Unrivaled coaches put strong emphasis on development and preparation

The first season for Unrivaled, a new 3×3 women’s basketball league, starts in January. It’s the beginning of a new era of the WNBA offseason. This league gives 36 WNBA players the chance to play competitive basketball in the United States during the winter while making money, instead of having to compete overseas. It’s also a shorter season than many of the leagues across the world, giving these players the chance to take more of a break in between WNBA seasons.

It also saves many of the players in the league from having to think about the WNBA’s new prioritization rules, which state that players can be suspended for the season if they fail to report to training camp on time. With certain European seasons overlapping with the WNBA season, many players have had to decide which to prioritize.

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Since Unrivaled is an offseason league for these WNBA players, the emphasis is on player development and preparation. All six coaches spent a lot of their time talking about these aspects of the game. Most of them are first-time head coaches, and all have experience in player development.

Andrew Wade: Laces Basketball Club

Wade of the Laces BC was first up. He has a highly-accomplished roster of Kelsey Plum, Kate Martin, Stefanie Dolson, Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams and Alyssa Thomas. He also has six years of assistant coaching experience with the Washington Mystics, so he’s familiar with the players in the league as a whole. Wade made a specific emphasis on creating player relationships immediately and leading with truth. He wants his players to be able to trust him through this process, something that will be essential in a new league.

“I’ve made my mark in the WNBA by creating genuine player relationships and telling the truth,” Wade said. “Establishing that trust early is extremely important to me.”

He specifically talked about his relationship with Dolson, who along with Plum, has a gold medal in Olympic 3×3 basketball. While Unrivaled will be different than the international 3×3 game (played on a reduced full court as opposed to the half court style), Wade knows that experience will help the team.

When it came to the development aspect, Wade mentioned that he will be talking to each player, along with their current WNBA coaches, to pinpoint specific areas of growth.

Adam Harrington: Phantom Basketball Club

Harrington is another first-time women’s basketball head coach. He has a team of Jackie Young, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Tiffany Hayes, Brittney Griner and a future wildcard player. He talked about the experience of the selection process, and how fun it was as a hoops fanatic to get the chance to have those conversations.

He also briefly talked about development as well, putting the focus on the players preparing for the 2025 WNBA season. He also put an emphasis on the impact these players will have on the next generation, noting that his team has the opportunity to inspire all of the young fans tuning in.

“For the rest of the world to see how these women operate in the offseason will inspire a generation of young women in the world of basketball,” Harrington said.

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Phil Handy: Mist Basketball Club

A coach with a lot of NBA experience, Handy’s roster includes Jewell Loyd, DiJonai Carrington, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards. He already has ties to Loyd and Stewart, having served as a consultant for the Seattle Storm while Stewart was still there.

“I am someone who believes in learning from my players,” Handy said. “I think these players’ different experiences will help us figure out what we are going to do as a team.”

He also talked about the different experiences his players have internationally, whether that’s playing overseas or on their national teams. He said he is a coach that likes to learn from his players, and their experiences will ultimately help the team get better.

Teresa Weatherspoon: Vinyl Basketball Club

Weatherspoon joins Unrivaled after her one season coaching the Chicago Sky. While she wanted to focus on talking about Unrivaled, she did mention she did not see the end of her time in Chicago coming so soon but also noted that she is excited about what is ahead.

She discussed how much it means for players to have this choice to play basketball in the U.S. during the winter. It was a sacrifice players had to make for decades before, even preceding the WNBA. For them to now have this option to make money, stay home and play competitive basketball is just a testament to the growth of the game, she noted.

Weatherspoon was another coach who emphasized speaking to players’ current coaches to see where they want to develop. Especially with her playing experience, Weatherspoon hopes to be a great asset for her players.

“It’s a human connection, it’s a gift to connect with people and show concern and love for others,” Weatherspoon said. “I just want people to win. I want everything I experience to be shared. I want to be of help, to give more. It’s important to lift and help players. I want to lift things from them that they didn’t know existed.”

DJ Sackmann: Lunar Owls Basketball Club

Another first-time head coach, DJ Sackmann has a history of being a skills and development coach. His roster features Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray, Napheesa Collier, Natasha Cloud, Shakira Austin and a future wildcard player.

He talked about how he works with a lot with high school basketball players, and how much he will be able to take the habits, practices and knowledge from his Unrivaled players to bring to those younger athletes. Yet, as a first time coach, there may be a bit of learning curve for him. He did mention the relationships he has with the other Unrivaled coaches, as well as the NBA coaches who mentor him.

Nola Henry: Rose Basketball Club

Nola Henry has worked her way up from Connecticut Sun intern, to LA Sparks assistant coach and now to head coach at Unrivaled. She will coach the team of Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Angel Reese, Brittney Sykes, Lexie Hull and Azura Stevens.

One of Henry’s first questions was about the development of Reese. She said that Copper and Gray especially will be great resources for Reese, as she prepares for her second WNBA season.

“I really think highly of Chelsea Gray, so I think she will be of help,” Henry said. “I am always open to hearing what players have to say. They are the ones on the court so their input is valued.”

Henry also spoke on what these players will hopefully take back to the WNBA with them. She mentioned that the 3×3 format could help slow down the game for players, and the spacing could help them too. With 3×3, spacing is a huge aspect. She emphasized the effect it will have on players’ defense as well, since with fewer players, there are fewer defenders to rely on.

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