Athletes Unlimited returns for it third basketball season

The GIST: Athletes Unlimited (AU) — the women’s sports league offering month-long pro tournaments — returns for its third basketball season in February following two big announcements. Yesterday, AU released its 2024 roster, which features 29 current and former WNBA athletes, and announced that games will be available for free on the WNBA App for the first time ever. A bank shot.

How it works: The season runs from February 29th to March 23rd, with athletes competing for points on the leaderboard based on individual performances and team wins. Four teams are drafted weekly and captained by the top four players in the standings. The 2024 tournament is sponsored by Air Force, Gatorade, and Nike, among others.

The roster: The 40-person field includes 29 athletes with WNBA experience — up from 18 players in 2023 and 15 players in 2022. Nineteen of those 29 are on active W rosters, including new additions like Haley Jones and returning veterans like Natasha Cloud. Plus, Syd and TP will be returning to AU this year. One shot away from world domination.

The assist: While 25 AU games streamed on WNBA League Pass last year, which required a subscription, this season will feature 18 of 24 games for free on the relaunched WNBA App. Australia’s WNBL also recently signed a deal with the WNBA App, another savvy move from the W as it works to provide 24/7 women’s basketball coverage.

• The WNBA is supporting its athletes in the offseason, while also serving its bottom line. Not only does this incentivize staying in the U.S., but it allows players to remain available to fans throughout the year. More basketball for us, thank you.