In the rapidly evolving landscape of women's basketball, Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull is envisioning a future where the sport's growing number of offseason leagues might eventually come together. As the WNBA continues its meteoric rise in popularity, several alternative professional leagues have emerged, giving players more opportunities to stay sharp year-round.
Hull, who has firsthand experience competing in both Athletes Unlimited and the newly formed Unrivaled league, shared her insights with Front Office Sports. She notes that the current structure of these offseason leagues works well because the WNBA still has limited roster spots and a relatively compact schedule. However, the Stanford graduate sees a natural evolution on the horizon as the league expands.
"It is great to have other options in Athletes Unlimited and Unrivaled to give players the opportunity to play in the offseason," Hull explained. "I think down the line, I would envision some of those leagues merging together and giving players the opportunity to actually have a full offseason."
The current WNBA season runs from May to September, while both Athletes Unlimited and Unrivaled operate near the start of the calendar year. Athletes Unlimited spans about a month, while Unrivaled runs for approximately two months. This staggered schedule allows players to balance competitive play with much-needed recovery time.
"The length of those leagues and the length of those seasons are short in the whole scheme of things that we still do get a good amount of time off," Hull said. "We get a chance to rest our body and recover … I think in the foreseeable future, they'll definitely still be around and bringing in a lot more eyes for the offseason people that want to watch."
Looking ahead, the WNBA's schedule could extend into late November under the new collective bargaining agreement. After this year's 44-game season, the schedule can max out at 50 games in 2027 and 2028, and 52 games from 2029 to 2032. This expansion might accelerate the need for consolidation among offseason leagues.
It's worth noting that Athletes Unlimited and Unrivaled offer distinctly different playing experiences. Athletes Unlimited features traditional 5-on-5 basketball, while Unrivaled showcases the fast-paced 3-on-3 format. Two additional leagues—The Upshot League and Project B—are also set to launch this year, further diversifying the options available to players. The Upshot League, which begins May 15, will run simultaneously with the WNBA season and feature teams in Jacksonville, Savannah, Greensboro, and Charlotte.
As women's basketball continues its remarkable growth, the conversation around consolidation and scheduling will only become more relevant. For now, players like Hull are enjoying the abundance of opportunities while keeping an eye on how the sport's infrastructure will evolve to support its brightest stars.