"Just trying to mooch off CC motion": Fans accuse Unrivaled league of engagement farming with 22-minute video and 2 wild card spots
Ahead of the inaugural season of Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier's Unrivaled 3x3 league, which is set to tip off in January, some fans are accusing the league of engagement farming. On Tuesday night, the Unrivaled Basketball account on X announced that the league's coaches would be constructing rosters on Wednesday.
The league then went live on YouTube with a 22-minute video showing coaches constructing team rosters. While some expected them to pick in a draft-style format, that wasn't the case. Players were broken down into six pods and assigned to teams.
As fans noted, two spots in Pod D, which included Kate Martin, Lexie Hull, Rae Burrell and Rickea Jackson, were left blank as wild card spots. After the draft, fans on X questioned whether the league was engagement baiting by teasing the last two spots even though Caitlin Clark has shown no indications that she'll play.
After original 2kTV host Rachel DeMita asked whether it was just a coincidence that the video from Unrivaled was 22 minutes long (Clark's number), fans began to weigh in:
"They’re just trying to feed off CC’s motion. Trying to get as much attention as possible before they realize the face of the league isn’t playing," one fan wrote.
"Either they don’t have players yet or they want to keep engagement up until the last minute. Either way, wtf??" another fan wrote.
"so i've wasted 22 mins of my life watching them without mentioning the 35 and 36 player. Lol they tricked us," a fan commented.
Here are other reactions:
"It was a troll," one fan said.
"still so messy," another fan wrote.
"I don’t think she’s coming," a fan wrote.
Looking at the rosters for Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier's Unrivaled League
After the six coaches assigned the players to teams, they made some changes to balance the rosters. Then, after all agreeing that they were balanced, the coaches were assigned to their respective teams.
Former Chicago Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who was fired after the 2024 season, was assigned to Team Vinyl. The team includes Aliyah Boston, Rae Burrell, Jordin Canada, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard and Arike Ogunbowale.
Nola Henry was assigned to Team Rose, which is comprised of Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Lexie Hull, Angel Reese, Azura Stevens and Brittney Sykes.
Form LA Lakers assistant Phil Handy will call the plays for Team Mist, which will have DiJonai Carrington, Aaliyah Edwards, Rickea Jackson, Jewell Loyd, Breanna Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot.
DJ Sackman will coach the Lunar Owls' Shakira Austin, Natasha Cloud, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gra, and a wild card player to be determined.
Former Brooklyn Nets assistant Adam Harrington is the coach of Team Phantom, which includes Brittney Griner, Tiffany Hayes, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Jackie Young and a wild card player TBD.
Last but not least, Andrew Wade will lead Team Laces, comprised of Stefanie Dolson, Kate Martin, Kayla McBride, Kelsey Plum, Alyssa Thomas and Courtney Williams.
The inaugural season of Unrivaled will tip off on Jan. 17, with games airing on TNT.