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Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) dribbles upcourt against the Minnesota Lynx in the first quarter during game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at SAP Center. David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Unrivaled Announces Valkyries Star Will Play During WNBA Offseason

Originally posted on Golden State Valkyries on SI
By Jack Haslett | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 8:48 PM ET

Unrivaled Basketball is adding a new star to their ever-growing roster.

Founded in 2023 by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled is a 3x3 basketball league that allows WNBA players to play in the offseason without having to travel overseas to do so. The league has picked up serious steam since its inception, with high-profile investors including Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Stephen Curry, just to name a few.

Many of the WNBA's stars have joined on to play Unrivaled Basketball in the league's first season, and in an announcement on Tuesday, the league will gain another premier player from one of the WNBA's hottest teams.

VERONICA BURTON IS UNRIVALED ✅
Presented by @Ally

Catch her in Season 2 starting Jan. 5 on TNT, truTV and Max. pic.twitter.com/54gZKXT98W
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) September 23, 2025

Golden State Valkyries' guard and 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton will join Unrivaled for their upcoming season, kicking off January 5.

"It's a major opportunity," Burton said (via ESPN). "A lot of the league's best players are competing [at Unrivaled], so any opportunity to compete against the best is where I want to be. I'm just excited to be a part of it and I'm grateful to be a part of it."

Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Burton has Played 3x3 Before

Unrivaled's 3x3 format is a change from the typical style of play on WNBA courts, which features 5x5 play. Burton has experience with this kind of play: she was a member of the U.S. women's 3x3 team at the 2022 U23 World Cup, winning silver.

Unrivaled also features a few extra rules of its own, including a condensed court and three 7-minute quarters followed by an untimed fourth quarter played to the "winning score," a number determined by adding 11 points to the leading team's point total after the first three quarters.

"The super fast pace challenges people to be aggressive on both sides of the ball, and you can't really hide out there," Burton said. "You have to be involved and engaged."

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Burton will be looking to keep her skills sharp as a follow-up to her MIP-winning season, where she averaged 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while leading the Valkyries in points, assists, rebounds and blocks.

Other Stars Joining and Returning to Unrivaled

Unrivaled has experienced major growth since its debut season and has added two new teams to match said growth.

Burton isn't the only Valkyrie with experience in the league: fellow Golden State guards Kate Martin and Tiffany Hayes both played in the league's first season, though it hasn't been announced if either will return for Season 2.

Burton is one of several high-profile names that Unrivaled has added for its second season. Among returning players like Breanna Stewart and Lexie Hull, Sonia Citron and 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers have also signed on to the league as newcomers.

This article first appeared on Golden State Valkyries on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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