UpShot League

The UpShot League
SportWomen's basketball
FoundedJanuary 27, 2025; 21 months ago (2025-01-27)
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
FounderAndy Kaufmann
Mark Walsh
Donna Orender
First season2026
CommissionerTaj McWilliams-Franklin
(Deputy Commissioner / Acting)
No. of teams4
CountryUnited States
Headquarters3605 Philips Hwy,
Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
ContinentNorth America
Most recent
champion
Charlotte Crown (2026)
WebsiteUpShotLeague.com
Current sports event 2026–27

The UpShot League (often stylized as UPSHOT or Upshot) is a professional women's basketball league in the United States. Former WNBA player Taj McWilliams-Franklin serves as the deputy commissioner of the league.

The league began play on May 15, 2026, with four inaugural teams. The UpShot League's regular-season schedule will consist of 34 games, including 17 at home and 17 on the road. The league has announced plans to hold a player draft following the 2027 WNBA draft.

History

Launch

On January 27, 2025, Zawyer Sports & Entertainment CEO Andy Kaufmann announced the creation of the UpShot League, a professional women's basketball league based in the southeastern United States to provide opportunities for players unable to secure WNBA roster spots. Former WNBA president Donna Orender was named commissioner of the league.

Clockwise from top left: Cheryl Miller; Ann Meyers Drysdale; Patric Young; Annie Q. Riegel

Early investors included Cheryl Miller, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Seniesa Estrada, Patric Young, and Annie Q. Riegel. In March 2026, Tamika Catchings joined the league as an advisor and investor.

The league established inaugural franchises in Jacksonville, Savannah, Greensboro, and Charlotte for its 2026 debut season. The teams were later named the Waves, Steel, Groove, and Crown, respectively.

Inaugural season build-up

The league announced its inaugural game would be played May 15, 2026 between the Jacksonville Waves and Charlotte Crown.

Jasmine Walker (left) and Asia "AD" Durr (right), two of the league's inaugural signees

Ahead of its inaugural season, the league announced its first player signings. The group featured former WNBA first-round picks Jasmine Walker and Asia "AD" Durr, as well as Lindsey Pulliam, Amiya Joyner, Que Morrison, and Schaquilla Nunn. The league also held regional tryouts.

In May 2026, the league announced sponsorship agreements with sporting goods manufacturer Molten and Shaquille O'Neal's Dunkman brand, which would produce league uniforms.

Player development

In July 2026, Michelle Onyiah became the first player in UpShot League history to sign with a WNBA team when she joined the Indiana Fever on a developmental roster contract. Onyiah had played for the Charlotte Crown during the league's inaugural season, averaging 9.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in 21 games before signing with Indiana.

Postseason

In July 2026, the league announced that its inaugural championship game would be held at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, on August 29, 2026. The championship will feature the top two teams in the regular-season standings. During the announcement, commissioner Donna Orender also announced that the league's Most Valuable Player award would be named in honor of Ann Meyers Drysdale.

Expansion

In November 2025, the league's first expansion team, the Baltimore Starlings, was announced. A second expansion team, the Nashville Vibe, was announced in April 2026.

Kaufmann announced in May 2026 that the expansion plan was to reach further than the southeastern United States and to include up to 30 teams. He said, "2027, looking at six to eight teams. 2028, ten to twelve teams, and on and on we go on our way to thirty teams."

Teams

UpShot League teams
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230km
143miles
BAL
TB
SAV
NSH
JAX
GSO
CLT
Location of UpShot League teams:
Current Expansion

As of 2026, the league feature four teams, all based in the southeastern United States.

UpShot League teams
Team Location Venue Cap First
Charlotte Crown Charlotte, NCBojangles Coliseum8,6002026
Greensboro Groove Greensboro, NCNovant Health Fieldhouse2,1182026
Jacksonville Waves Jacksonville, FLVyStar Veterans Memorial Arena14,0912026
Savannah Steel Savannah, GAEnmarket Arena7,4852026
Future UpShot League teams
Team Location Venue Cap First
Baltimore Starlings Catonsville, MDChesapeake Employers Insurance Arena5,5002027
Nashville Vibe Nashville, TNMemorial Gymnasium14,3162027
UpShot New England New EnglandTBATBA2027
UpShot Tampa Tampa, FLYuengling Center10,5002027

Timeline

Nashville VibeBaltimore StarlingsSavannah SteelJacksonville WavesGreensboro GrooveCharlotte Crown

Operations

The UpShot League is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and is operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment.

In May 2026, league officials stated that the organization had secured $40 million in investment commitments from approximately 90 investors and financial partners ahead of its debut season. Kaufmann stated that the league's revenue model would rely primarily on sponsorships and ticket sales rather than media-rights agreements and merchandise revenue.

From left to right: Orender (center) and McWilliams-Franklin

Key personnel

Investors

Leadership changes

On September 14, 2026, the Upshot League announced that co-founder and inaugural commissioner Donna Orender stepped down from her position on August 31 following the conclusion of the league's first season. Following her departure, VP of Basketball Operations Taj McWilliams-Franklin was promoted to deputy commissioner to help lead the league through its transition period, while former NBA player and Jacksonville, Florida-native Dee Brown was named the new VP of basketball operations.

Broadcast coverage

For its inaugural season, the league announced that 15 games will air nationally on the Scripps Sports Network, with the remainder of the games airing on the league's YouTube channel. The league also reached agreements with local over-the-air networks including WCCB in Charlotte (34 games), WMYV in Greensboro (7 games), WJXT/WCWJ in Jacksonville (9 games), and WJCL/WRDW-TV in Savannah.

References

  1. ↑ "Upshot League". Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Professional Women's Development Basketball Team Coming to Charlotte, as part of New 'UPSHOT League' | Upshot League". Retrieved May 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ Lanier, Kendall (April 18, 2026). "Upshot League expanding to Nashville in 2027". WKRN. Retrieved April 20, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Bonts, Mike. "Zawyer Sports Announces New Basketball League". JacksonvilleSportsToday.com. Wordpress. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Jacksonville Waves, new women's basketball squad, introduce first head coach". FirstCoastNews.com. First Coast News. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Tamika Catchings Joins the UPSHOT League as Advisor and Investor, Alongside Cheryl Miller and Ann Meyers Drysdale". GJSentinel.com. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. March 13, 2026. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  7. ↑ West, Rachel. "New Savannah professional women's basketball team announces name, logo, and head coach". WTOC.com. WTOC. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ Roberts, Jeff. "New professional women's basketball team coming to Savannah as founding member of UpShot League". WTOC.com. WTOC. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ Mull, Malea. "Professional women's basketball is coming to Greensboro in 2026". SpectrumLocalNews.com. Spectrum News 1. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  10. ↑ Allman, Megan. "UPSHOT Women's Basketball League unveils new Greensboro team name and head coach". WFMYNews2.com. WFMY. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  11. ↑ Tucker, Luke. "Charlotte gets pro women's basketball team amid launch of new league". WBTV.com. WBTV. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ruder, Miles. "Charlotte to welcome a professional women's basketball team as part of new 'UPSHOT League'". WCCBCharlotte.com. WCCB Charlotte. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  13. 1 2 Mahoney, Ashley. "Charlotte's new pro women's basketball team reveals name and head coach". Axios.com. Axios. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
  14. ↑ "The dates are set. A new season brings new opportunities as our communities rise together. Players shine, fans connect, and joy multiplies in every arena. The Future is UP!🏀". X.com. UPSHOT League. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  15. ↑ Freeman, Clayton (February 16, 2026). "Jacksonville Waves women's basketball announces inaugural schedule". Jacksonville.com. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved February 18, 2026.
  16. ↑ "UPSHOT League Unveils First Premier Players Ahead of Inaugural Season with Final Rosters Announced May 8". SWXLocalSports.com. KHQ, INCORPORATED. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  17. ↑ Dorsch, Eric (February 10, 2026). "UPSHOT League announces tryouts for upcoming women's basketball season". Sports.Yahoo.com. Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  18. 1 2 Anderson, Ric (May 6, 2026). "Jacksonville-based UpShot League says it will start play with $40 million in investment". Jacksonville Daily Record. Retrieved May 7, 2026.
  19. ↑ Northam, Mitchell (July 31, 2026). "Indiana Fever sign Michelle Onyiah, first from Upshot League to play in WNBA". USAToday.com. USA Today. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  20. ↑ Brown, Will (July 22, 2026). "Upshot League announces inaugural championship location". JaxToday.org. Jax Today. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  21. 1 2 Ahearn, Cale. "UPSHOT League announces new Baltimore professional women's basketball team". FoxBaltimore.com. Fox 5 News. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Perez, Sam (April 9, 2026). "Nashville getting its own professional women's basketball team". WBIR.com. WBIR. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  23. ↑ Hunter, Xavier (May 7, 2026). "Upshot League nears launch with eye on national growth". SportsBusinessJournal.com. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  24. ↑ UpShot League [@upshotleague] (September 25, 2026). "Congratulations to the @ConnecticutSun on an incredible run and for delivering more than two decades of elite basketball to the W! 👏 New England fans — you'll have a new team to root for in 2027. Stay tuned. 👀" (Tweet). Retrieved September 25, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  25. ↑ Freeman, Clayton (January 27, 2025). "Upshot: Jacksonville to welcome new professional women's basketball league". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved February 12, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  26. ↑ Northam, Mitchell (September 14, 2026). "Former WNBA president Donna Orender out as commissioner of Upshot League". USAToday.com. USA Today. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  27. ↑ "The UPSHOT League Announces Expansive Multi-Platform Media Distribution for Inaugural 2026 Season". UpShot League. May 18, 2026. Retrieved July 13, 2026.