MIAMI — Several WNBA front office executives traveled to South Florida this past weekend to tip off Unrivaled.
Some may have traveled for other purposes than supporting the new 3-on-3 basketball league.
Teams can begin negotiating with free agents starting Tuesday, but players cannot officially sign until Feb. 1. And Unrivaled could be the meeting place for general managers, agents and players this offseason.
“We have a ton of free agents here,” said Unrivaled co-founder Brianna Stewart. “The fact that there will be so many meetings is going to be really interesting. And it's like a one-stop shop for everything.”
Some of the most interesting free agents are joining Unrivaled, including Stewart himself, Sato Sabally and Alyssa Thomas. And do not think that the recruitment process has not yet begun among the players in the city.
Sabally joked that he has already received several free cups of coffee since arriving at Unrivaled.
“You can talk directly to other players and understand what kind of resources are out there and how important their team is to the owners. If there are owners of teams who don't prioritize the women's team. , they'll talk about that and that's a place I don't really want to go to,” Sabally said. “We always keep the lines of communication open because we are always competitive.”
With free agency starting Tuesday, here are the top 10 WNBA free agents.
1. Brianna Stewart
2024 team: freedom
Average for 2024: 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists
Don't worry, Liberty fans. Stewart will return to Brooklyn for a third season. Liberty newspaper named her a key player and has exclusive negotiating rights. The forward also spoke on this weekend's Unrivaled about Liberty's aim of winning another title in 2025.
2. Nneka Ogumike
2024 team: storm in seattle
Average for 2024: 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Ogwumike was one of last offseason's big free agent moves, signing with the Storm after spending the first 12 seasons of his WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks. Seattle was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but offseason comments suggest the forward intends to return for another season.
3. Kelsey Plumb
2024 team: Las Vegas Aces
Average for 2024: 17.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists
The Aces named Plum a core player, which automatically put a one-year supermax contract on the table worth $249,244. Still, the guard seems ready for a change of scenery and could be the centerpiece of a sign-and-trade scenario this offseason. The Golden State Valkyries could advance to the plum.
4. Sato Sabally
2024 team: dallas wings
Average for 2024: 17.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists
The Wings named Sabally a core player, but she has already indicated her time in Dallas is over. The forward wants to go to a franchise with better resources than what the Wings can offer. The Liberty and Indiana Fever are two teams that could land the 6-foot-4 unicorn.
5. Alyssa Thomas
2024 team: san, connecticut
Average for 2024: 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists
It's no wonder Taiyo named the forward a central player and wants her to return. I don't know right away whether or not I feel the same way. Thomas, who has finished in the top five in each of the past three MVP races, has expressed frustration with Connecticut's lack of civilian amenities. Having experienced unrivaled resources, that imbalance became even more apparent to her.
6. Emma Messeman
2024 team: Belgium (opts out of WNBA season)
Average for 2024: 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists (Olympic)
It has not been announced whether Messeman will return to the WNBA this season. She has not played in the league since 2022, instead spending the past two summers playing for the Belgium national team at the 2023 EuroBasket and the 2024 Paris Olympics. If she were to return, the forward would be a highly sought-after free agent with her versatile skills, including the ability to stretch the floor.
7. Kelsey Mitchell
2024 team: indiana fever
Average for 2024: 19.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Mitchell was one half of perhaps the WNBA's most exciting backcourt duo last season. She and Caitlin Clark helped the Fever achieve a great post-Olympic run and qualify for the postseason. Indiana has designated the guard as its centerpiece, and she appears ready to return.
8. Breonna Jones
2024 team: san, connecticut
Average for 2024: 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Jones spent the first eight years of his WNBA career with the Sun, helping lead Connecticut to six straight semifinal appearances. She has already been selected as a core player twice and cannot be drafted again, making her an unrestricted free agent. The center could follow former Sun coach Stephanie White to Indiana. Either way, any team that signs her will be getting a reliable and consistent post player.
9. Brittney Greiner
2024 team: phoenix mercury
Average for 2024: 17.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Greiner has played for the Mercury his entire WNBA career, and it doesn't look like that's going to change. The center called Phoenix “home” when Phoenix signed him to a one-year deal last offseason. Greiner seems likely to become a Mercury life form.
10. Dewana Bonner
2024 team: san, connecticut
Average for 2024: 15 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists
The Suns are arguably the most interesting team this offseason. Not only did they lose White, but their trio of star players are all free agents. Bonner is the oldest of the bunch, turning 38 in August, but remains one of the WNBA's most reliable players. Bonner's fiancée, Thomas, could remain in Connecticut because of the core designation, and the forward could also remain there.
