Latest news with #All-Unrivaled
Miami Herald
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
‘One of the best players.' Why Unrivaled gave Chelsea Gray the chance to show out
The past 17 months had been rather difficult for Chelsea Gray. During the 2023 WNBA Finals, Gray fractured her foot. When Gray returned in June 2024, she didn't look like herself and the media chatter was that she wouldn't be the same player. Then came subsequent criticism about her selection for the 2024 Women's Olympic team – especially considering Caitlin Clark's absence – followed by her Las Vegas Aces' loss in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Needless to say, Gray came to Unrivaled with a point to prove. 'Hell yeah there was motivation,' Gray said following her championship win, surrounded by teammates with bottles of champagne seemingly glued to their hands. She even admitted to having 'a little chip on my shoulder.' 'Last year was hard. It was rough. Even when I came back I wasn't 100%.' Under Gray's leadership, the Rose BC captured the inaugural Unrivaled championship. The 32-year-old known affectionately as the Point Gawd not only captured Playoffs MVP and All-Unrivaled first team honors but led in both assists and game-winners. And while the accolades are nice, Unrivaled gave Gray the opportunity to prove to everyone what she already knew: she ain't lost a step. 'I think the Olympics kind of put a little fire underneath her and just the last season that she had coming off of injury,' Rose coach Nola Henry said of Gray. 'How quickly people forget what players have done in this league and the success they had when they have one 'down year.' So I think she came in with a certain level of pride like 'I'm still here and not only am I still here, I'm better than before.'' The Rose, however, didn't have the best beginning to the season. A 1-5 start – in addition to Kahleah Copper's injury seven games into the year – threatened to upend the team's title hopes. It also didn't help that ESPN picked the Rose to finish last in the league, something that became a bit of motivation for the squad. 'We know what we're capable of and we know what we could do,' said Copper who implored Henry to print out the rankings and paste it in their locker room. The Rose even had shirts made with the rankings on them that they donned after their championship victory. Something, however, clicked in February. The Rose subsequently went undefeated that month, rattling off five straight victories over that span. Gray averaged roughly 24 points on 46-percent shooting, 52-percent behind the arc and six assists in February. Even better: she hit the game-winner for three of the five matchups. 'I just want to take that best shot possible,' Gray said of her late-game mindset, later adding that she just wants 'to make the best read in that moment' and 'get to my spots.' 'I put in the work and I take those shots all the time in practice and other games so the only difference is the time on the clock or the stakes of the game.' By the time March hit, Gray had clearly found her stride. There was her 38-point explosion in a losing effort against the Mist that tied a league record at the time. Her 26-point, seven-assist game versus the Laces. And her 33-point effort in the regular season finale that included hit an impressive eight threes. Leslie Hull, a 2022 WNBA first round pick, called Gray's consistency exceptional. 'She's the most consistent player I've ever played with,' said Hull, who played with Gray on the Rose. 'Learning from her, figuring out how to bring the same thing every single day, she's just so impressive and she's easy to learn from because she's such a good person. She brings the fun energy but she also brings the 'hard-working, down to business' energy. That balance is really unique and special.' Gray truly shined in the two-game playoffs. Down by 13 to start the second half of the semifinals, Gray scored 22 of her record-setting 39 points in the game's final two quarters. She also hit the game-winning trey ball to beat the Laces 63-57. Asked what was the biggest difference in the game and Laces coach Andrew Wade kept it simple. 'Chelsea Gray,' Wade said. 'She took over. She played like she has the last month and a half: like one of the best players in the league, if not the best.' Gray's domination only continued in the championship game against the Vinyl. Between an awe-inspiring behind-the-head pass and a buzzer-beating halfcourt heave, Gray had not only the two of the best plays of the day en route to her 18-point, eight-assist effort to beat the Vinyl 62-54. The victory likely tasted a bit sweeter seeing as how neither Copper and Angel Reese, who captured Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year, suited up. 'At full strength, they counted us out,' Henry said in her post-game speech, later calling Gray 'our real MVP.' Copper 'out, they counted us out. Azurá [Stevens], they counted us out. Angels down, they counted us out.' Added Henry: 'Thanks to Chelsea for carrying us all season long.' With the WNBA season around the corner, expect a fully energized Gray to lead the Aces. And if she can replicate her Unrivaled performance, the 2025 season will be a revenge tour of sorts. Consider this a notice. 'I just put the work in, do my job and talk after winning,' Gray said. 'I don't talk before that. I just do my job and want to compete and make others better. Honestly, that's always been my goal and I was able to do that.'
USA Today
16-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Unrivaled playoffs live updates: Rose-Laces, Lunar Owls-Vinyl in semifinals tonight
Unrivaled playoffs live updates: Rose-Laces, Lunar Owls-Vinyl in semifinals tonight Show Caption Hide Caption Sabrina Ionescu talks championships, Unrivaled and NBA All-Star Sabrina Ionescu joins Lorenzo Reyes to talk WNBA and Michelob Ultra MEDLEY, Fla. — The Unrivaled women's basketball league postseason begins Sunday night with two semifinal games to decide which clubs will play for the inaugural championship title. Chelsea Gray and the No. 2 seed Rose will play without Unrivaled defensive player of the year Angel Reese (hand) against Kayla McBride, Alyssa Thomas and the No. 3 Laces in the first seminal game. Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Alisha Gray and the No. 1 seed Lunar Owls will face Rhyne Howard, Dearica Hamby and the No. 4 seed Vinyl in the second seminal. The winners of both games will advance to the Unrivaled championship game Monday night. Each player on the championship club will earn $50,000. Here's everything you need to know about the Unrivaled playoffs Sunday night: The Rose and Laces will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET, while the Lunar Owls and Vinyl will begin at 8:30 p.m. Unrivaled games are available on TNT and TruTV, and available to live stream on Max in the United States. The Unrivaled title game will be on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. Reese, of the WNBA's Chicago Sky, won't play in Sunday's game for the Rose after injuring her surgically-repaired left hand during the Unrivaled regular-season finale last Monday. It's unclear whether she would be available to play if the Rose advance to the championship game. Reese did appear to participate in some capacity during Rose practice while wearing a brace. The Rose won the season series 2-1, but they've seen three different versions of the Laces this season. Now, the Laces will see a different version of the Rose without Reese in action. The Laces are led by Kayla McBride and Alyssa Thomas, while Jackie Young (illness) is questionable to play. The Rose will be led by Chelsea Gray, Azura Stevens and Lexie Hull. The Lunar Owls started the season 8-0 before their only defeat to the Rose on Feb. 21. They have been Unrivaled's best team with a 13-1 record, and the highest scoring offense in the league (80.7 ppg). The Vinyl has two of the Top 5 Unrivaled scorers in Rhyne Howard (20.5 ppg) and Dearica Hamby (19.9 ppg), while Arike Ogunbowale has averaged 14.8 points in her last four games since returning from a leg injury. Unrivaled end of season awards Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray and Kayla McBride were named First Team All-Unrivaled, while Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Skylar Diggins-Smith were named Second-Team All-Unrivaled on Thursday. Lunar Owls coach DJ Sackmann won Unrivaled Coach of the Year on Friday. Reese earned Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year honors on Saturday. The Unrivaled Most Valuable Player award will be announced on Sunday with Collier as a favorite to win.
USA Today
13-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray and Kayla McBride named to All-Unrivaled first team
Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray and Kayla McBride named to All-Unrivaled first team Show Caption Hide Caption Sabrina Ionescu explains Unrivaled league provides new opportunities in women's basketball New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu explains Unrivaled, a new league founded by WNBA players, provides opportunities for players to continue to better themselves. MEDLEY, Fla. — Napheesa Collier, Chelsea Gray and Kayla McBride were named First Team All-Unrivaled, while Rhyne Howard, Angel Reese and Skylar Diggins-Smith were named Second-Team All-Unrivaled on Thursday as the women's basketball league approaches the final weekend of its inaugural season. Collier – a league co-founder with Breanna Stewart of the Mist – led the No. 1 seed Lunar Owls to a 13-1 record during the regular season while leading the league in scoring at 25.7 points, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. Collier is also a favorite to win Unrivaled MVP, and a frontrunner for Unrivaled defensive player of the year. Both awards, along with the Unrivaled coach of the year award, will be announced later this week. McBride was Unrivaled's second-leading scorer at 22.2 points per game for the Laces, who finished a 7-7 record and the No. 3 seed in the postseason. Gray led Unrivaled with six game-winning shots and 5.4 assists per game, while her 21.3 points was third in the league for the Rose. Gray and Reese were instrumental in the Rose's five-game winning streak after a 1-4 start, securing the No. 2 seed in the Unrivaled playoffs with an 8-6 record. Reese's second-team honors comes as she was one of three players (along with Collier and Stewart) to average a double-double during the Unrivaled season. Reese averaged 13.1 points, but led the league with 12.1 rebounds per game. She also produced the first 20-20 game in Unrivaled history, when she had 22 points and 21 rebounds against the Lunar Owls on Feb. 21. Howard was fourth in Unrivaled scoring with 20.5 points per game, while being in the Top 5 in steals and blocks, helping the Vinyl secure the fourth and final playoff spot. Diggins-Smith, also of the Lunar Owls, is second in Unrivaled with five-game winning shots, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while her 17.9 points ranked ninth in the league. Along with Collier and Allisha Gray, Diggins-Smith helped form arguably the best starting lineup in Unrivaled's first season. Four of the six Unrivaled teams were represented in the first- and second-team awards – the Mist and Phantom did not have a representative. Unrivaled players, head coaches and assistant coaches, along with 19 media members submitted votes for All-Unrivaled teams. The voted were weighted: The players' vote was 40%, coaches 35% and media 25%. The Unrivaled two-day postseason begins Monday with two semifinal games: The Rose will face the Laces in the first game at 7:30 p.m., while the Lunar Owls will face the Vinyl in the second game. The semifinal winners will advance to the Unrivaled championship game Tuesday. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
