With the WNBA season coming to an end, women's basketball fans are gearing their attention toward Unrivaled. Unrivaled's second season will tip off on January 5th and will run until mid-March. Last season, their inaugural season, was seemingly a massive success. So, fans have been waiting for the league to announce which players will be returning or joining this year - especially since they announced two additional teams, meaning we get to see more of our favorite stars.
The Unrivaled League social accounts began their player roll-out a little over a week ago, announcing which players will be partaking in season 2. The roll-out included 28 returning players and 18 new additions.
Some big returning stars include: Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, Lexie Hull, Courtney Williams, Dijonai Carrington, and more. The newcomers include: Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Veronica Burton, Alanna Smith, Kelsey Plum, and more.
But after the leagues last player announcement, Unrivaled GM, Clare Duwelius made a statement:
League Update: Player Announcements pic.twitter.com/1h4Lag3tdO
— Unrivaled Basketball (@Unrivaledwbb) October 1, 2025
The message from the GM confirmed two things: the league has a big announcement coming from the city of Philadelphia on Thursday, and two more roster spots need to be filled — but the players are still negotiating. This has fans theorizing who these two players could be.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
After her rookie debut last season, Clark opted out of joining Unrivaled for their inaugural season. She wanted to prioritize her health after playing both college and W ball for almost a year straight - completely understandable. But fans are wondering if Unrivaled was able to land her this year. Of course, she missed over half the season with an injury, but she seems to be working her way back and could be good to play in January.
Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
Angel Reese participated in Unrivaled last season and went on to win the inaugural championship with Roses BC. Fans were shocked when they didn't see her name in the initial player announcement roll-out, but they are holding out hope that she is one of these players who need more time. She was incredibly fun to watch at Unrivaled last season, so we would be thrilled to see her return.
A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
This would be a massive, but intriguing addition. The 4-time MVP did not join the league last year, but rumors are swirling that she could be one of these two remaining players. There is a possibility that negotiations with the two remaining players were paused due to the WNBA Playoffs, allowing the players to focus solely on that. This would make sense if it's Wilson or Clark.
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Ionescu was the last player to join Unrivaled last season in late December. But she also left the league a little early before the playoffs started. This was a planned departure, as she had prior commitments with Nike. Fans are wondering if Ionescu will be one of those returning players this season. I can say, I personally hope she is, because who doesn't love watching her play basketball?
Hailey Van Lith, Chicago Sky
Van Lith confirmed in her WNBA exit interview that she would be participating in Unrivaled this offseason, but we have yet to see her announcement on socials. If you know anything about HVL, you know she really shines when playing 3-on-3. She was a member of the United States 3-on-3 Olympic team that took home bronze in Paris last year. It would be exciting to see how her skills translate into the Unrivaled rules, so we hope that her addition is still the case.