A new 3-on-3 league offers a condensed format, some of the best W.N.B.A. players and a made-for-TV approach that aims to bring viewers close to the action.

Unrivaled’s inaugural season is scheduled to begin Friday in Miami. Ionescu's participation in the league adds to her remarkable 2024, which included winning a gold medal at the Olympics and securing the WNBA championship with the Liberty.

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley and USC star JuJu Watkins are two of the investors behind Unrivaled, which has reportedly surpassed $35 million in funding. Other investors include tennis star Coco Gauff, former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

“Yeah, it got spicy between co-founders for a little bit,” says New York Liberty center Breanna Stewart, who along with her 2024 WNBA Finals rival, Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier, are starting Unrivaled, a three-on-three women’s pro basketball league that tips off Friday night in South Florida.

The Liberty opted to retain this up and coming guard on their roster via camp contract before the WNBA free agency period.

Connecticut Sun star Marina Mabrey has suffered a right calf injury just hours before the launch of the new Unrivaled league, which is set to get underway on Friday

Unrivaled is a new 3-on-3 professional women's basketball league comprised of 36 players separated into six teams — the Laces Basketball Club, Lunar Owls Basketball Club, Mist Basketball Club, Phantom Basketball Club, Rose Basketball Club and Vinyl Basketball Club.

The Liberty are coming off the two best seasons in their history — a run that was punctuated with the franchise’s first WNBA Finals title in October. Running it back should be the plan for New York, especially considering the league is due for a reset in 2026.

With the core designation, New York will officially take the biggest free agent off the market as the Liberty now have exclusive negotiating rights with Stewart.

New York's Breanna Stewart was one of a handful of players who have been given the franchise tag by their WNBA teams, meaning they can’t sign a contract directly with anyone else.

As the WNBA offseason sets to kick into full swing the New York Liberty are making a big move to retain Breanna Stewart. Per Madeline Kenney of the New York Post, the reigning WNBA champions are set to designate Breanna Stewart as a core player before the deadline of January 20th.

The suit claims store owners have violated state laws by selling flavored e-cigarettes, including to minors, and operated without required licenses.