Let’s be honest: Season 1 of Unrivaled was like that shiny new toy you open on your birthday. It was fresh, exciting, and nobody really knew how it worked, but we all wanted to play with it. Fast forward to Season 2, and the wrapping paper is long gone. The novelty has officially worn off, and now we’re left with the real questions: Can this thing actually last, or is it destined for the back of the closet?
The 3-on-3 league kicked off its second season on Monday, and if you weren’t paying attention, you might have missed that they’ve expanded. We’re talking eight teams now, folks. The Hive BC and Breeze BC have entered the chat, bringing the total headcount to 54 players.
And while the basketball itself was electric because how can it not be when you have Paige Bueckers and Chelsea Gray on the floor? There’s a looming shadow over the whole operation. The women’s basketball landscape is getting crowded, and Unrivaled isn’t the only game in town anymore. Still, for one night in Miami, the focus was squarely on the court. And man, did the stars show up.
Paige Bueckers Arrives (Finally)
If you were waiting for Paige Bueckers to make her Unrivaled debut, your patience was rewarded. The UConn legend (yeah, I said it) didn’t just show up; she showed out. Bueckers dropped 24 points, dished six assists, and grabbed five boards to lead the expansion Breeze BC to their first-ever franchise win, a 69-62 victory over Phantom BC.
It wasn’t a solo act, either. Rickea Jackson chipped in 16 points, and Dominique Malonga was an absolute menace on the glass with 14 rebounds (nine of them offensive!). But let’s keep it real, this was the Paige show. Seeing her thrive in the space-heavy 3-on-3 format feels almost unfair. Her game is tailored for isolation, for creating something out of nothing, and for making defenders look silly. Monday night was just a preview of the headaches she’s going to cause all season.
Chelsea Gray Reminds Us Who She Is
While the new kids were making noise, the defending champs reminded everyone why they have the rings. Rose BC, fresh off that inaugural title, dismantled Lunar Owls BC 80-60. And who else but the “Point Gawd” herself, Chelsea Gray, to lead the charge?
Gray was ridiculous. We’re talking 35 points, five three-pointers, eight assists, and five rebounds. Oh, and she swiped three steals just for fun. Coming off her fourth WNBA title with the Aces, Gray is playing basketball at a level that feels almost spiritual right now.
“I always say that I’m a calm within the storm, and that’s the way I see the game,” Gray said afterward. It’s a cool quote, but let’s be real: for the Lunar Owls, she was the storm. There was no calm to be found.
Mist BC and Laces BC Make Statements
In the early slate, Allisha Gray decided she wasn’t going to let anyone else have all the fun. She dropped 21 points to help Mist BC crush the other expansion squad, Hive BC, 72-56. Gray’s postgame quote was the kind of irrational confidence we love to see: “I am thinking be a bucket… nobody can guard me.” When you win by 16, you can say whatever you want.
Meanwhile, Laces BC pulled off the comeback of the day, rallying from an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Vinyl BC 58-42. Brittney Sykes and Jackie Young combined for 34 points, proving that sometimes, grit matters more than glitz in this league.
The Elephant in the Room: The WNBA and Project B
Here is where things get spicy. Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell has been pretty open about wanting to play nice with the WNBA. He’s talked about growing the “ecosystem” and collaborating. But let’s read between the lines here: The WNBA has already said “no thanks” to a formal partnership once.
And now, Project B is lurking in the shadows. This new 5-on-5 league is promising big money and a traveling schedule, aiming to launch next year. They’ve already got commitments from heavy hitters like Alyssa Thomas and Jewell Loyd.
Unrivaled has the cash, a $340 million valuation is nothing to sneeze at—but do they have the longevity? They lost some talent this year (no Sabrina, no Angel Reese), and while they locked up 75% of their player pool through 2028, contracts are only as good as the paper they’re written on if a competitor starts throwing around “life-changing” money.
For now, Unrivaled is winning the battle for eyeballs. The product is fun, the stars are happy (mostly), and the checks are clearing. But as the WNBA negotiates a new CBA and Project B gears up, Unrivaled might find that staying unrivaled is a lot harder than it looks.
Enjoy the 3-on-3 while you can, folks. The business of basketball never sleeps.
