WNBA Free Agency: Sue Bird sheds light on Unrivaled turning into recruiting hotspot

Unrivaled, the latest league in women's professional basketball, aims to offer fans a fresh perspective on the game. Some of the biggest WNBA stars will play for Unrivaled's six teams. This gives players the opportunity to recruit some of their Unrivaled teammates to their WNBA squads.

During Wednesday's episode of her podcast "A Touch More," WNBA legend and four-time champion Sue Bird predicted that players in Unrivaled would seize this opportunity to recruit fellow stars.

"The only other thing I thought of the second I heard this league was happening, when I started to see all the players signing up, it takes place in January and February was, 'Oh my god, there's going to be so many super teams formed,'" Bird said chuckling.

Bird added that discussions about WNBA free agents are likely rampant in Unrivaled locker rooms, drawing from her personal experiences of players recruiting each other during her time with Team USA at the Olympics.

"The WNBA free agency chatter that must be happening in the training room, when they're out shopping, when they're getting some coffee has got to be next level. It used to be what we did during (Team USA) basketball camps because that's one of the few times where the top talent was in the same place at the same time for consecutive days," Bird said.

Unrivaled days away from tip-off in Miami

As of Wednesday, Unrivaled is just two days away from the start of its inaugural season on Jan. 17. The league will kick off in Miami, with broadcasts available on TNT and streaming on MAX.

Unrivaled seeks to build on the WNBA's most successful season yet, in terms of revenue, ratings, attendance, and popularity. The league was founded by WNBA All-Stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, who wanted to provide their peers with opportunities to sign contracts and earn during the offseason.

Unrivaled also aims to spotlight each player's individual brand while maintaining a highly competitive basketball environment. It could positively impact the WNBA as well, with players entering the league's regular season in midseason form following their Unrivaled season. This could lead to more impressive performances early in the WNBA season.

Collier's Phantom Owls Basketball Club will take on Stewart's Mist Basketball Club in Unrivaled's first-ever matchup.