Unrivaled's inaugural season will tip off tonight with a TNT double-header starting at 7 p.m. EST. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese and her Rose Basketball Club will face off against Vinyl BC at 8 p.m. EST.
Before Reese takes to the court on Friday, Sky fans can take an short look at Unrivaled and its first season through the lens of the Windy City franchise.
What is Unrivaled?
Founded by All-WNBA forwards Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 basketball league featuring 36 players from across the WNBA. There will be plenty of star power to look out for in the league's inaugural season, including a Lincolnwood native in All-Star guard Jewell Loyd and a 2023 MVP finalist in forward Alyssa Thomas. Former Sky forward Candace Parker will star in TNT's studio coverage of the groundbreaking league.
The league's games will fit four quarters of play within a 1-hour broadcast window, according to Unrivaled's FAQ. ESPN released Unrivaled's official rules in a Wednesday article. Among other unique rules, it highlights differences to free throw, foul and winning score rules to its big-league counterpart. The league will implement an 18-second shot clock. They will consist of three 7-minute quarters and one "winning score" quarter, meaning the ending score both teams must reach to win will be the leading team's score at the end of the third quarter plus 11 points. The games will be played on a compressed 70-by-50 full court, the FAQ continued, which defers from the rules and dimensions of the 3-on-3 Olympic format.
Who should Sky fans look out for?
While Reese will be the Sky's only active representative in Unrivaled, Chicago will be represented by plenty of past talent. Eight of the league's 36 players have suited up in a Sky uniform at some point in their WNBA careers, including a handful of players from their championship run in 2021. Among them is guard Kahleah Copper, who broke out into a star for Chicago before being shipped off to the Phoenix Mercury last offseason.
Unrivaled will feature six teams of six players. Each team will be led by a head coach with plenty of professional coaching experience, including at the NBA, WNBA and NBA G-League levels. The league's initial rosters were revealed last November. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu was the 36th and final selection that rounded out the star-studded group.
The Laces
Familiar Sky names: Stefanie Dolson
Along with Thomas, the Laces will feature two Las Vegas Aces guards in Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes. They will be coached by Andrew Wade, a player development assistant coach for the Washington Mystics. The Laces were ranked fifth on CBS Sports and Bleacher Report's Unrivaled power rankings. Mystics center Stefanie Dolson, another Chicago champion and a 5-year Sky veteran, will bring plenty of size at the big spot alongside the Laces' guard options.
The Lunar Owls
Familiar Sky names: Courtney Williams
The Lunar Owls took last place in CBS Sports and Bleacher Report's power rankings. Forward Cameron Brink, who signed a multi-year deal with Unrivaled in December, will miss Unrivaled's inaugural season as she recovers from a torn ACL. They will be coached by DJ Sackmann, an basketball skills coach and the founder of the Hoopstudy training program. Guard Courtney Williams, who made a 1-year stop in Chicago during her 9-year WNBA career, will be one of three backcourt options for squad.
The Mist
Familiar Sky names: Courtney Vandersloot
With a star-studded trio of decorated veterans, the Mist took second place in Bleacher Report's Unrivaled power rankings and third on CBS Sports's list. The Mist's prominent trio of Loyd, Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot have 17 All-Star selections among them. Stewart and Vandersloot recently won the WNBA championship in a competitive 5-game series against Williams and Lynx. The squad will be coached by Phil Handy, a long-time NBA assistant who has worked with the Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Phantom
Familiar Sky names: Marina Mabrey, Katie Lou Samuelson
The Phantom took the top spot in both power rankings. Armed with a handful of talented shooters, their roster features a recent championship winner in Ionescu and a 9-time All-Star in center Brittney Griner. Adam Harrington, a former assistant for the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, will be the team's head coach. Forward Satou Sabally, who was one of the league's top shooting talents in 2024, will be player to look out for alongside a talented group of guards. Guard Marina Mabrey will be out for 2-4 weeks with a right calf strain, according to a Friday tweet from Chicago Sun-Times Sky reporter Annie Costabile.
Rose Basketball Club
Familiar Sky names: Kahleah Copper, Angel Reese, Azura Stevens
Rose BC will feature the most past and present Sky talent, including a rookie All-Star in Reese. Forward Azura Stevens, a three-year Chicago veteran and 2021 Sky champion, will pair will Reese in the frontcourt. The team will be coached by Nola Henry, who was recently hired by the Dallas Wings to be an assistant coach. Bleacher Report ranked Rose BC at the No. 4 spot in their power rankings.
Vinyl Basketball Club
Familiar Sky names: Teresa Weatherspoon (Head coach)
Along with two of the WNBA's premier rebounding bigs, Vinyl BC will roll out a talented tandem of scoring guards in Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard. Guard Jordin Canada, who was taken one pick after a pair of Sky selections in the 2018 WNBA Draft, will suit up for the No. 3 team in Bleacher Report's power rankings. Former Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon will lead the sizeable squad.
When will Angel Reese and Rose BC face off against each team?
Reese and the Rose will play in 14 regular season games between January and March. They will play in five games in January, five in February and four in March. They will play every team but the Phantom three times during the regular season. Rose BC will face Phantom BC twice.
The Laces: Jan. 27, Feb. 1, March 3
The Lunar Owls: Jan. 18, Feb. 21, March 7
The Mist: Jan. 25, Feb. 7, March 1
The Phantom: Jan. 31, Feb. 24
The Vinyl: Jan. 17, Feb. 18, March 10
When and where can Sky fans watch Unrivaled games?
Games will be played on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, according to the league's website. The league's regular season will go from Jan. 17 to March 10. Two semi-finals games will be played on March 16. The league's finals will tip off on March 17. Unrivaled will feature a 1-on-1 single-elimination tournament from Feb. 10-14.
Monday and Friday games will be broadcast on TNT, while Saturday games will be shown on truTV, the league wrote in its ticketing FAQ. They can also be streamed on Max, according to a Friday tweet from Unrivaled. Canadian viewers can watch Unrivaled's games on TSN+. All other international viewers can access games via YouTube.
For viewers in Chicago, the Whisky Girl Tavern is one of many partner bars that will be hosting watch parties on select nights, according to a Tuesday Unrivaled tweet.