The WNBA offseason is right around the corner, which means the first season of Unrivaled is on the way.
The first game is on January 17, but Tuesday was the first look at the star-studded league. Half of the league spoke about the expectations for the three-versus-three women’s basketball league and the differences from the five-versus-five-setting basketball fans are accustomed to.
Cohesive Setting
With all games in Unrivaled being played in Miami, Vinyl BC forward Dearica Hamby compared the current environment to the COVID bubble back in 2020, with “more freedom.”
“Everybody is just around,” Hamby said. “We get to spend time with the other girls. We’re all hanging out in the training room, sharing stories. I will say, Unrivaled is doing a great job of picking up the chemistry. You can see just from everybody the energy that’s going around here; they’re capturing that very well.
Different Style of Play
Players from every team had something to say about the schematic and stylistic differences that Unrivaled has.
Vinyl BC guard Jordin Canada said that players will shoot the long ball at a high volume.
“For sure, without a doubt,” Canada said. “I think everybody’s going to be shooting degrees.”
Courtney Williams is known for her scoring ability, but she is excited to see the defense required to compete in Unrivaled.
“I think you got to take pride in your defense because you don’t have that help side,” Williams said. “When it’s five on five, you kind of can depend on your teammates to be on that help side for you. When it’s three on three, you got to really take pride and lock in.”
Forward Katie Lou Samuelson used her experience from the FIBA three against-three tournaments to Unrivaled.
“I think the way Unrivaled is, we have to play up and down,” Griner said. “FIBA three on three is very fast-paced. You have to check the ball and come back in, and it’s physical. I don’t know if this league is going to be as physical as FIBA Three On Three because, you have to get all the way back down the court. You can’t stay in the paint if you score; you can’t try to bury someone in the paint; you have to sprint down the court. I think it’s even harder to hide in this type of three-on-three. You have to be involved, no matter what, offensively and defensively, the whole entire time. You have to be able to hold your own.”
Mentorship
Unrivaled is giving young players who otherwise wouldn’t have an opportunity to learn from their WNBA competition, a chance to do precisely that.
Forward Alliyah Boston is soaking in everything she can from her new teammate Hamby.
“I think just being able to watch Dearica play, I just think her ability to get to her spots, like regardless of where she starts, I think that’s something that honestly is impressive,” Boston said. For me? Definitely to be able to do that.”
Hamby is taking this role to the fullest, guiding the young Boston.
“I hope just to be a mentor and leader; we spent some time together yesterday and just be like a mom,” Hamby said.
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