After a long wait, Unrivaled basketball officially will begin on Friday, Jan. 17. This new 3×3 pro league has already disrupted to the status quo in women’s basketball and features 36 of the sport’s best players in a new competitive league. If you need a rundown of the rules for Unrivaled, you can find a helpful explainer here.
The first two games will feature Lunar Owls BC taking on Mist BC at 7 p.m. ET, followed by Vinyl BC playing Rose BC at 8 p.m. ET. Both games will be available to view on TNT.
Owls vs. Mist begins Unrivaled
The Lunar Owls have a roster consisting of Shakira Austin, Napheesa Collier as captain, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray and Courtney Williams, while Cameron Brink will play next yea,r as she is out recovering from an ACL injury.
Collier is as dominant as they come in the WNBA, and her inside game will be valuable for the Owls. Gray and SDS will have to attack the perimeter; if they do, the Mist will be in trouble.
The Mist will play with DiJonai Carrington, Aaliyah Edwards, Rickea Jackson, Jewell Loyd, Courtney Vandersloot and Breanna Stewart as the captain.
It’s difficult to determine which players and teams will work well in this 3×3 format, but it seems the Mist might have the early edge. Edwards and Jackson have a lot of good inside-out talent, and Loyd is one of the best guards in the WNBA. Let’s see if that WNBA success translates to Unrivaled.
Vinyl or Rose?
Rose features Angel Reese, Kahleah Copper, Lexie Hull, Azura Stevens, Brittney Sykes and captain Chelsea Gray. Reese is a monster rebounder, and with Copper on the wing and Gray orchestrating the offense, expect Rose to play a fast-paced game and win the battle of the boards.
Nola Henry, recently hired as an assistant coach by the Dallas Wings, will be on the sidelines for Rose as they take on Vinyl, coached by Teresa Weatherspoon, for their season opener. A victory over Vinyl will be tough, given that they have a big roster featuring Aliyah Boston, Rae Burrell, Jordin Canada, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard and captain Arike Ogunbowale.
Hamby and Howard should be very comfortable in 3×3 play, considering that they played for Team USA in 3×3 competition at the Olympics and helped the country win the bronze medal. Hamby and Ogunbowale as a one-two combo also could be a force to be reckoned with.
Game information
Lunar Owls BC (0-0) vs. Mist BC (0-0)
When: Friday, January 17 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: MediaPro Center in Medley, FL
How to watch: TNT, MAX
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