MEDLEY, Fla. — Brittney Sykes knocked down the game-winning free-throw and Rose beat Vinyl in the Unrivaled championship game, capping the inaugural season of the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league.
Each player on the championship-winning club will receive $50,000 in prize money — part of Unrivaled’s goal of compensating its participants more than any almost other professional women’s sports league.
Unrivaled, founded by Napheesa Collier and fellow WNBA star Breanna Stewart, has the highest average salary for players of any pro women’s sports league with many earning six-figure salaries. Players in Unrivaled have an average salary of more than $220,000, which is close to the maximum base salary in the WNBA.
Sykes had 21 points for Rose on Monday and drew an and-one on the last play of the game, which set up the winning free throw.
Unrivaled games are played with three seven-minute quarters and an untimed fourth. Teams play to a “winning score” determined by adding 11 points to the squad that is leading after three quarters.
Monday’s target score was 62. Sykes went to the line with her team holding a 61-54 lead.
Las Vegas Aces veteran guard Chelsea Gray was named the final MVP after 18 points and eight assists for Rose. Azura Stevens added 19 points and 18 rebounds.
Rose played the game without one of their best players. Angel Reese was sidelined for the playoffs because of a hand injury.
Rhyne Howard led Vinyl with 22 points and six rebounds.
Six teams of 36 of the best players in the WNBA played during the eight week regular season in front of excited crowds.
There were plenty of memorable moments: The Chicago Sky’s sensational rookie guard Reese scored the first 20-point, 20-rebound game in Unrivaled history on Feb. 21. Washington Mystics rookie Aaliyah Edwards, of Kingston, Ont., shined in Unrivaled’s midseason 1-on-1 tournament, upsetting her Mist BC teammate and top seed Stewart in the first round en route to a runner-up finish.
Gray put on another thrilling performance in Sunday’s semis, scoring 39 points and the game-winning three-pointer to send Rose past the Laces into the final.
And perhaps the biggest moment of the season: Dearica Hamby’s Vinyl squad stunned the Unrivaled MVP Collier and the heavily favoured Owls in the semifinal round, which Hamby punctuated by nailing the game-winning layup over Collier.
The league has brought plenty of stars to Miami to watch the competition. Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champ A’ja Wilson, Miami Heat great Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, tennis star Frances Tiafoe and broadcaster Robin Roberts were all in attendance to watch Monday’s final.
Comedian and actress Wanda Sykes, former U.S. women’s national soccer team captain Alex Morgan and former NBA All-Star Steve Nash were among other big names who showed up throughout the season.
Leading up to its launch, Unrivaled raised more than $35 million from various sources and dozens of individual investors, including Stephen Curry, Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma and Coco Gauff.
