After a blockbuster debut, the new Unrivaled, three-on-three, professional basketball league is here to stay.
With fast-paced action, fewer fouls, running clock, and lots of open space, the league has surpassed expectations in attracting fans and potential investors.
Former Oregon stars Sabina Inonescu and Satou Sabally are teamed once again as both play for the Phantom basketball club. Sabrina is a league co-leader in assists while Sabally is in the top ten for scoring (18 ppg).
Why has Unrivaled vaulted to national prominence after just two weeks of play?
In one word: Action.
With just six players on the court, there is plenty of open space and play isn’t stagnated by elaborate offensive schemes or congestion. Instead, there are quick pick-and-rolls, drives, dives, and full-court breakaways.
Unlike the half-court, three-on-three games we saw in the Olympics, Unrivaled utilizes a full court that is 3/4ths the length of a professional court while retaining a width that is essentially unchanged.
Three players trying to defend that much space or provide weak side help gives an advantage to offenses.
To further increase the frenetic pace, there is an 18-second shot clock and free throws attempts are essentially cut in half (see below) even though fouls are called with customary frequency.
The first three quarters are seven minutes each with a game clock that only stops in the final 30 seconds of each quarter.
The fourth quarter is unique.
Remember as a kid when you played blacktop basketball to a certain game total like 21? That’s what Unrivaled has in mind for its fourth quarters.
There is no clock. Instead, Unrivaled sets the “target” for winning at 11 points above the leading team’s total at the end of the third quarter.
For example:
If the Phantom club of Sabrina and Satou are ahead 60-56 at the end of three, the target score to win is 71 because that is the sum of 11 points added to Phantom’s 60 points. Whichever team hits 71 points first wins the game.
You play to win, not run out the clock.
“We want this to be about basketball,” said Luke Cooper, president of Unrivaled basketball operations. “You’re just playing to a score, which is honestly the purest form of basketball. When you played as a kid, no one played to 10 minutes when they were playing pickup. You throw a number out there and you played to it until someone hit a game winner. There’s flow. There’s pace. When you are watching, it feels like you are watching basketball … it’s not a gimmick.””
Unrivaled was founded by Breanna Stewart and Nepheesa Collier who sought to create a new professional basketball league with the fun and pace of youth basketball while also giving professional players a means of earning good money during the WNBA offseason without having to play overseas.
Is it working?
Absolutely!
Unrivaled is now paying its players an average of $242,000 which is $100,000 more than the average WNBA contract. Plus, all players have a stake in the league which will deliver some nice benefit checks as the league matures.
In fact, Unrivaled players are the highest paid of all women in professional team sports.
The Unrivaled regular season runs through the first part of March and culminates with semifinals on March 16th and the championship game on March 17.
In addition to the creative and novel ideas discussed above, here are some other interesting facts about Unrivaled:
How to watch:
Unrivaled games can be seen on TNT or TruTV or live streamed via Sling or Max. Most start times are between 3pm and 5pm PST (Friday through Monday).
Free throws:
If a player is fouled while shooting, she will shoot one free throw. If her field goal attempt was a two-pointer, her team will receive two points for her made free throw. If she was shooting a three, her team will receive three points if she makes her free throw.
If she makes a shot from the field (2-pointer or 3) and is fouled, the standard “and one” free throw rule applies.
Reducing free throw attempts increases action as well as interest from fans who have grown impatient with the glut of free throws in most modern leagues.
Personal fouls:
Players are allowed six personal fouls before fouling out.
If a team has no eligible players on the bench when a player fouls out, the player remains in the game but the team is assessed a technical foul for each subsequent foul she commits.
Player retention and fan allegiance:
Unlike other leagues, Unrivaled is committed to keeping players on their existing teams and not permitting a great deal of player movement. The goal is to garner interest from fans who want to be allegiant to one club and that comes from their favorite players staying where they are.
City affiliations:
In this inaugural season, all teams are owned by the league and do not yet have city affiliations. All games are played in Miami usually on Fridays through Mondays.
Next year, the league will set a schedule of tour dates so that fans across the country can view the league in person.
I believe Unrivaled placed (no draft) Sabrina and Satou on the same team to capture fans and gauge the potential for Oregon to own an Unrivaled franchise perhaps as early as 2026.
Unrivaled for men?
Indeed, Unrivaled is unrivaled. There is nothing like it, not even for men.
But there could be.
It’s been easy for me to support Unrivaled because I have a pretty long history in girls basketball and because I have always advocated for more three-on-three programs at all levels. But, I understand that some fans of men’s basketball are reluctant to show interest in women’s basketball.
If fans of men’s basketball will support Unrivaled by watching it, the ratings will continue to rocket through the roof and that will bring entrepreneurs to the forefront to create an Unrivaled-like opportunity for men.
Portland already owns an NBA franchise so an Unrivaled-for-men is certainly possible.
Time will tell.
So will the Unrivaled ratings from the state of Oregon.
Savvy Game Line 