Chelsea Gray had an adventurous last year. First, she emerged as one of the top players in Unrivaled and led Rose BC to the league’s first championship as the Finals MVP. Then, she won her third WNBA title with the Aces and her fourth one overall.
2026 is already off to a great start as well. Gray opened her second Unrivaled season by leading her team to a win and making a big statement: she may be one of the older stars in the league, but she has everything it takes to emerge as the best player in Unrivaled this season. With Napheesa Collier out, that title is still up for grabs.
Chelsea Gray was on fire against the Lunar Owls
Chelsea Gray was the best player on Rose’s roster last season. She didn’t give up that status and also established herself as one of the best players in the entire league—again.
Gray led Rose BC to an 80-60 win over the short-handed Lunar Owls. She finished the game with 35 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in 21.5 minutes on the court. Her 35 points marked the highest scoring output in all four games. She also got her points very efficiently, shooting 5-10 from three and 14-20 from the field overall.
Gray is much more than a scorer. Her famous playmaking skills were on full display, as she got no-look passes to their target, delivered risky bounce passes through the paint, and set her teammates up for success. The pick-and-roll game between Gray and Azurá Stevens and Shakira Austin is pretty much unguardable because if either big is open Gray will find them. If they aren’t, Gray can just score the basket herself, whether that is from the 3-point line, the mid-range, or in the paint.
Gray also made her mark on defense. Despite being a guard, Gray has the unique ability to guard bigs very well, using her strength and quick hands to her advantage. That ability is invaluable in Unrivaled. The league’s fast pace and spacing favor versatile two-way players, who can survive mismatches on the defensive end.
If Gray continues to play as she did in the first game of the season, she won’t only solidify her standing as a top player in the league, but could also lead her team to a second consecutive championship.
Gray isn’t the only player who had a great first outing, though. Allisha Gray recorded 21 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals against Hive BC and looks ready to challenge Chelsea Gray as the best player in the league. As Breeze’s young roster gets more comfortable, Paige Bueckers might also join the race.