Inaugural season of the Upshot League fills much-needed development gap

The GIST: While the NBA, MLB, and NHL have distinct talent developmental systems, the WNBA has…a major gap. To help change this, the Upshot League launched this May in hopes of creating more stateside opportunities for elite players.

• It’s not an official developmental partner of the W, but in one season, Upshot’s success shows the appetite for professional women’s hoops is growing and the league is primed to grow right along with it. Oh and did we mention, this allows more women to stay in basketball? Love it.

The details: Co-founded by former WNBA president, Donna Orender, and Andy Kaufmann, the CEO of Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, the four-team league played primarily in the southeastern U.S. and used existing arenas in cities like Greensboro, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida to keep costs low. Upshot boasted several sellouts and averaged over 2K attendees per game.

The opportunity: Unrivaled and overseas basketball leagues provide opportunities for elite players to make money year-round, while Upshot strategically runs alongside the WNBA season to help players stay game-ready.

• The ability to be scouted by the W and fill in a roster spot when injuries inevitably hit is a huge differentiator, especially when 70% of Upshot players already have WNBA experience or direct connections. Two players were called up during the season, and since Upshot’s championship game last Saturday, another two players have also received the nod.

Zooming out: Upshot creates more space for women in pro basketball and that extends far beyond the players to include coaches, training staff, marketing, front office leadership, and more. On top of that, it’s inspiring fans in underserved markets like Charlotte, North Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.

• Developmental leagues in men’s sports have typically been formed when talent outpaces roster spots and the WNBA has absolutely reached this point. With two more Upshot teams debuting next year, expect the opportunities for this league and women’s pro hoops to continue to grow, too. Thirty teams sounds nice.