Houston's Comets return in 2027 through the Connecticut Sun relocation. Cleveland follows as the 16th team in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.
Open W Expansion →CHOOSE THE LEAGUE
Tease the stories apart.
Each league has its own child hub so franchise growth, market movement, roster opportunity and structural changes do not get flattened into one timeline.
The Founding Four are joined by Baltimore and Nashville for the league’s 2027 expansion season.
Open UPSHOT Expansion →Breeze and Hive join in Year Two, while players move across the original six clubs and the league’s player pool grows.
Open Unrivaled Expansion →Named teams arrive in 2026, weekly redrafts remain, and AU pauses basketball in 2027 while evaluating the next version.
Open AU Evolution →ONE WORD, DIFFERENT MEANINGS
What counts as expansion here?
New teams increase the league total. Relocations move an existing franchise without adding a team. Houston 2027 is the second kind.
More development clubs create additional professional roster opportunities.
Expansion adds both teams and more offseason jobs for elite players.
No permanent franchises. Growth is better measured through roster depth, branding, format and continuity.
Expansion Watch rule
Confirmed facts are treated as confirmed. Relocation is labeled relocation. Announced-but-unfinished pieces stay labeled pending. A future league change does not become “official” because it would make a prettier card.