Big names continue to flock to Unrivaled, the new women’s 3-on-3 basketball league premiering January 17, with former WNBA stars and current broadcasters Candace Parker and Renee Montgomery leading the group of studio voices, the league announced on Tuesday.
Parker, the two-time WNBA MVP and Montgomery, a former WNBA All-Star who also owns part of the Atlanta Dream, will lead the pregame and postgame coverage alongside host Lauren Jbara and appearances by former WNBA great Lisa Leslie. Critically, this coverage around the games themselves, which begin on January 17 at 7 PM ET, will help familiarize new viewers with the players and teams, even the rules of the league itself, which is in its debut season.
Former WNBA Stars Candace Parker And Renee Montgomery Headline Studio Talent
The broadcasters offer a similar level of expertise in the women’s game: Brendan Glasheen is primary announcer for the Connecticut Sun, bringing his knowledge and enthusiasm to play-by-play duties, where he will be joined by Leslie and the great Sarah Kustok, who has broadcast, well, everything, including women’s basketball on Fox Sports 1.
Sideline reporters include Taylor Rooks, Allie LaForce, Stephanie Ready, and Ros Gold-Onwude, all with significant experience and working to tell the sideline stories. All broadcasters will be working from the single-venue Unrivaled facilities in Miami.
“The additions of Candace, Renee, Lauren, and Leslie will jumpstart our exciting coverage with some of the best and biggest talent in the sport,” Craig Barry, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer, TNT Sports said Tuesday in a press release. “Their transcendent knowledge of the game and scope of experience are going to bring this new league to life in important and unexpected ways.”
Opening night January 17 features Napheesa Collier’s Lunar Owls facing Breanna Stewart’s Mist Basketball Club at 7 PM, followed by Angel Reese’s Rose Basketball Club taking on Arike Ogunbowale and Vinyl Basketball Club at 8:15 PM ET.
“We’re thrilled to tip off our inaugural season with such legendary talent across all levels of the women’s basketball space,” Unrivaled Commissioner Micky Lawler said in a press release. “Their voices will bring much-needed analysis and perspective to the revolutionary version of basketball Unrivaled and TNT are bringing to fans this year.”
Coco Gauff Becomes An Unrivaled Investor
Collier and Stewart, of course, are the co-founders of Unrivaled, which received an additional investment announced this week from tennis great Coco Gauff.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Unrivaled as an investor,” Gauff said Monday in a press release. “Basketball is one of my favorite sports, and the chance to support a league that’s redefining the game is exciting. I look forward to being part of this movement and continuing to help elevate women’s sports to new heights.”
Gauff’s part of the Series A funding, which the league closed last month at $28 million, included numerous other bold names as well, including Alex Morgan, Carmelo Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michael Phelps, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Dawn Staley and many others.