Unrivaled has released their rosters. What is most exciting about each team?
Unrivaled is quickly approaching! Teams have now been released and with never before seen team combinations, what is most exciting about each?
Early on Wednesday, Unrivaled released their team rosters with the six coaches working together to create the most even teams possible by picking players from each of the available draft pods. While there are 36 roster spots, only 34 players have been revealed. Two teams remain with “wildcard” spots that will be filled by unsigned players.
What is the most exciting thing to look forward to for each team? Let’s dive in.
Vinyl Basketball Club
Players: Arike Ogunbowale, Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston, Jordin Canada, Rae Burrell, Dearica Hamby
Coach: Teresa Weatherspoon
Standout Aspect: Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard on the same team is incredibly interesting. Two super ball dominant scorers. During the roster selection, the coaches deemed this an intriguing growth opportunity for the two players to learn how to play off another guard of a similar archetype. T-Spoon is going to have a unique challenge on her hands with it but getting both guards on the same page alongside talented bigs like Aliyah Boston and Dearica Hamby? Incredibly fun possibilities.
Rose Basketball Club
Players: Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, Angel Reese, Brittney Sykes, Lexie Hull, Azurá Stevens
Coach: Nola Henry
Standout Aspect: Chelsea Gray passing to Angel Reese. Not to oversimplify things but…Chelsea Gray passing to Angel Reese. That is going to be so much fun to watch and the prospect of Gray getting to open up the passing bag even more in a 3x3 environment has me thinking she has passes the basketball world has never seen before locked and loaded for Unrivaled.
Mist Basketball Club
Players: Jewell Loyd, DiJonai Carrington, Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vandersloot, Rickea Jackson, Aaliyah Edwards
Coach: Phil Handy
Standout Aspect: Phil Handy is one of the basketball world’s most notable skill developers. And you pair Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards up with him AND Breanna Stewart to learn from? This is an incredible opportunity for both young players to add a ton to their game by the wealth of knowledge surrounding them. Also Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd going after a championship together, where have I seen that before?
Lunar Owls Basketball Club
Players: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Allisha Gray, Napheesa Collier, Natasha Cloud, Wildcard, Shakira Austin
Coach: DJ Sackmann
Standout Aspect: Our first wildcard comes into play. Looking at the current five on the roster, I am ultimately super excited to see Skylar Diggins-Smith and Natasha Cloud on the same roster and going dawg mentality for dawg mentality. Are there reviews in Unrivaled? If so this team will average the most finger twirls asking for one. Watching these two guards build on the energy the other one brings should be electric.
Phantom Basketball Club
Players: Jackie Young, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Tiffany Hayes, Wildcard, Brittney Griner
Coach: Adam Harrington
Standout Aspect: Phantom Basketball for me is the more interesting wildcard selection than Lunar Owls. We don’t have any indication as to who will be filling the spots but I can’t help but be intrigued by who will fill this spot on the only team that doesn’t have an All-WNBA player from last season.
Laces Basketball Club
Players: Kelsey Plum, Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas, Courtney Williams, Kate Martin, Stefanie Dolson
Coach: Andrew Wade
Standout Aspect: Alyssa Thomas and Courtney Williams, you ready for some spacing? The shooters on this team feel like they should make life so much easier for those two who have the chance to heat up in their own right. Also Courtney Williams in an environment like this seems like it is going to be so much fun.