Rae Burrell left Tennessee as a first-round pick in 2022. Since then, she has been regarded as a young, very athletic player with great potential, who has been slowed down by injuries. Burrell is using Unrivaled to change that perception. It may be time to stop talking about Burrell’s potential and instead talk about what she can do right now.
Vinyl coach Teresa Weatherspoon has been adamant that Burrell is the most intriguing athlete in Unrivaled. Burrell showed off that athleticism in the 1-on-1 tournament. Her speed and defense and her ability to jump out of the gym and beat defenders to the rim were on full display.
Burrell took down All-Star Rhyne Howard in the first round. Then, she beat Sonia Citron 11-0 in the second round before losing to Allisha Gray.
Burrell has also found success outside of the 1-on-1 tournament
Burrell started the season as a reserve for the Vinyl. After a losing streak, Weatherspoon inserted Burrell into the starting lineup. She replaced veteran Courtney Williams.
Burrell has been a great source of offense for the Vinyl. She is the team’s third-leading scorer behind Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard, averaging 9.3 points on 43.2% shooting. She scored over ten points in six of her 11 games, including a 22-point performance against the Laces.
She is also making a difference on defense, recording 13 steals and three blocks already.
Burrell needs a healthy season in the WNBA
The reason the conversation around Burrell has often been more focused on her potential than her current game is her injury history. Since 2022, Burrell has only played close to a full WNBA season once.
She only played three games in her rookie season because of a foot injury. The next year, she didn’t make the Sparks’ initial roster and had to play her way on the team via a hardship contract. Her performance over 29 games earned her a multi-year contract. After playing 37 games in 2024 and averaging 5.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, Burrell looked primed for a breakout season.
She did average career highs in points, field-goal attempts, field-goal percentage, rebounds, assists, and 3-point attempts, but also only played 28 games due to an injury suffered in the Sparks’ season opener.
If she can stay healthy (and the CBA negotiations don’t lead to a 2026 season), this year could be a true breakout season for Burrell. Her second Unrivaled season has been a chance for her to work on her skills, gain confidence, and prove to everyone in and around the W that she can do much more than she has been able to consistently show with the Sparks.