Unrivaled is stepping into its second season with momentum—and with an intentionally open-ended vision for what comes next.
According to ESPN, the player-backed 3-on-3 women’s basketball league has positioned itself as a new offseason option for elite talent, and league president Alex Bazzell says future collaboration with the WNBA isn’t being ruled out, even if nothing formal is in motion.
Speaking on Monday, January 5, as the league tipped off its new campaign, Bazzell emphasized that Unrivaled’s long-term outlook isn’t about drawing borders.
“We are open to growing the ecosystem, whichever way that looks like,” he said, adding that no possibilities are being actively pursued or dismissed. “Nothing is on the table or off the table.”
That philosophy reflects how Unrivaled has framed itself since launch. The league has repeatedly said it does not view itself as competing with the WNBA, but rather as a complementary space—one designed to provide WNBA players with a high-level domestic option during the offseason.
Behind the scenes, there were earlier efforts to explore alignment. Unrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart previously approached the WNBA about a potential equity stake in the league as a signal of shared interests. That proposal ultimately didn’t move forward, as it was believed to conflict with league rules.
Bazzell has often compared Unrivaled’s role to familiar structures on the men’s side of basketball—such as summer leagues, offseason runs, or pre-draft showcases—spaces that exist alongside the NBA rather than against it. The distinction, he noted, is that Unrivaled players are paid for their participation.
“But those are formal partnerships,” Bazzell said, pointing to how collaboration can evolve. He cited the NBA’s international initiatives as an example of how cooperation doesn’t always begin with formal agreements. “As long as you can look at the space through an innovative lens, anything is doable.”
The conversation around Unrivaled has intensified as WNBA collective bargaining agreement negotiations have grown more contentious. Comparisons between the two leagues have surfaced frequently, despite their vastly different business models.
Unrivaled paid players an average salary of $222,222 in its inaugural season and also offered equity—an approach that has drawn attention during ongoing labor discussions.
Even so, Bazzell remains focused on the bigger picture. As women’s basketball continues to expand, he believes multiple leagues can coexist—and succeed. “Where women’s basketball is today, and what we have built is so unique,” he said. “One doesn’t need to exist without the other.”