adidas will become the official uniform and performance apparel partner of Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women's professional basketball league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, under a multiyear agreement announced Sept. 23. The partnership takes effect at the start of the league's third season in early 2027 and replaces Under Armour, the league's inaugural outfitter. Sportico reports that the length and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
What adidas supplies
Under the agreement, adidas will provide on-court uniforms and performance apparel for Unrivaled athletes and become the apparel provider for the league's youth camps, clinics and related community basketball programming, according to the league's release. The brand will also roll out a broader range of officially licensed Unrivaled merchandise, including authentic jerseys, performance apparel and lifestyle collections. The league said details on product drops and fan initiatives will be shared at a later date. The announcement does not mention footwear.
Max Staiger, global general manager of adidas Basketball, said in the release that the company is continuing its "journey" to become "the next generation brand of basketball." Candace Parker, president of adidas Women's Basketball, said that through the partnership adidas "will bring elite performance innovation to Unrivaled athletes." adidas named Parker to that role in 2024.
"Our partnership with adidas represents an important next step in Unrivaled's growth and evolution," said Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled co-founder and CEO.
Under Armour's exit
Under Armour signed on in December 2024 as the league's official and exclusive uniform partner and performance outfitter under a multiyear deal, ahead of Unrivaled's January 2025 debut in Miami. That agreement also covered apparel for players, coaches and staff, and basketball footwear for players without an active shoe deal.
Matt Drew, Unrivaled's head of partnerships, told Sportico the Under Armour contract expired this year. In a statement, Under Armour confirmed the contract had lapsed and said it was proud to have been the league's inaugural outfitter. Under Armour continues to sponsor Toronto Tempo and Unrivaled guard Marina Mabrey.
Drew said the league chose adidas partly because the company is growing its investments in women's basketball and partly because it can help meet what he called "astronomical demand" for league merchandise.
The adidas roster in Unrivaled
Drew pointed to adidas' signing of first-year point guard Olivia Miles, whom Sportico describes as a WNBA Rookie of the Year favorite. Miles signed a multiyear contract with Unrivaled in April and is slated to debut in Season 3. adidas also sponsors WNBA and Unrivaled players Kelsey Plum, Kahleah Copper and Aliyah Boston. Plum, a five-time WNBA All-Star and current Phoenix Mercury guard, signed with adidas in June after her Under Armour contract ended this spring, per Sportico.
adidas' basketball business
adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden told investors in March that the company has "not been competitive compared to our biggest competitor" in basketball. For the quarter ending in June, currency-neutral net sales of adidas performance basketball products fell 21% from the same period in 2025, while net sales of all performance sports gear rose 39%, according to Sportico.
Under Armour told investors in August it would cut a further 25% of products from production over the next 18 months, according to Sportico. That reset follows the end of Under Armour's marketing relationships with Stephen Curry, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Plum.
The league's position
Unrivaled announced Aug. 26 that its Series C round, led by Ten Pillars Sports Fund, surpassed a $100 million target at a league valuation of $650 million, up from $340 million after its September 2025 Series B. The league said its players are its largest shareholder group, with the player equity pool valued at close to $200 million.
The league has eight clubs and 54 players. Season 3 tips off in January 2027 on TNT Sports. After playing its first two seasons at its Miami base, with road games in Philadelphia and Brooklyn in Season 2, Unrivaled will play in stadiums across the U.S. in 2027, according to Sportico.
Plum's move to adidas was covered by Uristocrat in June, less than two weeks after Stephen Curry signed a 10-year shoe deal with Li-Ning after his Under Armour split. Uristocrat also reported on co-founder Napheesa Collier's surgery during Unrivaled's second season.
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