January 5, 2026, marked the beginning of the second Unrivaled basketball season. Unrivaled is a three-on-three league that gives professional women’s basketball players an opportunity to continue playing games during the offseason while simultaneously making a significant amount of money. Created by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, vice presidents of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), Unrivaled has brought attention to women’s sports and female athletes. In its inaugural season in 2025, the league made roughly $30 million in earnings. Last season, every player on the championship team received $50,000, and this season, the prize will double.
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) fanbase has grown substantially over the last few years, with fans tuning in from many locations to watch stars like Caitlyn Clark, A’Ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu. Hopefully, this rise of interest in women’s basketball will be reflected in the viewership and monetary outcomes of the 2026 Unrivaled season. Following an exciting 2025 WNBA season and the addition of two teams to the league, fans, including myself, have been waiting for this year’s season to kick off.
One advantage of Unrivaled is that Collier and Stewart, as current WNBA players and leaders of the WNBPA, have a strong understanding of how to support athletes. For instance, the two are aware that a good portion of these professional athletes also have children to parent and look after during their offseason. Given that nearly all of the games will be played at the Sephora Arena in Florida, the season is a large commitment in the athletes’ lives. To alleviate and prevent any issues that may arise regarding childcare, Collier and Stewart, both of whom are mothers themselves, have organized a childcare center in Unrivaled’s arena that is run by professional nannies. This seemingly small addition to the athletic complex reflects the league’s care and attention towards its athletes. Collier says that from the beginning, it was important to them that players had access to reliable and responsible childcare, as the organizers are familiar with what it feels like to lack that.
If you are interested in following this season, games are broadcast on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max (now Max). Be sure to tune in to watch your favorite stars compete this winter!