For the next basketball season, Athletes Unlimited has signed 31 players, including 15 current and past WNBA stars.
The cutting-edge professional basketball league, which supports the WNBA by keeping players in the country during the off-season, said on Tuesday that Dallas will play home to its second season, which will run from February 22 to March 26, 2023.
Athletes Unlimited has added several more WNBA stars, champions, standout rookies, and even an Olympic gold medalist to its impressive roster of competitors, in addition to bringing back six of its top 10 stars from last year’s campaign in Las Vegas, including Natasha Cloud, Lexie Brown, Odyssey Sims, DiJonai Carrington, Courtney Williams, and Taj Cole.
The No. 2 overall choice in the WNBA Draft in 2022, NaLyssa Smith, who later won All-Rookie accolades after making her professional debut, could have easily flown abroad to play like many other W players. She made the decision to stay in the US and join AU in Texas, her home state.
Smith told Insider, “I love that it’s in Dallas, so my family could watch me play again.” “Definitely, they missed a lot there in the WNBA,” the speaker said.
The Indiana Fever forward’s choice to play for AU was influenced by several other factors in addition to location. Smith, a former Baylor Bear, began her first season with the Fever less than a month after her NCAA career came to an end.
Smith very well might have completed a whole year playing at the highest levels of women’s basketball without a time for rest and rehabilitation had she traveled overseas to represent a European or Asian team. She had enough self-awareness and bodily awareness to recognize that she “needed a break, honestly.”
She was given the time to do it by Athletes Unlimited.
After college, Smith stated, “I went directly to the WNBA, and then it would’ve gone straight to abroad.” Since AU allows you some time to prepare, I knew I would play as soon as the WNBA was over.
Then, she said, “you go play AU and you still get to compete at a top level.” “You’re still going to compete and get to play with new individuals, so it’s not like you’re taking a break. I believe that this will greatly aid my personal growth.”
Smith was also drawn to Athletes Unlimited’s distinct athlete-centered business model since it delivers a product that is significantly different from the more conventional method of playing basketball the WNBA has used for 26 seasons and counting. Players in each of the four Athletes Unlimited leagues—which now include softball, basketball, lacrosse, and volleyball—earn points for both team victories and individual accomplishments.
The player leaderboard is updated in real-time, and at the conclusion of each week, the best four scorers are named captains of newly rearranged teams for the next games. The way AU measures both individual and team contributions fits well with basketball, where stat lines dominate much of the conversation.
Smith said, “I appreciate how the scoring is different and how it’s not just your typical basketball game. That, along with getting to play with new players every week and hold the position of captain, were some of the factors that attracted me to AU.”
She said, “There’s some thrill in wanting to compete hard so you may be a captain,” before pledging to “be on top” of the scoreboard.
The broadcast agreement with Athletes Unlimited is also a huge plus for Smith and the other 30 players who will compete in Dallas’ Fair Park Coliseum in a few months. International viewers will have easy access to all 30 games, and Americans may watch five of them on CBS Sports Network.
Because it was shown in locations where we could see it, Smith remarked, “I watched last season — I watch it a lot, really. So that was another thing that I appreciated about it.” “Many WNBA players go abroad after the regular season, so it’s difficult to track their progress. You have the option to keep watching and following your favorite players thanks to AU.
She said, “So I knew then and then that I was going to do it, and that’s why I’m here.
Athletes who will play in the basketball season will — and already have — played a crucial role in decision-making processes, just as in AU’s other sports leagues. Players have the authority to decide on everything, including roster construction, accommodations, and league rules.
The athletes divided league income since club owners were excluded from the equation. Through its “Athlete Causes” initiative, Athletes Unlimited even allows athletes to compete on behalf of charitable causes.
Fans may get ready for the forthcoming season by watching the CBS special “Athletes Unlimited: A Pro Sports Revolution,” which airs on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET, even though the completed Athletes Unlimited basketball schedule has not yet been announced. The AU website will start selling tickets on Thursday at 12 p.m. ET for live viewing in Dallas.