Angel Reese is Unrivaled, again! Earlier this week, rumors began to swirl surrounding who Rose BC would be bringing in for the rest of the season. This talk came after Breeze BC announced that Aari McDonald would be out for the remainder of the year, sparking a four-team trade. Courtney Williams was sent to the Breeze from the Vinyl, Saniya Rivers joined the Vinyl from the Hive, and Azurá Stevens was traded to the Hive from the Rose. This left an open spot on Rose BC's roster.
Fans quickly ran with the idea that this meant the 2025 Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year would be rejoining her former squad just in time for the playoffs. Well, they got exactly that. Unrivaled announced Angel Reese's return on Wednesday morning.
The BIGGEST AND BADDEST IS BACK 🔥 ROSES IN THE CHAT🌹 pic.twitter.com/L1mDkYB5Bk
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) February 11, 2026
It was previously understood that after helping lead Rose BC to becoming the first-ever Unrivaled Champions, Reese would be sitting out of the league's second season, presumably for some well-deserved rest. It's unclear whether her joining midway through this season was always the plan or if she just couldn't resist the thrill of Unrivaled. Or maybe she saw Rose's fall from grace and thought she'd be the perfect addition. Either way, she seems excited for her return, with her own message to Rose BC fans.
Goodmorning to my Rosebuds & my Rosebuds ONLY! 🥹😉🌹 #BTA
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) February 11, 2026
Angel Reese's return will impact Unrivaled
Let's state the obvious. Angel Reese is a dominant basketball player. This past WNBA season, she averaged 14.7 points and a league-leading 12.6 rebounds per game. And last year, during Unrivaled's inaugural season, she averaged 13.3 points and, again, a league-leading 12.4 rebounds per game. She was the first player in Unrivaled history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game, and was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Her dominance could not come at a better time for Rose BC, who needs a shake-up. The Rose were preseason favorites to win it all, and had an incredibly promising start. They were 3-0 to start the season, but things quickly took a turn as they then lost three in a row. Since then, things have been up and down for the club, as they've struggled to find consistency. Right now, they are sitting at No. 5 in the Unrivaled standings with a 5-6 record.
The top six teams will make it to the Unrivaled postseason. So, while Rose BC is just barely in right now, that could change quickly as the middle-of-the-pack clubs are all pretty close record-wise. Rose BC's final two games are against the top two teams in the league — winning could be crucial to their playoff hopes. With Reese returning, she could very well be the deciding factor needed to push Rose BC past the finish line, leading them to not only a playoff berth but through the playoffs to possible back-to-back titles.
Besides her on-the-court presence that will change the foundation of this Rose BC team and how other teams approach them, Reese also just rejuvenated the excitement surrounding Unrivaled. Bringing in an absolute superstar like Reese will only put more eyes on the rest of this season, with fans not wanting to miss the chance to see her play. We know fans have been missing Angel Reese hoops, and we can't wait to see what she does.
Reese's first time back on the Unrivaled court will be on Friday, February 20, at 8:45 p.m. ET as the Rose BC takes on the Hive.