New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu will be taking part in Unrivaled, a new 3×3 winter basketball league, after all.
Ionescu will join Phantom Basketball Club in the league’s inaugural season, the league said Monday, with Ionescu almost assuredly set to be Unrivaled’s last player addition before it tips off on Jan. 17.
In early December, Ionescu underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in her right thumb, an injury she suffered in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals. Still, her timeline to return to the court was approximately four weeks, which would make it possible for her to debut when Unrivaled gets underway.
Ionescu previously told The Athletic she was weighing joining the league for a variety of reasons. Back in September, as Unrivaled announced the first wave of WNBA stars, Ionescu said she was still thinking about what to do this winter.
“I’ve really enjoyed the offseasons, especially being healthy, and I’ve been able to see how big of a jump I’ve had from one year to the next,” she said, adding that the winter months also feature a busy off-court calendar and allow her to spend more time with her husband.
The league, which is co-founded by Ionescu’s Liberty teammate, Breanna Stewart, and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, aims to keep players fresh and provide a domestic alternative to athletes looking to compete and supplement income during the WNBA offseason. It features most of the WNBA’s top players, and promises to pay the highest average salary in women’s professional sports league history. It will give equity in the league to its inaugural participants.
Phantom has also undergone other roster changes in recent days. Over the weekend, the club, which is coached by former Brooklyn Nets player development coach Adam Harrington, acquired Natasha Cloud and the wild-card spot used on Ionescu in a trade. Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes moved to Laces basketball club, while Courtney Williams moved to Lunar Owls.
Unrivaled will run for eight weeks, concluding with a championship set for March 17. Games, which will be played in a modified 3×3 format, will air on TNT on Monday and Friday nights, as well as Saturdays on TruTV.
Here are the updated rosters:
Phantom BC
- Sabrina Ionescu
- Natasha Cloud
- Brittney Griner
- Marina Mabrey
- Satou Sabally
- Katie Lou Samuelson
Laces BC
- Stefanie Dolson
- Tiffany Hayes
- Kate Martin
- Kayla McBride
- Alyssa Thomas
- Jackie Young
Lunar Owls BC
- Shakira Austin
- Cameron Brink
- Napheesa Collier
- Skylar Diggins-Smith
- Allisha Gray
- Courtney Williams
Mist BC
- DiJonai Carrington
- Aaliyah Edwards
- Rickea Jackson
- Jewell Loyd
- Breanna Stewart
- Courtney Vandersloot
Rose BC
- Kahleah Copper
- Chelsea Gray
- Lexie Hull
- Angel Reese
- Azurá Stevens
- Brittney Sykes
Vinyl BC
- Aliyah Boston
- Rae Burrell
- Jordin Canada
- Dearica Hamby
- Rhyne Howard
- Arike Ogunbowale
(Photo: David Berding / Getty Images)
