Angel Reese signs with new basketball league less than a year after WNBA debut

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese is set to join Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier in their new 3v3 basketball league.

Called Unrivaled, the league describes itself as one “built in collaboration with the biggest stars in women’s basketball. [Tips] off in Miami, January 2025.” The league will be held during the WNBA offseason.

The league tweeted welcoming Reese, announcing “the barbie unrivaled,” referencing Reese’s ‘Bayou Barbie’ while at LSU. Reese tweeted “305 barbieeeeee” in response.

The Sky star is fresh off an All-Star berth and is amongst the favorites for WNBA Rookie of the Year. She’s tallying 13.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, the best mark in the league.

Unrivaled will feature 30 athletes across six teams. League co-founder Stewart announced on GMA that the league will feature slightly different rules, including a 60-foot court, 60 minutes of total game time, and more to be revealed.

Stewart also indicated the league will have the “largest average salary in women’s sports,” likely north of six figures.

It is highly common for WNBA stars to play during the offseason. Many have ventured to Russia in the past, though that may change going forward with both the Russian War and Brittany Griner’s recent detention.

Breanna Stewart #10 of the USA Women’s National Team dribbles the ball, guarded by Angel Reese, during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game at Footprint Center on July 20, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona (Photo by Dylan Goodman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Angel Reese is set to join Breanna Stewart in the new Unrivaled basketball league
10 of the league’s 30 players have been revealed. Alongside Reese, Stewart, and Collier will be current and former All Stars in Chelsea Gray, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Lloyd, Kelsey Plum, Rhyne Howard, Kahleah Copper, and Jackie Young.

Viewership in the WNBA throughout the 2024 season has been at an all-time high. The recent WNBA All-Star game between Team USA and Team WNBA drew a staggering 3.44 million viewers, obliterating the previous record from 2003 by over 2 million viewers.

The league has also begun to attract a slew of high-profile investors, including former NBA players Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash, as well as former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe. Stewart noted how “for years, women have relied heavily on off-court sponsorships for a majority of their income..”

“With Unrivaled, we’re revolutionizing the game by prioritizing investments in our stars and ensuring their on-court performance is reflected in their pay.”