As the Lunar Owls and the Mists got ready to tip off in the debut game of Unrivaled, there were a lot of uncertainties. Sure, the buildup was full of hype, and the Wayfair Arena was packed. But there was still a sense of concern.  However, despite all the odds, Unrivaled was a success. And cashing in on that success, the new and bigger season is set to tip off on January 5, 2026. To further increase the reach and popularity of the league, and to deal with certain limitations, a new NBA-style element is coming in season 2.

Appearing on a recent episode of No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Show podcast with Zena Keita and Sabreena Merchant, Brendan Glasheen, the play-by-play announcer for the league, said, “One of the key adjustments that folks are becoming aware of, with 54 total players, there is going to be a development league. Which, yes, the first reaction to that is, oh, because they had injuries. And those injuries were not fun and that was definitely a detriment to the product on some nights.”

Unrivaled was originally planning to stick with six teams for Year 2. But the league crushed its financial and viewership expectations, and player demand was through the roof, so they decided to accelerate growth. There will be two new teams this season and 12 more roster spots, and on top of that, six players will join a development pool, bringing the league’s total player count to 53.

“If we didn’t expand rosters, there were going to be All-Stars [wanting to join] who we didn’t have space for,” Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled’s president, told ESPN. “We want to be the home for all of the best players in the world.“

The development pool is designed for WNBA rookies looking for extra growth and a bigger paycheck. When they’re not officially on a team, they’ll follow a training and practice schedule and take part in scrimmages. And yes, they’ll earn the same minimum six-figure salary as active players, Bazzell confirmed. “It’s about getting experience and getting to rub shoulders with the best players in the world, learning from them during the offseason,” Bazzell said. “It’s the perfect scenario.”

Talking about the benefits of the development pool, Brendan said, “But I think it also allows for more growth for players that maybe did not think they would have the potential to play in Unrivaled, they can be part of this development process, over the 10 weeks that you’re in Miami, to not only get their chances to play, those will come up. That’s the nature of the beast, but also to be part of something special where these players have equity in the league.”

The change also tackles an issue from Unrivaled’s inaugural season, when injuries meant six players had to be brought in midseason just to keep the games going. While injuries are part of basketball, they can really shake up a young league, sometimes even affecting the overall quality and credibility.

Doubling down on how the Unrivaled is planning to tackle the very problem the WNBA faced a lot of criticism for – injuries due to back-to-backs and poor scheduling, Brendan said, “That’s why there’s an extra night of games. Uh you’re seeing a developmental player of a pool of players, right? So that people can step in and, you know, add when like you need an extra player on the roster, so that there’s not an extra load for the players who are already, you know, suiting up for their team“.

With two new teams joining, Unrivaled is ramping up to four game nights each week, up from three in its first season. That shift means back-to-back games are officially out as the league’s trying to give players a bit more breathing room. In Year 1, teams faced two or three back-to-back matchups each, adding up to 15 across the league.

“So uh I will say that like 3×3 looked more physical than I expected it to be. Uh, I guess that shouldn’t have been a surprise considering like what it looks like at the Olympics and at the international level, but uh, it definitely feels like it takes a toll on the players and something that I would imagine all of the parties involved are like considering and aware of and trying to do their best to make sure that they are protecting the assets which are the players, right? And making sure that they are available for Unrivaled and for the WNBA,” Brendan added. 

More details on this development league are yet to be unveiled. However, as of now, the professional women’s 3-on-3 league, set to tip off this January in Miami, has revealed its roster of 18 players. Eleven are returning stars from Year 1, and seven fresh faces are joining the mix this season.

Yet, everyone’s eyes remain on one certain player.

Is Catilin Clark Playing in Season 2 of Unrivaled?

As Caitlin Clark made the sad announcement of her missing the rest of the season, there was a wave of disappointment amongst the fans. However, after a few days of mourning, a new rumor about Caitlin Clark’s offseason plans came to be. Per the rumors, Caitlin Clark was also set to appear in season 2 of Unrivaled.

The rumors began after Hive BC, Unrivaled’s newest team, caught immediate attention thanks to its black-and-gold color scheme – sparking chatter about a potential short-term return for Caitlin Clark, given the similarity to her Iowa Hawkeyes colors. Despite the buzz, those close to the Fever star insist it’s just speculation.

On IndyStar’s Fever Insider LIVE podcast, reporter Chloe Peterson addressed the rumors directly, confirming that Clark isn’t expected to suit up for Unrivaled this winter. “She’s prioritizing her recovery from her season-ending injury,” Peterson explained, adding that Clark “does not want to play 3-on-3 basketball.”

Also, while Bazzell had said that “women’s basketball is better when she’s (Clark) playing,” he also clarified that “Obviously we’d love to have her, but that’s a personal decision that her team, her family will go through.” In other words: No Pressure.

Getting Clark into the league would’ve been a huge boost for its popularity, but it looks like that won’t happen, at least for now. Because, with how fast Unrivaled is expanding, her eventual entry feels less like “if” and more like “when.”