On Monday, Unrivaled held its media day, and the vibes were generally upbeat.
Sure, the WNBA and WNBPA are still battling things out for a new collective bargaining agreement, and it still feels as though both sides are very far apart.
However, sometimes all you need is to focus on hoops and get away from the tensions of the negotiation table. Regardless of the WNBA situation, Unrivaled is set to start on Jan. 5 and players seem eager to start. Last year the 3×3 league had a great inaugural season
and Season 2 is set up to be even better.
With new players and old favorites returning, now is as good a time as any to take a look at what Unrivaled players all women’s basketball fans should be watching this January.
Cameron Brink (Breeze BC)
Cameron Brink returned in the middle of the 2025 WNBA season for the Los Angeles Sparks, but she clearly was still getting her conditioning back after a long recovery from the ACL injury she suffered during her rookie season.
Now that she’s even further removed from that situation, she can hit the ground running at Unrivaled and play to the best of her ability for Breeze BC.
Brink is already a dominant defensive player, but her offense could use some development. With Unrivaled’s condensed full-court 3×3 format, she’ll have space to operate and focus on her outside shot, as well as show off her versatile, positionless skillset.
While Brink will be making her Unrivaled debut this year, she’s comfortable in 3×3 play. Brink played for Team USA in the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Austria. She was supposed to represent Team USA in 3×3 at the 2024 Olympics, but her ACL tear prevented her from participating.
Unrivaled doesn’t replace that missed opportunity, but it provides a setting to showcase what she can do and get her ready for her third WNBA season. Considering she only played 19 games in 2025 and 15 in 2024, Brink could use all the game experience possible, and fans won’t have to wait much longer to see what she can do.
Alyssa Thomas (Laces BC)
If you want to watch the very best play at a high level, then every game Alyssa Thomas plays for Laces BC should be prioritized this winter.
She is coming off another All-WNBA First Team season, where she also finished third in MVP voting and helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA Finals. They ultimately fell short, but perhaps she can win it all at Unrivaled with Laces.
Given her resume, there isn’t much left for Thomas to prove, but this is a chance for one of the best to get even better.
Paige Bueckers (Breeze BC)
Paige Bueckers is coming off a historic rookie season in the WNBA, but getting in some work in Unrivaled should help her really hit the ground running for her sophomore year with the Dallas Wings.
It’ll be interesting to see how her game translates to 3×3. She already has experience in this setting, playing with Team USA’s U19 team back in 2019, but it’s been a while.
Let’s see how she plays with Breeze, what parts of her game she’s been working on and if she can win the 1-on-1 tournament.
Saniya Rivers (Hive BC)
Saniya Rivers was one of the most exciting rookies in the WNBA this season. She averaged 8.8 points, 2.7 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for the Connecticut Sun.
Now, she will play with Hive BC, giving her the opportunity to build off her great start to her professional career.
Rivers is a dynamic defensive player, and with the speed and pace of Unrivaled being so blistering, she should have plenty of opportunities to be a disruptive, impactful player.
While Rivers played well in the WNBA, the full breadth of her game is still a bit unknown, as the Sun spent all the 2025 WNBA season near the bottom of the standings. The more competitive context of Unrivaled should put her game on a larger stage, letting everyone see what makes her so good.
Dominique Malonga (Breeze BC)
Dominique Malonga is quickly looking like she could be the future of women’s basketball. If her rookie season is any indicator, she will be one of the most dominant players for years to come.
Adding her to Breeze alongside Bueckers and Brink makes them a very compelling team to watch.
Breeze can go big and have Malonga and Brink on the court at the same time, or they can go smaller with Aari McDonald. They can also play Rickea Jackson and have the best of both worlds with size and speed.
Regardless, Malonga will be a major factor in Breeze’s success this year. My guess is she’ll be great. Either way, I’ll be tuning in—and you should too.
