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Unrivaled 2026 preview: Can Rose repeat? Will Paige Bueckers excel?

Meghan L. Hall, USA TODAYJanuary 5, 2026 at 4:03 AM

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The 2026 Unrivaled season kicks off on Monday, Jan. 5, with more teams, competition and prize money.The Miami-based 3-on-3 league debuted in 2025 with 3 million viewers its opening weekend. Unrivaled highlighted some of the best players in the WNBA with game-winning shots, historic dunks and an intense 1-on-1 tournament.

The league's co-founders, WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, came up with the idea as a way to keep players stateside during the offseason while improving skills and staying in shape. Unrivaled did more than get players ready for another WNBA season. It helped grow women's basketball.

“With [Napheesa Collier] and [Breanna Stewart] being the founders, you just want to support the women who came before you, and they continue to pave the way," Unrivaled rookie and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers said. "The WNBA season isn’t quite as long, so the fans, the spectators — the people that are supporting us — don’t get to see us in the offseason, so to have that visibility, for people to continue to watch and support us in a different lens, in a different landscape, is really important.”

Here's a preview for the 2026 Unrivaled season including a look back at 2025, a sneak peek at what lies ahead and team rosters:

Can you give me a refresh on Unrivaled’s debut season?

Here are some of the top storylines of 2025:

The Lunar Owls' dominance: No team had a better regular season than the Lunar Owls. The club was loaded with talent including Napheesa Collier (25.7 points per game), Allisha Gray (19.2 ppg) and Skylar Diggins (17.9 ppg). Each finished in the top 10 in scoring, helping the Lunar Owls to the No. 1 playoff seed and a 13-1 record. DJ Sackmann also received Coach of the Year honors, and Collier won MVP. The Owls fell 73-70 to Vinyl in the semifinals, on a game-winning layup by Dearica Hamby.

Napheesa Collier winning the 1-on-1 tournament: Collier is one of the best 1-on-1 players in the WNBA. So, it wasn't shocking to see her elite two-way skills transfer to Unrivaled. With a $200,000 individual cash prize (plus $10,000 for each of her Unrivaled teammates), Collier won the single-elimination competition while making light work of Katie Lou Samuelson, Rickea Jackson, Azurá Stevens, plus breakout tournament star Aaliyah Edwards, en route to the league's first title.

Rose BC winning its first title: Rose had a rough start, opening the season with a 1-4 record. However, in month two, the club found its stride, thanks to heavy lifting from its top three players: Angel Reese, Chelsea Gray, and Brittney Sykes. Rose won all five of its February games, led by a surge from Gray, who averaged 24.2 points on 51% shooting, and Reese, who had four double-doubles (including the league's first 20-20 game), during the stretch. Reese also led the team in blocked shots (0.6 per game) while anchoring the defense. Rose finished with an 8-6 overall record, second in the league standings, before winning its first title in March over Vinyl BC.

What about the 2025 Unrivaled end of season awards?

Here's a look at the players who stood out in the first season of the 3-on-3 league:

MVP: Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier

Defensive Player of the Year: Rose forward Angel Reese

Coach of the Year: Lunar Owls head coach DJ Sackmann

First-team All-Unrivaled:

Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier (averaged a league-leading 25.7 points per game, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 61.3% shooting with seven double-doubles)

Rose guard Chelsea Gray (averaged a league-leading 5.4 assists per game, 21.4 points with league-best six winning shots)

Laces guard Kayla McBride (third in total scoring, averaged 22.2 points, second in made 3-pointers with 41)

Second-team All-Unrivaled:

Lunar Owls guard Skylar Diggins-Smith (averaged 17.9 points per game, second in assists per game with 4.8)

Vinyl guard Rhyne Howard (league-leading 46 3-pointers, fourth in points per game, averaged 20.5 points)

Rose forward Angel Reese (league-leading 12.2 rebounds per game, averaged 13.1 points, second in double-doubles with eight)

Can Rose BC win back-to-back Unrivaled titles?

Winning another championship could prove to be an uphill battle for Rose. The club is returning all but two starters this season. However, operating without one of them, Angel Reese, could prove challenging. Part of what made Rose's championship run so impressive was the electric chemistry between Reese and Chelsea Gray. Their synergy and near-symmetrical rise in offensive production helped elevate Rose to one of the premier teams in the league.

Reese's defensive presence became a catalyst for constant disruption, even against opponents that seemingly had more offensive weapons. Rose will have to lean on forwards Azurá Stevens and Shakira Austin to replace Reese's production and defensive dominance. They'll also need help from newcomer Sug Sutton to replace the 11.6 points per game from guard Brittney Sykes, who is now on the Laces.

“"We’re really excited about the two new faces we have with Rose [BC], and they bring really great things that we need," guard Lexie Hull said. "Moving forward, we’ll bring that energy and those relationships we made from last year, but this is a new year. Starting fresh, building together, getting to know each other off and on the court, I think that’s what we’re really going to focus on in the first few weeks … It’s exciting.”

What are the changes for Unrivaled Season 2?

After the league's first season, Collier shared with USA TODAY's For The Win that she and Stewart surpassed many of the goals they set for the league. They raised more money than projected to pay players, helped players hone skills, became culturally relevant and elevated personal brands. How does the league improve in 2026?

“We’re adding two new clubs. We’re adding more players. We’re adding [a] player development pool," Stewart said about the Unrivaled's changes from Year 1 to Year 2. "We care about this game, and we care about really growing it and valuing our players. You see that with what we’re doing."

Here's a list of key changes Unrivaled made for Season Two:

Unrivaled expanded from six to eight teams, adding Hive BC and Breeze BC and a player development pool. The total number of player spots now stands at 54.

There will be a tour stop in Philadelphia, where Breeze, Phantom, Rose and Lunar Owls clubs will play two games each.

Players will compete in a $50,000 free throw challenge.

Back-to-back games have been eliminated by adding a fourth night of games. Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday will be game days.

More than 75% of Unrivaled athletes are signed to multiyear deals or extensions. Many players are signed through 2028.

Which players could be primed for breakout seasons?

More than 20 new players have joined Unrivaled. Breeze forward Cameron Brink missed 2025 while recovering from an injury suffered during her WNBA rookie season. Phantom guard Kelsey Plum chose to forego the 2025 season to prioritize her health.Both should thrive in Unrivaled and need to be on the early list of breakout candidates. Brink won gold in the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and Plum won an Olympic gold medal in 3x3 basketball during the 2020 Tokyo Games.

"I have a special love for 3-on-3, especially, so it means a lot that I get to be back here," Brink said about playing in Unrivaled.

Brink also believes rookie Paige Bueckers could be poised for a huge season."Her midrange game is really gonna tear people up, but also she’s actually a really great defender, which I think she doesn’t get enough credit for," Brink said of Bueckers. "She’s actually really solid on the defensive end."

Here's a list of other players who could have huge seasons:

Mist guard Veronica Burton: Three-time FIBA 3x3 Medalist

Hive guard Kelsey Mitchell: First in WNBA in made 3-pointers (111)

Lunar Owls guard Rachel Banham: Seventh in WNBA in made 3-pointers (86)

2026 Unrivaled club rosters

*Players making their Unrivaled debut

Breeze BC

Head coach: Noelle Quinn

*Paige Bueckers

Rickea Jackson

*Dominique Malonga

*Aari McDonald

Kate Martin

*Cameron Brink

(Cameron Brink was a member of the Lunar Owls last season, but did not play while recovering from an ACL injury. She is set to make her debut in 2026.)

Hive BC

Head coach: Rena Wakama

*Kelsey Mitchell

*Sonia Citron

*Ezi Magbegor

*Natisha Hiedeman

*Saniya Rivers

*Monique Billings

(Natisha Hiedeman was a member of Unrivaled last season as a relief player, but did not spend the entire season with one club.)

Laces BC

Head coach: Andrew Wade

Jackie Young

Brittney Sykes

Alyssa Thomas

Jordin Canada

*Maddy Siegrist

*Naz Hillmon

(Naz Hillmon was a member of Unrivaled last season as a relief player, but did not spend the entire season with one club.)

Lunar Owls BC

Head coach: DJ Sackmann

Skylar Diggins

Marina Mabrey

*Temi Fagbenle

*Rachel Banham

*Rebecca Allen

Aaliyah Edwards

(Temi Fagbenle replaces Napheesa Collier, who will miss the 2026 season following ankle surgery)

Mist BC

Head coach: Zach O’Brien

Allisha Gray

Breanna Stewart

*Alanna Smith

*Veronica Burton

Arike Ogunbowale

*Li Yueru

Phantom BC

Head coach: Roneeka Hodges

*Kelsey Plum

Satou Sabally

Aliyah Boston

*Dana Evans

Natasha Cloud

*Kiki Iriafen

(Kelsey Plum was invited to play in Unrivaled last season, but later declined her invite, opting to return for her first full year in 2026.)

Rose BC

Head coach: Nola Henry

Chelsea Gray

Kahleah Copper

*Sug Sutton

Azurá Stevens

Lexie Hull

Shakira Austin

Vinyl BC

Head coach: Teresa Weatherspoon

Courtney Williams

Rhyne Howard

Dearica Hamby

*Erica Wheeler

Rae Burrell

Brittney Griner

Developmental Pool -

Makayla Timpson

Hailey Van Lith

Aziaha James

Haley Jones

Emily Engstler

Laeticia Amihere

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Unrivaled 2026 preview: Can Rose repeat? Will Paige Bueckers excel?

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