Welcome back to Ms. Main Event. This week’s episode dives into two major stories shaping the future of women’s basketball: Nneka Ogwumike’s power move to Project B and the chaos and creativity unleashed by Unrivaled’s roster reveal. The game board looks different today than it did even a month ago, and that’s a sign of a sport shifting into a new era.
Let’s break it down.
Nneka + Project B
Nneka Ogwumike didn’t tiptoe into the news cycle. She steamrolled straight into the middle of it. At a time when the WNBA is grinding through extended CBA negotiations, she became the first publicly announced player to sign with Project B. That single decision hit the league, the union, and the business side of the sport all at once.
Project B wants to be a global circuit. Six teams. Eleven players each. Seven tournaments in major cities across Asia, Europe and the Americas. The season runs November through April, which lets players do both Project B and the WNBA. It does, however, bump right into Unrivaled’s schedule.
The draw is simple. Bigger salaries. Real equity. Ownership in the product you help build. Nneka called that equity piece “striking”, and she is not lying. Women athletes have been asking for ownership opportunities for years. Project B is putting it in writing.
The business brain trust includes tech executives Grady Burnett and Geoff Prentice, with former WNBA All-Star Alana Beard running the basketball side. Investors include Candace Parker, Novak Djokovic, Sloane Stephens and Steve Young. It is a very intentional mix of credibility and capital.
The timing matters. With the WNBA still sorting out revenue sharing, salary growth and long-term working conditions, a league offering higher pay and ownership changes the math. It gives players leverage and sends a message that elite talent has choices.
Of course, there are risks. A league this global is expensive to run. A year-round playing cycle increases injury concerns. And fans who are just starting to follow the sport might feel overwhelmed by too many leagues launching at once. But this is where women’s basketball is heading. More options. More formats. More economic muscle behind the players. Nneka is betting on that future and placing the chips on herself.
Unrivaled Roster Reveal
On the court, Unrivaled had its big moment with the roster reveal. Some teams stayed true to their Season One identity. Others tore everything down to the studs and rebuilt from scratch. The expansion teams stole the show.
The Breeze loaded up with Aari McDonald, Kate Martin, Cameron Brink, Dominique Malonga, Rickea Jackson and Paige Bueckers under coach Noelle Quinn. That is not an expansion roster. That is a contending roster.
The Hive made an even louder statement. Their personality is attack from the opening tip. Monique Billings, Saniya Rivers, Natisha Hiedeman, Ezi Magbegor, Sonia Citron and Kelsey Mitchell with Rena Wakama steering the ship. This team looks like a track meet wrapped in a dope hoops uniform.
And then there are the champs. The Rose returned Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Lexie Hull and Azura Stevens. They replaced Angel Reese with Shakira Austin and added Sug Sutton for backcourt stability. Coach Nola Henry is back too. The champs are not here to give up anything.
The rosters are up on the Unrivaled website. So are the new jerseys for preorder. They are clean, they are sharp and they look like the league is ready to level up.
Unrivaled tips off in January and there is no clear favorite. The Breeze and the Hive look dangerous. The Rose looks steady. And the middle of the league is thick.
This season is going to be a ride.
Final Thoughts
The ecosystem of women’s basketball is expanding faster than the old guard expected. New leagues. New revenue models. New power structures. And the players are at the center of every major shift. That is the part I care about most. This is athletes shaping their own future, not waiting for someone to hand them a better deal.
Keep your eye on this space. Whenever the next episode drops, I’ll have the biggest stories and the conversations that matter.
Peace.Tasha
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