Unrivaled Prepares for Season Two With Big Names and Gamecock Ties
Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 women’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is building momentum for its second season by rolling out its roster of 48 players.
The league debuted last spring, running an eight-week season from January through March in a custom-built Miami facility. Its mission is to provide WNBA players a competitive offseason option within the U.S., rather than overseas.
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley is among the league’s investors, and the program already has strong ties to Unrivaled. Last season, Gamecock alumnae Allisha Gray and Aliyah Boston suited up, and this year Staley had a league-high eight former players appear in the WNBA playoffs.
Player reveals for season two began on Sept. 22, with six new names announced each weekday through Oct. 1. Rosters will be finalized in November, and the season tips off Jan. 5 with two additional teams added, expanding the league from six clubs to eight.
South Carolina Connections
- Allisha Gray
Gray spent one season at South Carolina (2016–17) after transferring from North Carolina. The 6-foot guard was drafted No. 4 overall in 2017 by the Dallas Wings, where she played five seasons before joining the Atlanta Dream in 2023. She recently wrapped up her third season with Atlanta.
Will A’ja Wilson Join?
While A’ja Wilson opted not to play last year, she wasn’t alone—other stars, including Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, also chose to sit out.
Dawn Staley’s Role
Ahead of the inaugural season, Staley explained why she invested in Unrivaled, saying her support went beyond finances.
“I think it’s going to be a success and I would have supported it without monetarily supporting it just because I am a fan and enthusiast of women’s basketball,” Staley said back on Jan. 15.
Staley coached both Stewart and Collier during Team USA’s gold-medal run at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and vouched for Collier’s character and work ethic.
“I believe in people,” Staley said. “Napheesa was somebody that I coached and somebody that I know, and someone who works hard. She’s a hard worker, she doesn’t take a play off so you know you can back people who they’re going to do whatever they need to do to make it be successful.”
Ta’Niya Latson Signs On
New South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson, who transferred from Florida State this offseason, is also tied to the league. In July, she was among 14 college players to sign an NIL deal with Unrivaled. Latson led the nation in scoring in 2024–25, averaging 25.2 points per game.
