The WNBA‘s 2026 season began last Friday, May 8. However, there is another league that’s been gearing up for its own Friday debut. The Upshot League will tip off beginning May 15. Here’s everything you need to know about this new venture in women’s basketball.
Upshot League Has The Potential To Be WNBA’s G League
What Exactly is Upshot?
The Upshot League is a professional women’s basketball organization led by former WNBA commissioner Donna Orender. The teams will include former NCAA players and recent WNBA draft picks who have yet to play in the W itself.
Upshot is starting out with four teams: Charlotte Crown, Greensboro Groove, Jacksonville Waves, and Savannah Steel. Each team will have 11 players on its roster, giving 44 women a chance to play professional basketball.
Upshot Players to Watch This Season
In the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Golden State Valkyries selected guard Shyanne Sellers in the second round. However, she never got the chance to play for them due to injury and was later waived. After being signed and waived by the Atlanta Dream, Sellers inked a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings last month. She didn’t make the final roster, but she now has the chance to turn pro with the Wave.
Former Oregon guard Deja Kelly gets a chance to play professional hoops as well. Last season, Kelly went undrafted but signed a developmental contract with the Valkyries. However, she was waived at the end of the preseason and never stepped foot on a WNBA court. Thanks to UpShot, Kelly now gets a chance to play professionally with the Crown.
Mya Hollingshed is another player earning her chance at a pro career. The eighth overall pick of the 2022 WNBA draft went through a series of cuts between the Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun, but she will now suit up for the Groove this season.
Why Does Upshot Matter So Much?
Upshot is another valuable league for women to embark on their pro careers. Those who were previously drafted, like Hollingshed and Sellers, now have a chance to hone their skills on the court here in the U.S. Sellers, like many other players, went overseas to continue her career. The Upshot League now allows players to stay close to home to play the sport that they love.
The WNBA also lacks something the NBA has: a G League. The NBA’s G League is a developmental league for young players, giving them a chance to get on the court and prepare to play at the professional level. The G League also offers veterans a potential ticket back into the Association. By no means is it close to the level of play that one can find in the NBA, but it is a professional league through and through.
The Upshot League is promising to pay their players, which was a point of contention during negotiations for the WNBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Giving these players another professional league within the U.S. is huge. They have the chance to train up and become the next superstar — all while getting paid.
With the league’s rosters being made up of former WNBA draft picks and strong collegiate players, the WNBA should have all eyes on the Upshot League. Yes, all the teams are in the southeastern part of the U.S. — making the Atlanta Dream the only WNBA team within range — but state lines shouldn’t be a make-or-break deal for a developmental league. With Upshot having a team in Charlotte, it could give the WNBA more reason for a Stingers revival.
All Upshot games will be available to stream on YouTube, which is another great access point for the league. If you’re a fan of women’s basketball, make sure to check out Upshot when its teams take the floor this weekend.
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