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Unrivaled announced on Monday that New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu was the final member of the league's roster for its inaugural season. Ionescu reportedly signed a deal that also includes ownership in the 3x3 league co-founded by teammate Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Ionescu explained why she decided to play in the league rather than sit out the offseason like she initially planned. She explained that she thought about her decision and made it based on what was best for her career.
"It was a huge decision getting me to play or not," Ionescu said. "I weighed out all my options and decided to do what's best for me and my career. Being able to take part in a league that is the first of its kind with a historic deal and be on the ownership side of it is important for me."
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Sabrina Ionescu underwent thumb surgery earlier this month, but she's expected to resume on-court activities in early January. Unrivaled will begin its first season on Jan. 17 in Miami with 36 players divided into six different teams.
Ionescu will play for Phantom BC alongside Brittney Griner, Marina Mabrey, Katie Lou Samuelson, Satou Sabally and Natasha Cloud. Phantom was active over the weekend as part of the league's first-ever trade. Cloud was acquired by the team in a three-way deal with the Laces and Lunar Owls.
In the trade, the Laces received Jackie Young and Tiffany Hayes, while the Lunar Owls acquired the services of Courtney Williams.
With the league completing its roster, teams can officially start preparing for the inaugural season. It will be interesting to see how successful Unrivaled will be without the star power of Caitlin Clark, who was reportedly offered $1 million to play.
Clark barely had any breaks between her final year at Iowa and her first year in the WNBA, and this was possibly one of the reasons why she didn't commit to the 3x3 league this season.
Sabrina Ionescu to miss some games for Phantom BC
In the same interview with the Associated Press, Sabrina Ionescu added that one of the reasons why she signed with Unrivaled is flexibility. Ionescu is set to miss some games for Phantom BC, but the league's open line of communication made her decision easier.
"I have certain dates that I have to be gone for," Ionescu said. "They were very accommodating with things I already accepted, and have to be gone for, before I committed to the league."
The first season of Unrivaled will begin on January 17 in Miami, with the games set to air on the TNT network and TruTV. It will also be available via live stream on Max. The season is set to conclude on March 17, two months before the start of the 2025 WNBA season.
