A new women’s professional basketball league, UpShot, is set to launch in 2026, targeting college players transitioning to the professional level. Unlike other leagues, UpShot functions as a developmental platform, similar to the NBA’s G League, providing players who typically don’t make WNBA rosters due to limited spots an opportunity to develop their skills domestically without having to go abroad.
Backed by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment and led by former WNBA chair Donna Allender, the league also features involvement from women’s basketball icons like Cheryl Miller, who is one of the financial investors. UpShot aims to act almost as an extension of the WNBA, offering players a professional environment to improve their game.
The first teams will be based in Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah, Georgia; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Charlotte, North Carolina, with Baltimore, Maryland joining in 2027. Each team will have 11 players, creating 44 new roster spots in the inaugural season alone. The season will run for four months, with teams playing 20 home games and 20 away games.
UpShot’s emergence adds to the growing landscape of alternative leagues, alongside Unrivaled, an offseason league founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Brianna Stewart, and Project B, which has signed several W-League players to major deals. Like these leagues, UpShot does not intend to compete directly with the WNBA but rather to complement it.
Fan Take: This is exciting news for WNBA fans because UpShot provides a fresh pipeline for talent to develop and stay competitive within the U.S. It could significantly strengthen the overall quality and depth of women’s professional basketball, ultimately benefiting the WNBA and the sport’s growth.
