The Unrivaled league has quickly established itself as the premier stage for elite preparation ahead of the WNBA season, providing high-octane competition while the professional basketball world waits for news on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). With negotiations between the players and Commissioner Cathy Engelbert still ongoing and a start date for the WNBA season yet to be set, the world’s best players have converged in Miami to stay sharp.
Following a successful inaugural season that saw Team Rose, anchored by Angel Reese and Chelsea Gray, take the crown, the league expanded this year to include new franchises like Hive and Breeze. Headlining Team Breeze is the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year, Paige Bueckers, who recently found herself at the center of a historic statistical chase.
Paige Bueckers Close to History Against Team Rose
In a highly anticipated showdown, Team Breeze looked to keep their winning momentum alive but ultimately fell in a 73-69 heartbreaker to the defending champions, Team Rose. The game turned into a personal masterclass for Chelsea Gray, who reminded everyone why she is the “Point Gawd” by exploding for 37 points and draining seven shots from beyond the arc. Gray, who trained alongside Bueckers and Caitlin Clark at the Team USA camp in Durham last month, had nothing but praise for the young star’s vision, and that vision was on full display throughout the night.
Bueckers dominated the floor for Breeze, finishing the game with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. While the performance was stellar, it left a lingering sense of “what if,” as she fell just one rebound and one assist shy of recording the first triple-double in Unrivaled history. Her four turnovers were the only real blemish on an otherwise superstar outing.
Interestingly, history almost broke the day before as well, when Kelsey Plum put up 38 points and 11 assists for Phantom BC, only to fall two rebounds short of that same elusive milestone. Her 38 points were the most in history until Dearica Hamby from Team Vinyl scored 40 the next day, setting the record for the most points in an unrivaled league game.
Paige Bueckers stands alone as the face of Unrivaled
As the season progresses, it has become increasingly clear that Bueckers is the undisputed focal point of the league. While the talent pool in Miami is deep, Bueckers possesses a level of fame and magnetic appeal that currently stands unrivaled. This spotlight has only intensified due to the absence of other major marquee names. Caitlin Clark has once again opted out of the league for a second straight season, leaving a massive void in the “superstar” narrative that Bueckers has been more than happy to fill.
Furthermore, the league is moving forward without its other original titan, Angel Reese. After winning the title and Defensive Player of the Year honors last season, Reese made the difficult decision to sit out this year’s Unrivaled campaign. Following a physically demanding season with the Chicago Sky that was cut short by injury, Reese has prioritized her mental and physical health, choosing to rest and recover rather than defend her title.
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