Latest news with #UnrivaledDefensivePlayeroftheYear
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Some of the WNBA's rising stars have shined during Unrivaled's inaugural season
MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell could name a list of improvements she's made in her game while playing at Unrivaled during the WNBA offseason. Her defense. Her court vision. Her passing. Her confidence. The new 3-on-3 women's basketball league has been a launchpad for Burrell as she enters her fourth WNBA season. 'I'm able to take back a lot of new information about the game, about me as a person," said Burrell, who's team Vinyl will play Rose BC in Monday's Unrivaled title game. "Even just being able to work with a team my game has improved. Playing against All-Stars and top players is not easy. It's challenging. But it's a challenge I feel like I needed.' Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart set out to give superstar players an offseason option to develop their skills in a competitive environment — while also earning good salaries — when they co-founded Unrivaled. During its inaugural season, veterans like Collier, Chelsea Gray, Kayla McBride and others took advantage of the intense 3-on-3 play with dominant performances. But one of Unrivaled's biggest successes has been how it has helped rising stars refine their skills and gain confidence to carry into their upcoming WNBA seasons. 'We want you to see how hard we're going on the court, but the big purpose of this is player development and getting better,' Stewart said. "Before Unrivaled happened, it would be, you play in the W, you go overseas. There's not time to really like work on your game or figure out what you did right or wrong in one season to the next. 'For me, to see (young players) continue to get comfortable, take feedback really, really well and try to implement it, whether from the vets or the coaches, is something that's really important.' Monday's championship game between Rose and Vinyl will feature some of the WNBA's most electric rising stars who made their mark during Unrivaled's eight-week regular season. Angel Reese, who is coming off a record-setting rookie season with the WNBA's Chicago Sky, helped Rose BC secure the No. 2 seed in Unrivaled's playoffs. Reese was named Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 12.1 rebounds per game. She led Rose with eight blocked shots and anchored Unrivaled's best scoring defense, which held opponents to 65.2 points per game. Reese also had a 22-point, 21-rebound game on Feb. 21, when Rose handed Collier and the Lunar Owls their only loss of the regular season. Reese has developed as a facilitator. Her Unrivaled teammates and opponents have praised her leadership and basketball intelligence. She has also worked with four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie at Unrivaled on finishing around the rim. 'Being able to see my growth — I put in the work,' Reese said last month. 'A lot of people don't see the work I put in. It's great to see it come out there. But obviously I'm not done yet, and this is just the beginning.' Reese will not play in Monday's final because of a hand injury, which also sidelined her for Rose's semifinal win over Laces BC. Games at Unrivaled are fast and physical and consist of some of the best basketball players in the world. Players are also trained by coaches who have WNBA and NBA experience — from Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon to longtime NBA assistant Phil Handy. Rhyne Howard, who is entering her fourth season with the Atlanta Dream, soaked in as much information as she could from her Vinyl coach Weatherspoon and veteran teammate Dearica Hamby, a WNBA champ and three-time All-Star. Howard has been one of the most consistent Unrivaled players this season, dominating on both ends of the floor. She averaged a team-high 20.5 points per game, the fourth-most in the league, and led Vinyl in 3-pointers (36). 'For me, it's just been about being able to not only continue to create an open space, but still being able to make everybody better in such a short game,' Howard said. 'I think that's really been key to my success. And then also just the consistency that I've been trying to build upon.' Aaliyah Edwards, who at 22 is one of the youngest players at Unrivaled, was the breakout star of the midseason 1-on-1 tournament. Edwards said playing alongside veterans like Stewart and Jewell Loyd on Mist BC has helped her elevate her game. Edwards upset Stewart in the first round of Unrivaled's midseason 1-on-1 tournament en route to a runner-up finish behind Collier. Making it that far was a confidence booster for Edwards as she prepares for just her second WNBA season with the Washington Mystics. 'This is the first time I really got the chance to just be in the gym each and every day and work on my game,' Edwards said afterward, 'work on challenging myself, doing something that is going to make me be successful in the summer for the upcoming W season. What I can take away from the 1-on-1 is — I can say that I'm a three-level scorer and make sure that translates over to the 5-on-5.' ___ AP WNBA:
Associated Press
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Some of the WNBA's rising stars have shined during Unrivaled's inaugural season
MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell could name a list of improvements she's made in her game while playing at Unrivaled during the WNBA offseason. Her defense. Her court vision. Her passing. Her confidence. The new 3-on-3 women's basketball league has been a launchpad for Burrell as she enters her fourth WNBA season. 'I'm able to take back a lot of new information about the game, about me as a person,' said Burrell, who's team Vinyl will play Rose BC in Monday's Unrivaled title game. 'Even just being able to work with a team my game has improved. Playing against All-Stars and top players is not easy. It's challenging. But it's a challenge I feel like I needed.' Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart set out to give superstar players an offseason option to develop their skills in a competitive environment — while also earning good salaries — when they co-founded Unrivaled. During its inaugural season, veterans like Collier, Chelsea Gray, Kayla McBride and others took advantage of the intense 3-on-3 play with dominant performances. But one of Unrivaled's biggest successes has been how it has helped rising stars refine their skills and gain confidence to carry into their upcoming WNBA seasons. 'We want you to see how hard we're going on the court, but the big purpose of this is player development and getting better,' Stewart said. 'Before Unrivaled happened, it would be, you play in the W, you go overseas. There's not time to really like work on your game or figure out what you did right or wrong in one season to the next. 'For me, to see (young players) continue to get comfortable, take feedback really, really well and try to implement it, whether from the vets or the coaches, is something that's really important.' Monday's championship game between Rose and Vinyl will feature some of the WNBA's most electric rising stars who made their mark during Unrivaled's eight-week regular season. Angel Reese, who is coming off a record-setting rookie season with the WNBA's Chicago Sky, helped Rose BC secure the No. 2 seed in Unrivaled's playoffs. Reese was named Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 12.1 rebounds per game. She led Rose with eight blocked shots and anchored Unrivaled's best scoring defense, which held opponents to 65.2 points per game. Reese also had a 22-point, 21-rebound game on Feb. 21, when Rose handed Collier and the Lunar Owls their only loss of the regular season. Reese has developed as a facilitator. Her Unrivaled teammates and opponents have praised her leadership and basketball intelligence. She has also worked with four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie at Unrivaled on finishing around the rim. 'Being able to see my growth — I put in the work,' Reese said last month. 'A lot of people don't see the work I put in. It's great to see it come out there. But obviously I'm not done yet, and this is just the beginning.' Reese will not play in Monday's final because of a hand injury, which also sidelined her for Rose's semifinal win over Laces BC. Games at Unrivaled are fast and physical and consist of some of the best basketball players in the world. Players are also trained by coaches who have WNBA and NBA experience — from Naismith Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon to longtime NBA assistant Phil Handy. Rhyne Howard, who is entering her fourth season with the Atlanta Dream, soaked in as much information as she could from her Vinyl coach Weatherspoon and veteran teammate Dearica Hamby, a WNBA champ and three-time All-Star. Howard has been one of the most consistent Unrivaled players this season, dominating on both ends of the floor. She averaged a team-high 20.5 points per game, the fourth-most in the league, and led Vinyl in 3-pointers (36). 'For me, it's just been about being able to not only continue to create an open space, but still being able to make everybody better in such a short game,' Howard said. 'I think that's really been key to my success. And then also just the consistency that I've been trying to build upon.' Aaliyah Edwards, who at 22 is one of the youngest players at Unrivaled, was the breakout star of the midseason 1-on-1 tournament. Edwards said playing alongside veterans like Stewart and Jewell Loyd on Mist BC has helped her elevate her game. Edwards upset Stewart in the first round of Unrivaled's midseason 1-on-1 tournament en route to a runner-up finish behind Collier. Making it that far was a confidence booster for Edwards as she prepares for just her second WNBA season with the Washington Mystics. 'This is the first time I really got the chance to just be in the gym each and every day and work on my game,' Edwards said afterward, 'work on challenging myself, doing something that is going to make me be successful in the summer for the upcoming W season. What I can take away from the 1-on-1 is — I can say that I'm a three-level scorer and make sure that translates over to the 5-on-5.' ___
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.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup due to a hand injury
MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup on Sunday because of a hand injury, the league announced Saturday. Reese, who has played for Rose BC during the inaugural season of the 3-on-3 women's basketball league, injured her hand against Vinyl in last week's regular-season finale. It's the same left hand that Reese had surgery on in September to repair a small crack in a bone in her wrist, which ended the star forward's stellar rookie season with the WNBA's Chicago Sky early. Reese was one of Unrivaled biggest standouts during its eight-week regular season. She was named Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year on Saturday after leading the league with 12.1 rebounds per game and was named to the All-Unrivaled second-team earlier this week. She led Rose with eight blocked shots this year and anchored Unrivaled's best scoring defense, which held opponents to 65.2 points per game. Reese also had a 22-point, 21-rebound game on Feb. 21, when Rose handed Unrivaled Co-founder Napheesa Collier and the Lunar Owls their only loss of the season. 'God, thank you for getting me through the highs & lows!' Reese posted on social media Saturday. 'Be where your feet are & allow yourself growth!' Unrivaled's postseason begins Sunday with two semifinal matchups. Reese's second-seeded Rose team will face Kayla McBride and the No. 3 seed Laces in the first semifinal. Collier and the top-seeded Lunar Owls will take on Dearica Hamby, Aliyah Boston and No. 4 Vinyl in the other. The winners will advance to Monday's final. It's not yet known if Reese would be available to play in Monday's final if her team advances. ___ AP WNBA:
Associated Press
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup due to a hand injury
MEDLEY, Fla. (AP) — Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup on Sunday because of a hand injury, the league announced Saturday. Reese, who has played for Rose BC during the inaugural season of the 3-on-3 women's basketball league, injured her hand against Vinyl in last week's regular-season finale. It's the same left hand that Reese had surgery on in September to repair a small crack in a bone in her wrist, which ended the star forward's stellar rookie season with the WNBA's Chicago Sky early. Reese was one of Unrivaled biggest standouts during its eight-week regular season. She was named Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year on Saturday after leading the league with 12.1 rebounds per game and was named to the All-Unrivaled second-team earlier this week. She led Rose with eight blocked shots this year and anchored Unrivaled's best scoring defense, which held opponents to 65.2 points per game. Reese also had a 22-point, 21-rebound game on Feb. 21, when Rose handed Unrivaled Co-founder Napheesa Collier and the Lunar Owls their only loss of the season. Unrivaled's postseason begins Sunday with two semifinal matchups. Reese's second-seeded Rose team will face Kayla McBride and the No. 3 seed Laces in the first semifinal. Collier and the top-seeded Lunar Owls will take on Dearica Hamby, Aliyah Boston and No. 4 Vinyl in the other. The winners will advance to Monday's final. It's not yet known if Reese would be available to play in Monday's final if her team advances. ___
