The WNBA’s Connecticut Sun have moved to Houston and become the Comets, but professional women’s basketball will still be played in New England in 2027.
On Thursday, Nov. 12, the Upshot League announced its eighth franchise in Providence, Rhode Island. The yet-to-be-named team will play at the Amica Mutual Pavilion and is one of four new teams in the developmental professional women’s basketball league that will tip-off in 2027.
Previously announced, the other new teams joining the league are in Baltimore, Nashville and Tampa. They join the founding teams based in Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The team in Providence will be operated by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment – which owns and operates
the Upshot League – and backed by an investor group led by board chair and managing partner Mark Walsh.
Fans can submit their ideas to name the franchise at ProvidenceUpshot.com.
"This region has a rich history of world-class basketball," Walsh said in a statement. "Providence is a basketball city. This community knows great basketball. Women’s sports are having a moment that is here to stay, and we want to give young girls across Rhode Island and the region a team to call their own – professional athletes they can see, meet, and look up to right here at home."
The Upshot League was founded by Zawyer CEO Andy Kaufmann and former WNBA President Donna Orender, whose tenure as the league’s first commissioner ended Aug. 31. Orender often described it as an "opportunity league." Put simply, while the Upshot is not directly affiliated with the WNBA, the league aims to be the equivalent of the NBA’s G-League in the women’s basketball ecosystem.
A search for the next commissioner of the Upshot League is underway. Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Taj McWilliams-Franklin is its deputy commissioner.
"We see tremendous opportunity in the Rhode Island community with such a strong basketball presence and the potential to build meaningful connections with its fans," McWilliams-Franklin said in a statement. "As we continue to expand into New England, bringing the Upshot League to Providence is another important step in creating opportunities for players, growing the game, and building a league that communities can take pride in."
The Upshot League succeeded in sending players to the WNBA in its first season, as Michelle Onyiah signed with the Indiana Fever, Christyn Williams joined the Dallas Wings and Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda signed with the Los Angeles Sparks. Other Upshot players signed with WNBA teams after its season ended while players such as Deja Kelly parlayed her success in the Upshot to a contract with a pro team in Greece’s top division. Kelly also spent time with the Wings this past season after being named MVP of the Upshot’s championship game.
Big names in women’s basketball have also shown interest in the Upshot League as investors. Legends of the sport like Cheryl Miller, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Tamika Catchings and Chamique Holdsclaw are among the investors in the league.
The second season for the Upshot League begins in May 2027.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: After departure of WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, Upshot launches team in Providence
