Angel Reese is formally becoming a member of Unmatched, a brand new three-on-three ladies’s basketball league tipping off in Miami in January. The league formally introduced the rookie sensation’s participation on Wednesday morning on X, including one other identify to the rising checklist of basketball stars dedicated to staying within the US through the WNBA offseason.
What’s Unmatched?
Unmatched, co-founded by the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart and the Lynx’s Napheesa Collier, can be composed of six groups made up of the largest names of the WNBA. It additionally guarantees to supply the highest common wage in ladies’s professional sports activities — with a league minimal of $100,000.
The league has an extended checklist of high-profile traders, together with Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Carmello Anthony, and Steve Nash. Now, reasonably than going abroad through the WNBA offseason, gamers have the chance to remain stateside and play a type of basketball that’s much less taxing on their physique than full-court five-on-five.
Every crew can have 5 gamers — three on the courtroom, two on the bench — and compete for eight weeks. The highest 4 groups within the league through the common season can be featured within the playoffs. There’s additionally a on-on-one element to the league, although particulars haven’t but been specified.
One distinctive side about Unmatched is that it will likely be player-owned.
”It’s constructed for us to have a league of our personal the place, particularly these first 30 gamers, are all going to have a bit of fairness on this league,” Breanna Stewart stated to Advanced. “Simply notice that it’ll go so far as we take it, and I’m actually excited for what’s to come back.”
Why Angel Reese?
Angel Reese has had an exceptional rookie season thus far, racking up a league-record 15 consecutive double-doubles and being named to the All-Star crew. After being drafted seventh general, Reese has averaged 13.5 factors and 12 rebounds for the Chicago Sky this season.
She’s additionally essentially the most adopted WNBA participant on social media — Reese has 3.8 million followers, and her participation within the league will undeniably carry extra eyes and sponsorships.
Who else is collaborating?
Thirty of the video games greatest stars are slated to take part, 10 of whom have been introduced:
- Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
- Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
- Chelsea Grey, Las Vegas Aces
- Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
- Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
- Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
- Jackie Younger, Las Vegas Aces
- Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
