The 2026 season of Unrivaled 3x3 Basketball saw both gains and losses, with the second-year league reporting rising attendance and revenue while also experiencing a TV ratings drop.
Arguably the league's biggest successes this year were the Miami-based offseason venture's two satellite events, with Unrivaled drawing a professional women's basketball regular-season record crowd of 21,490 fans in Philadelphia last month before adding a second sellout tour stop in Brooklyn for March's semifinals.
Buoyed by those off-campus events as well as expanded fan capacity at the league's Sephora Arena home, Unrivaled earned millions in ticket sales in 2026, garnering a more than 200% increase over its debut season.
Season 2, however, also experienced a broadcast dip, as the semifinals averaged 213,000 viewers with overall playoff viewership down 9% from 2025.
This year's Unrivaled championship game did provide some bounce-back, with the Mist's trophy win delivering the third-most watched game in league history — trailing only 2025's 1v1 tournament final and the inaugural title game.
Despite the viewership decline, Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler reported that the league brought in $45 million in total revenue this year — up from 2025's $27 million.
"Last year, when we had projected $13.5 million in revenue, we actually ended up with $27 million in revenue, and this year, we're at approximately $45 million," Lawler told reporters. "That speaks to the financial performance, but it's a natural byproduct of putting the players and the fans first while consistently raising the bar and setting new standards."
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.
Paige Bueckers addressed the ongoing WNBA CBA negotiations ahead of Monday's Unrivaled Basketball semifinals, telling reporters that talks have stalled between the league and WNBPA.
"At this point, it's not really a negotiation anymore," Bueckers said. "Like, both sides aren't moving. So I feel like we need to continue to have these conversations, continue to actually have change implemented for us to move on our stance."
The WNBA submitted its latest proposal ahead of the Unrivaled Basketball showcase in Brooklyn, with players appearing dissatisfied with the offer. Bueckers later emphasized that players want to avoid a work stoppage but need proper compensation.
"We as players, we don't want to strike. We want to have a season. I love playing basketball. That's all I want to do," the Dallas Wings guard continued. "But again, there are things that need to be handled, and we want to do it as professionals."
The league recently set a March 10th CBA deadline to keep the season on schedule., with teams looking complete free agency, trades, and the draft before the late April preseason tip-off. FIBA World Cup qualifiers start next week, adding pressure to the timeline. Nevertheless, the two sides remain far apart on revenue sharing.
The Wings face significant uncertainty heading into the season, with Dallas hiring a new head coach while also owning the No. 1 draft pick. However, the Wings have made zero offseason moves as negotiations continue.
In her remarks, Bueckers noted that she and Caitlin Clark are boosting league value, with the players requesting proper compensation for their contributions. A strike could seriously derail the entire 2026 season unless both sides reach a deal by March 10th.
Cameron Brink revealed her fiancé took an unconventional approach to getting her attention at Stanford this week, with the WNBA and Unrivaled Basketball star saying Ben Felton sent her an email instead of sliding into her DMs.
Felton, who competed on Stanford's rowing team, apparently made his move via a straightforward email.
"Hey Cameron, Wanted to chat you up but I think dms are a bit creepy. Not that an email is much better so here's my number," Felton wrote.
The strategy worked, as Brink and Felton began dating in March 2021.
Felton later proposed in September 2024 at the Shangri-La Paris Hotel in France, surprising Brink with the engagement after she attended a Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week.
Brink helped lead Stanford to two national championship games during her four-year college career, establishing herself as one of college basketball's premier players before going pro at the 2024 WNBA Draft. Brink now plays for the LA Sparks and Unrivaled Basketball's Breeze BC.
The couple plans to marry at Stanford's Memorial Church on campus, with Brink telling People Magazine she hopes to exchange vows at the location where their relationship began.
Felton's approach proved more effective than a typical DM, as Brink's large following made standing out difficult. However, the email introduction caught her attention and sparked a lasting relationship.
The couple's Stanford connection remains central to their love story.
Lexie Hull announced that her makeup brand will launch products soon, as the Indiana Fever guard signaled the next step for Forta Cosmetics on social media this week.
Hull co-founded Forta Cosmetics in early 2025 with former beauty investor Sarah Guller. The brand creates makeup designed specifically for athletes, built to resist sweat and stay intact during intense physical activity.
@fortacosmetics FORTA: (FOR)(T)HE(A)CTIVE #cosmetics #stanford #makeup #workout ♬ stargirl - ADTurnUp
Currently competing in Unrivaled's second season, Hull posted to her Instagram stories with the caption "otw" while tagging the Forta Cosmetics account. The announcement confirms products will soon become available, as Hull continues to build her off-court business profile throughout the WNBA offseason.
The Fever drafted Hull sixth overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She enters the 2026 offseason as a free agent after playing a crucial role in Indiana's WNBA semifinals fun last season.
She appeared in every game during the 2025 season, providing stability as the Fever dealt with season-ending injuries to key stars like Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham while averaging 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists.
The Stanford product now balances promoting her cosmetics brand while leading Rose BC's Unrivaled title defense. The offseason 3×3 league tips off its second-ever postseason this weekend, with 2025 champion Rose entering as the No. 5 seed.
Forta Cosmetics positions itself as makeup that performs as hard as its users, as Hull and Guller designed the brand with athletes and other active consumers in mind.
Unrivaled brought the heat over the weekend, as Rose BC guard Chelsea Gray battled her way to the league's 1v1 tournament crown — and its $200,00 prize — on Saturday.
The No. 2 seed earned a comeback win over No. 1 Allisha Gray in the best-of-three final, after dropping No. 7 Natasha Cloud, No. 3 Jackie Young, No. 1 Paige Bueckers, and No. 2 Kelsey Plum en route to the championship series.
"Exhausted," Gray said following her win. "Grateful, humbled, excited, everything, man. I said it out there — a lot of people didn't pick me to be sitting here talking to y'all."
Runner-up Allisha Gray (Mist BC) took home $50,000 for her efforts, while semifinalists Plum and her Phantom BC teammate No. 4 Aliyah Boston each secured a check for $25,000.
"You just gotta take care of the moment and the rest will happen," the 1v1 champion said after overcoming back-to-back deficits. "You dig deep when there’s $200K on the line…. We'll spend that money wisely."
"If I had to lose, at least I lost to the 'Point Gawd,'" Allisha told reporters, referencing Chelsea's longtime nickname. "You can't say I lost to a scrub, man, she's a great player."
How to watch Unrivaled basketball this week
While Chelsea Gray and the other three 1v1 semifinalists can rest until at least Friday, Unrivaled's 3x3 action returns to the Miami court on Tuesday night, when Laces BC will tip off against the Hive at 7:30 PM ET before Breeze BC faces the Lunar Owls at 8:45 PM ET.
Both Tuesday games will air live on TNT.
The opening round of the 2026 Unrivaled 1v1 tournament did not miss, as Wednesday's 11 matchups — including four upsets — loaded the bracket for Friday night's knockout slate.
Unrivaled rookie No. 6-seed Sonia Citron started the upsets with a splashy 12-10 win over No. 3 Marina Mabrey, before No. 7 Rae Burrell got past No. 2 Rhyne Howard 12-9 and No. 6 Shakira Austin topped No. 3 Dearica Hamby 12-10.
The most dramatic matchup of Wednesday's first round starred 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player and Unrivaled 1v1 No. 5-seed Veronica Burton, who upset a stunned No. 4 Courtney Williams in a 11-0 shutout.
The competition's No. 1 seeds saw a chalkier path, with Paige Bueckers ousting Kate Martin 12-5, Breanna Stewart handling Li Yueru 11-6, and Kelsey Mitchel downing Rachel Banham 12-3.
Friday's bill kicks off with eight second-round showdowns before the quarterfinals narrow the pool down to four contenders, who will face-off in Saturday's semifinals ahead of a best-of-three final round to crown Unrivaled's new 1v1 champion.
The second round is full of top-tier matchups, including Bueckers squaring off against Dallas Wings teammate Arike Ogunbowale, Stewart taking on fellow big Aliyah Boston, and Austin facing defending 1v1 runner-up Aaliyah Edwards — as well as an underdog clash between Citron and Burrell.
How to watch the 2026 Unrivaled 1v1 tournament this weekend
The 1v1 tournament's second round tips off at 7:30 PM ET on Friday, with the semifinals and finals taking the Miami court at 6 PM ET on Saturday.
All Unrivaled 1v1 games will air live on TNT.
With less than four weeks left in the 2026 Unrivaled regular season, the 3x3 basketball league's popular 1v1 tournament is returning for its second iteration in Miami this month.
Tipping off on Wednesday, February 11th, the three-day tournament will feature 32 Unrivaled athletes competing for a piece of the competition's $300,000 purse.
With reigning Unrivaled 1v1 champion Napheesa Collier (Lunar Owls) sidelined with injury, 2025 runner-up Aaliyah Edwards (Lunar Owls) will hold court alongside semifinalist Arike Ogunbowale (Mist BC), while 2026 rookies like Breeze BC's Paige Bueckers and Dominique Malonga, as well as Hive BC's Saniya Rivers and Sonia Citron, will also test out their 1v1 skills.
Unrivaled has divided the talent pool into four eight-player pods based on frontcourt and backcourt positions.
The eventual winner of the 2026 Unrivaled 1v1 basketball tournament will take home $200,000, with a $50,000 check going to the runner-up and $25,000 paydays for each of the semifinalists.
Following next Wednesday's opening round, the competition will break for one day before continuing on Friday, February 13th, with the semifinals and final set for Saturday, February 14th.
How to vote for the Unrivaled 1v1 tournament bracket
Fans can now vote alongside athletes, coaches, and media to determine the seeding of the 1v1 tournament's 32 athletes, with the final bracket dropping on Saturday.
Vote today by ranking each pod's players online.
Unrivaled made a historic splash on Friday, setting a new pro women's basketball regular-season attendance record as 21,490 fans packed the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia for the 3×3 league's first-ever tour stop.
"It was unbelievable. You could feel the love tonight," said Unrivaled co-founder Napheesa Collier about the record-breaking crowd. "It's just a testament to what we're building here, how much people believe in it."
Friday's Unrivaled tally — which also shattered a venue record for the highest attendance of any event — blew through women's basketball's prior record, set in the 2024 WNBA season when a 20,711-strong crowd watched the Indiana Fever top the Washington Mystics inside DC's Capital One Arena.
The reward for Friday's crowd was a larger-than-life performance, as Lunar Owls guard Marina Mabrey dropped a league-record 47 points — complete with 10 three-pointers — in Friday's 85-75 win over Rose BC.
"I think the city is ready for women's professional sports," Philadelphia product and Rose BC guard Kahleah Copper said following the doubleheader, with the City of Brotherly Love gearing up to launch a WNBA expansion team in 2030. "I'm excited that one, it's here, and two, that I'm a part of it."
Last week's success in Philly has Unrivaled already eyeing more tour stops for the offseason league's 2027 season, with this year's action finishing up on the venture's 3x3 home court in Miami.
"We're going to continue to make the sports world proud by the product we put out," Unrivaled CEO Alex Bazzell told reporters.