Unrivaled off to fast start as debut impresses players, fans

MIAMI — Skylar Diggins-Smith separated herself from DiJonai Carrington just outside the 3-point arc and launched a shot to win the first game in Unrivaled history.

As it swooshed in, Diggins-Smith ran down the court, her Lunar Owls teammates chasing her in celebration as they beat the Mist on Friday night 84-80.

“This atmosphere was electric,” Diggins-Smith said at center court. “We’re going to celebrate this one tonight.”

The “winning score” in this new 3-on-3 women’s basketball league is determined by adding 11 points to the leading team’s score through three quarters. It means every game will be decided by a game-winner.

But this one was as good as Unrivaled could have dreamt of for its inaugural game.

“It was everything we were hoping for,” Lunar Owls player and league co-founder Napheesa Collier said. “I think this was a great first game just showing what we can do and showing what the experience can be like.”

The first night of Unrivaled saw its 870-seat arena at the MediaPro Center sell out. Fans lined up in light rain a few hours before the doors opened, enjoying the fan activations the league had set up for them. Inside, Hall of Famer Steve Nash and U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan sat courtside. WNBA executives were sprinkled throughout the stands.

In such a tight space, players said it felt like the spectators were “on top of us.” And playing on a neutral court, there was no homecourt advantage.

Jewell Loyd equated the energy in the building to a pickup game. Collier said it was like a high school basketball championship. Chelsea Gray said it surpassed both of those analogies.

“It was like, the fans were right there on the court,” said Gray, whose Rose lost to the Vinyl 79-73 in the second game. “Whether there was music or not, during the different runs of the game, there was always energy. I really like that atmosphere. Everyone just wanted to see good basketball.”

Added Collier: “Of course [the fanfare] is a distraction; it’s opening weekend. But we’ve been in that situation where there’s lots going on — playing in the finals, playing in college, in championship games. As a professional you’re able to block that out.”

With a condensed full court, rather than the half court played in Olympic 3×3 basketball, Unrivaled produces an extremely fast-paced game.

But players said they weren’t too surprised since considering it was the same style and tempo they experienced in training camp and preseason games.

“There’s not really a time where you take a possession off. There’s only three players on the floor,” Gray said. “It’s a little bit different from that perspective. But you got to be in shape for sure to be able to play this game.”

The Mist and Lunar Owls combined for 130 shots; the Vinyl and Rose attempted 126. Lloyd scored 34 points — 23 in the first half — and the Vinyl’s Rhyne Howard finished with 33.

Players noted how the shots taken weren’t out-of-character ones, but rather what the game requires with only three players per team on the court at once.

“It was really fun. We’ve been practicing, doing scrimmaging, so to get out there in front of a live crowd was really fun,” Collier said. “Just enjoying the experience of the game. There is a lot of fanfare involved but once the ball goes up, we’re just out there playing basketball.”