Rhyne Howard joins Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum in new "Unrivaled Basketball" league

On Tuesday, Unrivaled Basketball announced it would be partnering with former Kentucky Women’s Basketball player Rhyne Howard.

Unrivaled, co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is a groundbreaking new professional women’s basketball league. The league was announced in July of 2023, but we haven’t gotten any new information about it until recently.

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I know what you’re thinking. No, Unrivaled isn’t trying to replace the WNBA. It’s an experimental 3v3 league, with only 30 players total. Each team will house five players, meaning there will be six separate teams. The league matchups begin in January 2025 until March in Miami, Florida. Unrivaled refers to itself as “a league built in collaboration with the biggest stars in women’s basketball,” and so far, it’s living up to its name.

As of right now, Unrivaled has announced seven of 30 players, including Rhyne Howard, and the league’s two founders. Plus, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Arike Ogunbowale, and Jewell Loyd will all be featured. So, there are 23 spots left, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing some very familiar faces in the coming weeks.

The “fun” stuff

For the logistics, Unrivaled named Micky Lawler its commissioner in June, and Alex Bazzell as league president. Given that the league takes place in the WNBA downtime, Unrivaled will be a more attractive alternative to players looking to make a buck in the states. Playing overseas is common for WNBA athletes, so Unrivaled being a pioneer in keeping players in the U.S. seems like a nice idea.

The players are said to be offered the “highest average salary in professional women’s sports league history.” The league itself is owned by players, so the athletes will have an equal interest in its success. Fortunately, the league isn’t funded by the players. Carmelo Anthony, Alex Morgan, Geno Auriemma, Megan Rapinoe, Ashton Kutcher, and so many other big names are all invested in the league.

The logo itself is full of easter eggs too. The Instagram post below gives you all the spoilers, but try to figure it out for yourself. Of course, the crown is a symbol for the “best of the best,” and the blue and purple hues are aesthetically pleasing, but there’s one more that you might have to scour the comments to figure out.

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While the league doesn’t start until January, you can go ahead and grab some Unrivaled merch. Personally, the minimalistic design and color palette might be a reason that a t-shirt ends up on my doorstep in a few days. That, and the fact that I can openly support the success of women’s sports. It’s pretty cool.