MIAMI — Nafeesa Collier took a moment during player introductions Friday night before the first game of Unrivaled to take it all in.
Music echoes throughout the venue. The fans cheered as each name was called.
Blue and purple lights illuminated the flower path leading to center court, and some players posed before heading to the scorer's side.
This is what Collier envisioned for Unrivaled when he and Brianna Stewart decided to team up on this effort.
But once Lunar Owls forward Collier and Mist forward Stewart took center court for the first opening tip in league history, it was time to get down to business.
“The fanfare around us is really exciting,” Collier said. “[But] Once the ball is up, all you have to do is focus on the game. ”
In recent weeks of the Unrivaled preseason, players have been talking about the friendly nature of the league's swanky facility in Miami.
“It's like a fun summer camp,” Rose forward Angel Reese said.
And even during the first quarter, there were some friendly moments between the opposing teams.
Dijonai Carrington stuffed Courtney Williams at the rim, forcing a turnover for the Lunar Owls.
During the next stoppage in play, Carrington and Williams were seen smiling and talking near midcourt.
As the match progressed, the hidden rivalry within each player began to emerge.
The players argued with officials and cheered for each other. The game has also become more physical.
It felt like a high-stakes gamble.
“We want to compete. I don't think anyone likes to lose,” Mist Guard's Jewell Lloyd said. “We always want to always have an offensive product on the court, and that’s our standard.”
Ultimately, what transpired over the next hour-plus was a back-and-forth duel that included an epic 84-80 come-from-behind victory by the Lunar Owls.
Skylar Diggins-Smith hit the game-winning bucket in the first game, hitting three overs for Carrington and sending a sold-out crowd of 870 fans into a frenzy.
“This is crazy! This is crazy!” fans repeatedly shouted.
It certainly was.
This isn't Olympic style, it's 3-on-3 trapped in the half court.
Unrivaled plays the full length of the court, albeit a condensed version compared to the WNBA hardwood.
The result is a faster, more fun, and more fluid game. The structure of the game ensures an exciting ending every time.
The first three quarters are eight minutes long, but the fourth quarter is played until a team reaches a “winning score.” This number is determined by adding 11 points to the score of the team in the lead at the end of the third quarter.
“It forces us to play hard,” said Rhyne Howard, who scored 33 points in leading Vinyl to a 79-73 victory over Rose in Game 2. “The 11 points come and go so quickly, so teams are fighting to get points really fast instead of having time.”
Unrivaled has kept its promises to players regarding salary agreements and first-class amenities.
On Friday, the league announced an exciting product that fans can expect.
“It's basketball. … You're just hoo-hooing,” said Lloyd, who dropped 34 points in his Unrivaled debut. “It’s really intense, and the fans [were] wonderful. It was electric. It's also a very intimate environment, so you can feel and hear everyone's every conversation, which makes for a good atmosphere to play basketball. ”
This is the tough part for the players. They will be treated in the same rooms and walk the same hallways as their opponents.
“I don't like it,” Rose guard Chelsea Gray said. “I thought it was okay, but it wasn't. Let's see. I mean, it's my inner rival. It's tough. I'll probably put in AirPods.”
Unrivaled returns to action on Saturday, with Sabrina Ionescu making her debut for the Phantoms against the Laceys.
Collier's Lunar Owls chase Rose and fight her.
