Unrivaled Kicks Off with WNBA Stars
Unrivaled began on Monday, featuring 48 of the top players in the WNBA in a lively full-court 3-on-3 format. Chelsea Gray shone, racking up 35 points and eight assists, leading her team, Lord’s, to a triumphant win. Meanwhile, Paige Backers made quite the debut, contributing 24 points and six assists to secure a victory for Hibs. Alisha Gray from Mist Club and Brittney Sykes from Race Club also showcased their talents with impressive performances.
Upcoming Matches Set for Friday Night
The four competing clubs are set to meet again this Friday evening. Vinyl will take on Rose at 7:30 PM, while Breeze will go against Hive at 8:45 PM. Fans can catch all the action on TNT and TruTV as part of the Miami-based Women’s Professional Basketball League’s second season, featuring notable players like Nafeesa Collier and Brianna Stewart.
Vinyl, still searching for their first win of the season, currently holds a record of 0-1. They are led by Courtney Williams, Ryne Howard, Dearika Hamby, Erica Wheeler, and Ray Burrell. However, they’ll be missing Brittney Griner due to a lower right leg injury, with details about the injury not specified. They lost their opening game to Races, 58-42, and are hopeful for a better outcome this time around.
The Roses, with a record of 1-0, boast a roster including Chelsea Gray, Azula Stevens, Lexi Hull, Shakira Austin, and Sug Sutton. Unfortunately, they will not have Karlea Copper, who is sidelined with a lower right leg injury. They recently secured their first win of the season, beating the Lunar Owls 80-62.
As for Hive, they come into their second game of the season with a 0-1 record. Key players include Kelsey Mitchell, Sonia Citron, Ezzy Magbegor, Natisha Heedeman, Saniya Rivers, and Monique Billings. They suffered a loss against Mist, finishing 72-56 in their season opener.
The Brees, currently at 1-0, are led by Paige Backers along with Rikea Jackson, Dominic Malonga, Kate Martin, and Cameron Brink. However, they’ll be without Aari McDonald, who has injured her right foot during the opener. The Brees kicked off their season with a close win over the Phantoms, ending the game at 69-62.
Development Pool Available for Teams
If teams face a growing list of injuries, they can draw from the Unrivaled development pool for additional players. This pool includes talents like Chicago Sky guard Haley Van Lith, Dallas Wings guards Asiaha James and Haley Jones, Washington Mystics forward Emily Engstler, Golden State Valkyries forward Leticia Amihere, Indiana Fever forward Makayla Timpson, and former WNBA guard Kiana Williams.
These young players have been training at Unrivaled’s facilities in Miami throughout the summer, though they won’t be assigned to teams unless injuries require reinforcements. So far, team health remains stable in Week 1, which is fortunate.
