Last season’s 1-on-1 tournament taught fans one thing: no one is safe. Plenty of stars suffered upsets. Chelsea Gray was eliminated by Mystics youngster Shakira Austin in the first round, Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson knocked out Jackie Young, Aaliyah Edwards beat Breanna Stewart in newsworthy fashion, Rae Burrell eliminated Jewell Loyd in the second round, and Edwards also took down Dream star Allisha Gray.
Nevertheless, some of the matchups in this year’s 1-on-1 tournament already seem all but decided. Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Mitchell, Paige Bueckers, and Kelsey Plum should all be able to cruise to the second round.
Some matchups seem easier to predict than others
Many of this year’s matchups promise to be some of the most entertaining games of the season. Dominique Malonga vs. Aaliyah Edwards is must-see TV. Jordin Canada and Skylar Diggins will offer an entertaining matchup, Aliyah Boston vs. Alyssa Thomas will be a battle, and Rickea Jackson and Shakira Austin will have something to prove against veterans Kahleah Copper and Dearica Hamby.
Other matchups don’t look as evenly matched and already seem to have an obvious winner.
In the day’s second matchup, Breanna Stewart will take on Li Yueru. Stewart is a two-time WNBA MVP and six-time All-WNBA First Team member. She is a matchup nightmare and can do everything a good 1-on-1 player needs to do. Plus, Stewart will want to avoid another upset to a younger player at all costs.
Two games later, Rachel Banham will have to go up against Kelsey Mitchell. Banham is a solid guard and an excellent 3-point shooter, but she isn’t one of the few people in the game who can actually hang with Mitchell’s speed and ability to create her own shot out of thin air. Mitchell would have been a bad matchup for pretty much anyone.
Kate Martin is in a similar situation to Banham. She will have to take on Paige Bueckers. Bueckers is already one of the favorites to win Pod B. She is tall, can defend, and can score efficiently from all three levels. Martin is a solid scorer and a good defender, but that likely won’t be enough for her to get past Bueckers.
Last but not least, Natisha Hiedeman will have her hands full with Kelsey Plum. Hiedeman is a solid role player and can contribute to a winning team. She can also create her own shot and pester other guards defensively. However, Plum can do everything Hiedeman can but better. She was instrumental to the Aces’ 2022 and 2023 championships and the 2022 All-Star Game MVP. She also held the Unrivaled single-game scoring record for a while. Slowing her down will be a challenge for Hiedeman.