Indiana Fever forward Jantel Lavender is joining Athletes Unlimited, a player-driven women’s basketball league that is set to get underway in January 2022 with its first inaugural season.
On Monday, the AU league announced the addition of Lavender and nine other players including Tianna Hawkins, Odyssey Sims, and Courtney Williams.
They join the previously announced first three players of the league who also make up the Athletes Unlimited Basketball Player Executive Committee: Natasha Cloud of the Washington Mystics and WNBA veterans Sydney Colson and Ty Young.
In interview with Doug Feinberg, Lavender said Natasha Cloud reached out to her about joining the league.
“We talked about how WNBA players don’t always want to go overseas since we miss everything with our families,” Lavender shared.
“I have played 18 straight seasons with one week in between. It was taxing on my body. Being home this winter and working out, I have time to do recovery and do a lot of things that will help for the next WNBA season. In Athletes Unlimited, you can see what you worked on and feel our bodies.”
Overseen by Ilene Hauser, who is a former head of women’s basketball at Nike, and Kristen Miles, who previously worked at Monument Sports and Entertainment (MSE), this league will feature 44 players competing in a five-week season.
“Since the launch of Athletes Unlimited Basketball less than a month ago, we’ve had tremendous interest in and excitement for the league,” Athletes Unlimited CEO Jon Patricof said. “We are so excited to be adding these 10 talented players to our roster. We know that Las Vegas has been a great home for women’s basketball, and we only hope that we can add to and build on the momentum, success and fandom already in place.”
Running from January 26 to February 26, 2022, the season will take place in Athletes Unlimited Arena at the Sport Center of Las Vegas, less than two miles from the Las Vegas Strip.