Project B will take its new global women’s basketball competition to China for its first tournament, with Hangzhou confirmed as the opening destination for a new international circuit scheduled to begin in January 2027.

The Hangzhou event will run from 19 to 24 January 2027 at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports AT Center Gymnasium. The six-team, five-on-five women’s competition will combine basketball with entertainment and cultural programming as Project B seeks to build a global platform for players and fans.  

The announcement was made in Hangzhou by Project B Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Russell Westbrook, Co-Founder and Chief Basketball Officer Alana Beard and Chinese basketball player Li Meng.

For Project B, choosing China as its first destination is part of a wider strategy to take women’s basketball directly to international audiences rather than concentrating competition in a single market.

The inaugural circuit is scheduled to include further stops in Valencia, Spain, from 12 to 21 March 2027 and Tokyo, Japan, from 26 March to 4 April. Project B describes the wider format as a global basketball grand prix spanning Asia, Europe and eventually the Americas.  

A New Global Platform for Women’s Basketball

Project B was conceived in 2023 by technology executives Grady Burnett and Geoff Prentice, with former WNBA player and champion Alana Beard taking responsibility for basketball strategy.

The platform is being built around five-on-five basketball and is designed to operate alongside existing basketball calendars. Its stated objective is to provide players with additional opportunities to compete internationally while introducing them to new audiences and markets.  

The women’s competition will feature six teams, with USA TODAY reporting that each team is planned to have 11 players. Project B has also said that participating athletes are expected to receive equity in the league, although salary details have not been publicly disclosed.  

The league’s games are planned to be distributed globally through YouTube, giving fans access without a traditional paid broadcast subscription.

That streaming-first approach is central to Project B’s model. Rather than relying exclusively on established sports broadcasting markets, the organisation is looking to combine live events with digital distribution and social media to reach audiences across different countries.

Hangzhou Opens the Circuit

Hangzhou was selected as the first host city partly because of its established basketball audience and its position as a major technology and innovation centre in China.

The city is also known internationally for West Lake and its cultural heritage, elements that Project B plans to incorporate into its wider event format.

The organisation says its competitions will combine basketball with local culture and entertainment rather than operating simply as a series of games.

That approach is reflected in the Hangzhou programme, which is being presented as a basketball and cultural experience for both international players and local audiences.  

For Li Meng, who will participate in Project B, the first event in China also provides an opportunity to introduce international teammates and players to her home country.

The Chinese player has been part of the project’s international roster and was involved in the announcement alongside Westbrook and Beard.  

A Roster of Established Women’s Basketball Talent

Project B has already attracted a number of established WNBA players.

Among those announced for the platform are Nneka Ogwumike, Azzi Fudd, Alyssa Thomas and Sophie Cunningham. Reuters has also reported the participation of other WNBA players including Jonquel Jones and Jewell Loyd.  

Fudd, the first overall selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft, previously confirmed that she would join Project B rather than playing in Unrivaled during the off-season. Reuters reported that her decision came in part because of the international nature of the new competition.  

Project B’s player recruitment is significant because the organisation is attempting to establish a new competition without positioning it as a replacement for existing women’s basketball leagues.

Instead, its leadership has said the calendar is being designed to avoid conflicts with the WNBA and international basketball schedules.

The intention is to create an additional playing and commercial opportunity for established players while allowing them to build audiences in markets outside North America.  

Alana Beard Brings Basketball Experience to the Project

A key figure behind Project B’s women’s competition is Alana Beard.

The former WNBA player spent 15 seasons in the league with the Washington Mystics and Los Angeles Sparks. She was a four-time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time member of the WNBA All-Defensive Team. She also won a WNBA championship with the Sparks in 2016.

Since retiring in 2020, Beard has moved into business and investment, including work in venture capital and technology.

At Project B, she serves as Co-Founder and Chief Basketball Officer, giving her responsibility for basketball strategy and the development of the competition.

Her role is particularly relevant to the league’s attempt to build a competition around players rather than simply using them as participants.

Project B says its platform is athlete-owned, with participating players expected to receive equity in the league.  

Russell Westbrook’s Role

Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook joined Project B’s founding team earlier this year as Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer.

Westbrook is expected to contribute to the league’s wider business and strategic direction, including its expansion across international markets.

His involvement gives Project B a high-profile connection to men’s basketball while the organisation initially places its competitive focus on the women’s game.  

The Hangzhou announcement also reflects that strategy, with Westbrook appearing alongside Beard and Li Meng at West Lake to introduce the first destination.

Project B is developing a men’s programme as well, but the women’s competition will launch first. Reuters reported that the men’s side remains under development, with Westbrook involved in its strategic planning.  

Seoul Training Camp Comes First

Before the competition reaches China, Project B’s players, coaches and basketball leadership will gather in Seoul.

The draft and training camp are scheduled for 6 to 12 January 2027.

The group will then travel to Hangzhou for the first competition from 19 to 24 January.

This means the Seoul camp will serve as the first major gathering of the inaugural roster before the players begin the international competition schedule.  

The format gives Project B a different structure from a conventional domestic league, where teams generally remain in their home cities throughout a season.

Instead, Project B intends to bring players and fans together in different international destinations, with each location becoming part of the wider event.

Why International Expansion Matters

Women’s basketball has developed a much larger international audience in recent years, while players increasingly have opportunities to build personal brands beyond their domestic competitions.

Project B is attempting to build on that change by combining elite competition with international travel, entertainment and digital distribution.

Its approach also reflects the increasingly global nature of the women’s basketball ecosystem.

Players from different countries can compete in the same event, while fans can follow the competition online regardless of where a tournament takes place.

For athletes, international exposure can create additional opportunities for sponsorship, commercial partnerships and audience growth.

For host cities, the model offers an opportunity to connect sport with tourism, entertainment, culture and local business activity.

Project B says its events are designed around that combination rather than basketball alone.  

A Streaming-First Approach

Another defining feature of the project is its distribution model.

Project B’s games are planned to stream live on YouTube, allowing fans around the world to watch without relying on traditional television distribution.

Host Broadcast Services, which has broadcast the FIFA World Cup since 2002, has been secured as the official broadcaster for the inaugural circuit.  

The approach gives Project B a direct relationship with its audience and allows the competition to reach markets where traditional sports broadcasting arrangements may be less established.

It also fits a generation of sports fans who increasingly discover competitions through digital platforms, social media and individual athletes rather than through conventional television channels.

For women’s basketball, that creates another potential route for international audience development.

Players as Stakeholders

One of Project B’s more distinctive features is its stated plan for participating athletes to receive equity in the league.

The organisation has not publicly disclosed salary figures, but USA TODAY reported that athletes are expected to hold equity and that the league has not yet announced its salary structure.  

The model places ownership and participation at the centre of Project B’s proposition.

It also reflects a broader shift in professional sport, where athletes are increasingly involved in business ventures, investment and commercial decision-making alongside their playing careers.

For a new women’s competition, giving players a stake in the platform could become an important part of how Project B positions itself within the wider sports industry.

Building Beyond One Tournament

The Hangzhou event is only the beginning of the planned circuit.

After China, Project B has confirmed Valencia and Tokyo as additional destinations in 2027, with the organisation stating that its wider ambitions extend to the Americas.  

The intention is to create a recurring international platform rather than a one-off exhibition.

That means Project B will need to build a sustainable relationship between players, host cities, sponsors, broadcasters and fans across multiple markets.

Its first season will provide an early test of that model.

For women’s basketball, however, the launch represents another attempt to create more international competition and new commercial opportunities for players.

The Road Ahead

Project B will begin its inaugural women’s competition with its draft and training camp in Seoul in January, before moving to Hangzhou for the first tournament.

With established WNBA players already committed, a streaming-first distribution model and further stops planned in Europe and Asia, the organisation is building a competition that aims to connect women’s basketball with a broader international audience.

The choice of Hangzhou as the opening destination also gives the project an opportunity to introduce its format in one of the world’s largest basketball markets.

For the players involved, the circuit offers another stage on which to compete and connect with fans.

For Project B, the objective is considerably broader: to create a global basketball platform in which women’s competition, international culture, entertainment and athlete participation form part of the same experience.