Predicting Unrivaled's unique game model
Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier's 3v3 league incorporates 5v5 presenting a whole new style of basketball. Here is a breakdown...
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Into the Unknown: the Unrivaled 3v3 format and player adaptation from 5x5
This article will cover Unrivaled and what can be predicted in terms of game format. In order to do so, I compared the new league with the WNBA, FIBA 5x5, FIBA 3x3, and Hoopfest—the largest 3-on-3 event in the United States—to assess where it falls in the broad spectrum of rule books out there.
Next will be a breakdown of the biggest challenges WNBA players may face when adapting their 5x5 skills to 3v3 play. To provide insights, Rébeca Valente, a physical education professional and producer of Semana W, a NBA Brasil show on YouTube, was interviewed. Valente is also the manager of basketball operations for the most successful team in Brazil’s national league (LBF), which launched a thriving 3x3 program several years ago.
The final analysis will focus on players who are most likely to stand out by examining which positions and what play styles may transition most effectively. It will be released exclusively to paid subscribers by the end of the week and. Spoiler: quick guards and efficient bigs have a solid advantage.
Enjoy the read!
From Chemistry to Courts: The Formula Behind Unrivaled Basketball’s Breakthrough
“Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.” (Antoine Lavoisier in Elementary Treatise on Chemistry, 1789)
Basketball was invented in England, in 1891, but it is a concept by a French chemistry laid out in 1789 that can explain all of the mixed elements that will shape the new women’s basketball league making strides in the United Stated in 2024.
The Unrivaled Basketball rolled started in July 2023, with news of the new 3v3 league surfacing for the first time on Twitter in an exchange between Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. The official announcement came out on May 30, 2024, and since then more pieces of information have been teased and dropped.
Most recently, the league held a draft to assign its 36 inaugural players across six teams, as well as unveiled the regular season schedule, which begins on January 17, 2025. While the official rule book has yet to be published, publicly shared details offer a glimpse into what games might entail by comparing to other prominent basketball tournaments.
Unrivaled x FIBA x FIBA 3x3 x WNBA x Hoopfest
FIBA is the international governing body of basketball and sets the rules for some of the sport’s major events, such as the Olympics, the World Cup, and EuroLeague. In the 5v5 format, the WNBA and NBA, while following the same general model, have made a few tweaks to create a more dynamic and appealing product for the American market, with court dimensions, game duration, and the definition of traveling being some of the key alterations. In 3x3, leagues can opt to adapt the rules, but with caveats.
For a country to participate in a major event, it must accrue qualifying points, which are granted through stops that follow the exact rulebook dictated by FIBA. The Women’s Series, for example, are key sources of FIBA points. Hoopfest, the largest 3-on-3 tournament in the United States, operates independently, with rules that closely resemble the official ones, such as court and roster size. However, the game duration and maximum points allowed are different rankings.
Unrivaled draws elements from both the 5x5 and 3x3 models presented above, with a closer resemblance to the WNBA and FIBA 5x5, falling in the same quadrant in terms of court size and game duration. It mirrors FIBA 3x3 and Hoopfest regarding the number of players active on the court during play. In terms of roster size, it stands in a category of its own.
Perhaps the most notable distinction between traditional 3x3 and Unrivaled is that Stewart and Collier’s league adopted a two-basket, full-court model, separating itself from the one-basket, half-court streetball standard. Although it does not match the exact 94 feet by 50 feet dimensions of the WNBA (which is itself larger than FIBA’s), the court runs on a shorter length of 70 feet but maintains the same width.
Another clue as to what to expect from the contests is the fact that each will be played in four quarters during a one-hour broadcast window. Playing time in FIBA 3x3 is 10 minutes, and games can be shorter if a team scores 21 points before the clock runs out. Hoopfest has a 25-minute or 20-point cap, whichever comes first. Therefore, with the longer time frame and multiple quarters, it is unlikely there will be a maximum point limit in Unrivaled, similar to the WNBA and FIBA 5x5. It is also important to consider the TNT partnership, as there are certainly deliverables that need to be fulfilled.
A key similarity between the new league and FIBA 3x3 lies in roster size. While FIBA permits four players per team—three starters and one substitute—the new league accommodates six. However, one major element of FIBA 3x3 remains unchanged, presenting a challenge for athletes transitioning from traditional 5x5: the demanding physical requirements of the 3x3 format.
Survival of the fittest (and most efficient)
When transitioning from traditional 5x5 basketball to the fast-paced 3x3 format, top notch endurance and accuracy are crucial for a players due to the compressed court and lower amount of pieces on the floor.
“[3x3 basketball] is an extremely fast-paced game that demands intensity, physical contact, and a high level of precision. By FIBA rules, the team that scores 21 points first wins, making it essential to balance offense and defense throughout the 10 minutes of play,” said Rébeca Valente, physical education professional and producer of the WNBA Weekly show, an official NBA segment on YouTube in Brazil. “Agility, physical effort, and preparation are indispensable, but precision is a crucial factor for a 3x3 player to succeed.”
Unrivaled basketball may offer a slower pace compared to the high-speed intensity of FIBA 3x3, as it incorporates both sides of the court during play. However, it demands greater endurance from athletes, who must cover more ground and manage a full-court game. The expanded roster size will undoubtedly prove advantageous, providing players with opportunities to rest and recover more often.
In addition to physical stamina, team success in Unrivaled basketball heavily depends on precision and ball control. With players covering more space on the court, turnovers can lead to defensive breakdowns and quickly shift momentum. Teams that prioritize efficiency and minimize mistakes will have a significant edge in this demanding format.
Right place and right time for experiment
Unrivaled encapsulates Antoine Lavoisier’s quote that opened this article. It is a transformation of existing basketball models, taking elements from the traditional 5x5 and 3x3 formats and reimagining them with adapted court dimensions, game duration, and player involvement to create something entirely new. By doing so, it doesn’t discard the principles of the sport but instead refines and evolves them.
Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier proved themselves savvy businesswomen, recognizing the right moment to push the boundaries of women’s basketball. Their league combines innovation with the growing demand for women’s sports, bringing a fresh approach to the game at a time when there is increased interest and room for growth.
Spoiler: who is more likely to succeed?
The final analysis will be available for paid subscribers only, but here is a spoiler on who Beta Basket and Rébeca Valente will foresee as standing out in Unrivaled:
“The performance of post players, the bigs, is critical, particularly near the basket, where precision is non-negotiable
Shorter players … [who] thrive on one-on-one situations, rely on sharp individual moves, and have excellent ball-handling skills … The individual skill set of point guards is especially vital
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Follow Roberta F. Rodrigues on X (formerly Twitter). For all inquiries, e-mail contato@betabasket.com.br.