Ranking each Unrivaled roster in 2026, from Paige Bueckers’ Breeze to Kelsey Plum’s Phantom

Ranking each Unrivaled roster in 2026, from Paige Bueckers’ Breeze to Kelsey Plum’s Phantom originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After announcing its 48-player pool for the 2026 season, Unrivaled on Wednesday revealed the official rosters for its second season, which tips off Jan. 5 in Miami.

With six players per roster, and two new teams entering the fray, the second season of Unrivaled is certain to have plenty more high-octane 3-on-3 action, with returning WNBA stars squaring off against newcomers like Paige Bueckers in the offseason league.

Below is the first power ranking of the eight teams in Unrivaled, not including the six-player development pool of Laeticia Amihere, Emily Engstler, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, Makayla Timpson and Hailey Van Lith.

8. Hive BC

Head coach: Rena Wakama

One of two new franchises in Unrivaled, Hive BC has two All-Star guards in Sonia Citron and Kelsey Mitchell, along with an All-Star big in Ezi Magbegor. If those three players mesh, the Hive can best anyone.

Behind them, Natisha Hiedeman is a gifted scorer; Saniya Rivers is a gifted defender. Monique Billings offers toughness and rebounding in the frontcourt.

7. Vinyl BC

%3Cmeta%20charset%3D%22UTF-8%22%20%2F%3E

Head coach: Teresa Weatherspoon

Vinyl BC has a lot of offensive potential. Rhyne Howard is a literal 3-on-3 Olympian and will assume much of the scoring load here. In Brittney Griner and Dearica Hamby, coach Teresa Weatherspoon has two All-Star bigs with WNBA titles on their resumes; Hamby just had the best offensive season of her career for the Los Angeles sparks.

Courtney Williams’ defensive tenacity and mid-range jumper offer a great complement to Howard’s deep shooting, while Rae Burrell and Erica Wheeler are microwave scorers who can catch fire at anytime.

6. Laces BC

Head coach: Andrew Wade

Laces BC is likely to go as Alyssa Thomas goes. The Mercury star just led Phoenix to the WNBA Finals with her unique combination of vision, strength and defensive IQ — all of which should be on display in Miami.

Lineups with Thomas and Atlanta Dream guard Jordin Canada will offer a lot of playmaking promise. The Aces’ Jackie Young is an elite scorer, while Canada’s Dream teammate Naz Hillmon won Sixth Player of the Year on the strength of her newly-developed 3-point shot.

Brittney Sykes and Maddy Siegrist complete an intriguing roster. Sykes, a first-time All-Star in 2025, has a great mid-range shot, while Siegrist has great touch around the rim and saw her scoring average jump to 12.7 points per game in her third WNBA season.

5. Phantom BC

{C}%3C!%2D%2D%253Cmeta%2520charset%253D%2522UTF-8%2522%2520%252F%253E%2D%2D%3E

Head coach: Roneeka Hodges

Under a new coach in 11-year WNBA veteran Roneeka Hodges, Phantom BC should improve from their 4-10 showing in 2025. This is a deep roster that may be a little light on shooting but is another team with a couple true defensive anchors.

Kelsey Plum is one of the most electrifying guards in the WNBA, while the skilled and tenacious Natasha Cloud should be a solid complement in the Phantom backcourt. Satou Sabally is a natural fit in 3-on-3 basketball, and Aliyah Boston is an elite defender. Dana Evans helped shoot the Las Vegas Aces to a WNBA championship last month, while Kiki Iriafen is already on an elite big trajectory after one season in the W.

4. Mist BC

%3Cmeta%20charset%3D%22UTF-8%22%20%2F%3E

Head coach: %3Cmeta%20charset%3D%22UTF-8%22%20%2F%3EZach O’Brien

Mist BC should have the best defense in Unrivaled. Alanna Smith was just named WNBA co-Defensive Player of the Year. Breanna Stewart is a seven-time All-Defense selection. Veronica Burton and Allisha Gray are two of the best defensive guards in the league. Li Yueru is a skilled big and a solid rebounder.

Carrying the load offensively will be Gray, Stewart and Arike Ogunbowale — who can be inefficient but has the talent and shooting ability to steal games, especially when a strong defense is behind her. I like this team; they could make some noise in Miami.

3. Lunar Owls BC

Head coach: DJ Sackmann

Lunar Owls BC finished as the runners-up in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, but going one better in 2026 will hinge on the stability of Napheesa Collier’s ankle. The Minnesota Lynx superstar — and the first Unrivaled MVP — tore three ligaments in her left ankle during the WNBA semifinals; if her contributions are muted; this team’s ceiling lowers considerably.

That said, Lunar Owls can throw sharpshooters like Bec Allen, Rachel Banham and Marina Mabrey against their rivals. Skylar Diggins is one of the most dynamic guards in the league, and Aaliyah Edwards is a supremely-skilled forward who finished runner-up to Collier in the 1-on-1 Tournament that Unrivaled held in midseason.

2. Rose BC

Head coach: Nola Henry

Rose BC must be respected as Unrivaled’s defending champion. Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper have won a combined five WNBA championships; with Gray’s playmaking and Copper’s elite scoring, this is one of the best backcourt duos in the competition. Azurá Stevens has great floor-stretching ability, while Lexie Hull’s shooting has game-changing potential. Shakira Austin is a supremely-talented forward, and Sug Sutton is a reliable floor general with a good 3-point shot.

1. Breeze BC

Head coach: Noelle Quinn

Breeze BC may well be favored to win the whole thing. The other new Unrivaled franchise boasts the top two picks from the 2025 WNBA Draft, as well as two top-five picks from the 2024 draft and another former top-three pick in Aari McDonald.

Bueckers’ stellar playmaking should make her an instant star in 3-on-3 hoops. Dominique Malonga protects the rim and stretches the floor; she may be an even-more ideal fit for this format. Rickea Jackson is one of the WNBA’s best young scorers, while Kate Martin has stuck in the W thanks to her long-distance shooting.

Then there is Cameron Brink, who missed Unrivaled last year due to a knee injury. Another stellar rim protector and an emerging floor-spacer, Brink is another player with game-altering potential, completing what looks like a scary roster led by former Seattle Storm coach Noelle Quinn.

More WNBA news:

Source link