Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler.
How to watch the Unrivaled Basketball final this week
The winner-take-all 2026 Unrivaled final tips off in Miami on Wednesday, when the No. 2 Mist will battle the No. 1 Phantom live at 9:30 PM ET on TNT.
Unrivaled is down to its final regular-season slate, as the 3×3 basketball league determines each of its six playoff teams' paths to the 2026 championship on Friday.
No. 1 seed Phantom BC already secured one of the two first-round byes, but both Mist BC and Laces BC currently sit in a 9-4 season record tie as they jockey for the No. 2 spot — and a direct trip to the semifinals on Monday.
Meanwhile, Breeze BC, defending champion Rose BC, and Vinyl BC are all locked into first-round berths, though Friday's results could impact postseason seeding and matchups.
The first-round quartet won't have much time to rest, as the postseason tips off less than 24 hours after the final regular-season matchup, with playoffs beginning in Miami on Saturday evening before heading to Brooklyn's Barclays Center for Monday's semifinals.
The league will then return to its south Florida home court to crown the 2026 Unrivaled champion on Wednesday, March 4th.
How to watch the Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball this weekend
Friday's 2026 Unrivaled regular-season finale begins with Hive BC facing the Lunar Owls at 1 PM ET before Mist BC takes on the Vinyl at 2:15 PM ET, live on truTV.
The evening doubleheader pits Rose BC against the Phantom at 7:30 PM ET and the Breeze vs. the Laces at 8:45 PM ET, airing 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."
WNBA star Breanna Stewart took a stand during Unrivaled introductions on Sunday, using her platform to protest the recent ICE shooting in Minneapolis.
Before the Mist tipped off against the Vinyl, Stewart walked onto the court at Sephora Arena holding a hand-drawn sign that read "Abolish ICE," drawing national attention to the fatal incident in Minnesota.
The protest follows the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, the US citizen and ICU nurse shot and killed by US Border Patrol agents in South Minneapolis on Saturday morning. The city’s second fatal shooting by federal immigration agents this month, the ICE shooting in Minneapolis has sparked unrest across the country and beyond.
After securing the Mist’s 76-71 victory, the 3×3 league co-founder addressed the demonstration in her postgame press conference.
"Really all day yesterday, I was just disgusted," Stewart told reporters.
"We’re so fueled by hate right now instead of love, so 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."
The sports world responds to the ICE shooting in Minneapolis
The ICE shooting prompted widespread reactions across the sports world.
The Minnesota Timberwolves postponed their Saturday game against the Golden State Warriors, citing citywide protests and safety concerns. Other athletes, including Stewart’s fellow Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier and Minnesota Lynx star Natisha Heideman, have also spoken out in support of the demonstrators.
For Stewart, the issue of immigration enforcement hits close to home. Her wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, is a Spanish citizen navigating the US citizenship process. Stewart noted that the recent ICE shooting in Minneapolis create a climate of fear for many families.
"You see it splitting up families and dissecting communities," she continued.
"We’re working to get [Xargay’s] citizenship, and she is a legal permanent resident and all of that. But it seems like it doesn’t matter. And I think that that's why these policies need to be put in place, that reform needs to happen. Because it doesn’t seem to be affecting the right people. It’s not helping anybody."
Federal authorities said ICE agents were conducting a "targeted operation" and claimed the victim was armed. However, local reports and bystander accounts challenge the administration’s timeline.
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 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 preps for its second season, the upstart league revealed newly designed jerseys for its expanded 2026 campaign on Monday — including branding for incoming teams Breeze BC and Hive BC.
In collaboration with sportswear giant Under Armour, the updated Unrivaled jerseys feature details like bottom hem stripes for untucked wearing, side-body detailing, and a first-ever championship patch for inaugural title-winners Rose BC.
All eight clubs will sport home and away sets, along with alternate uniforms and more elaborate spins for the popular midseason 1v1 tournament.
Unrivaled will also be revealing team rosters this week, with fans of particular teams bracing for change as the offseason league navigates both player pool adjustments and expansion.
Once again, the league's head coaches built team rosters via an internal draft, pulling from six player pods organized according to position.
Each of last year's four playoff teams — the Lunar Owls, Rose BC, the Laces, and Vinyl BC — were able to protect up to two returning players, with the two non-playoff teams (the Mist and Phantom BC) allowed to keep just one player each out of selection.
Expansion sides Breeze and Hive began the draft, choosing the first two players from the non-protected athletes available.
All eight team rosters for the 2026 Unrivaled season will drop in a live Bleacher Report YouTube broadcast at 7 PM ET on Wednesday.
How to buy the Unrivaled 2026 jerseys
Following Wednesday night's roster reveal, fans will be able to purchase a limited number of 2026 jerseys via the Unrivaled shop.
The buzzer sounded on the eight-week regular season of Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball on Monday, as the inaugural league bids farewell to two teams who failed to advance to the four-squad playoffs.
Both the Mist and Phantom BC fell below the four-team cutoff line, eliminating each club from playoff contention and sending superstars like Unrivaled co-founder Breanna Stewart and Phantom center Brittney Griner home.
Neither team fully found their rhythm in 3×3 play, with both struggling out of the gate to ultimately take the longest to register their first wins in the offseason league.
That said, while the Phantom's elimination was clear-cut, the Mist fell from the playoffs on what was arguably a technicality.
Locked together with Vinyl BC on the Unrivaled table, the final postseason spot came down to multiple tiebreakers. With head-to-head records being equal at 1-1, the final semifinal spot went to the team with the better record against the other three playoff teams — the Lunar Owls, Rose BC, and Laces.
The Vinyl's 3-6 record against that trio edged the Mist's 2-7 record — though one of those three Vinyl victories came from a February forfeit by the injury-laden Laces.
That stat booked Rhyne Howard and the No. 4-seed Vinyl a semifinal matchup with co-founder Napheesa Collier and the top-seeded Lunar Owls, a team that blasted through the season to finish with five more wins than any other club.
After clinching the No. 2 seed, Rose BC — the only team to defeat the Lunar Owls all season — will battle Kayle McBride's No. 3-seed Laces in the second single-elimination semifinal. That said, Rose may be without star Angel Reese, who exited Monday's regular-season finale after re-injuring her wrist.
How to watch the 2025 Unrivaled 3x3 Basketball semifinals
The four squads still standing tip off Unrivaled's first-ever playoffs on Sunday, March 16th, setting the stage for Monday's championship game.
The first semifinal between the Rose and Laces will begin at 7:30 PM ET, immediately followed by the Vinyl's battle against the Lunar Owls.
Sunday's semifinals will air live on TNT.