The second season of Unrivaled is nearly at an end, and it would be difficult for just about anyone to say this season has been nothing short of a success. That was underscored by the league's First Team announcements that were shared this week — more proof that both the players and the fans are fully engaged with the 3x3 league.
Unrivaled newcomes Kelsey Plum and Paige Bueckers were both named to the list. Chelsea Gray joins the pair on the First Team, marking the second time she's received the honor. Gray was the Rose BC's second-highest scorer and averaged 24.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game this season. She also led the league in 3-pointers at 48%.
Plum had the third-highest scoring average with 22.6 points per game, adding 4.9 rebounds and 5 assists and shot 40% on 3-pointers for the Phantom BC. Bueckers, who signed a three-year contract with Unrivaled and made her WNBA debut last year, averaged 22.1 points, 6,1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game for Breeze BC.
Some notables names were missing from the First Team
Some fans were surprised to see the names of Marina Mabrey and Breanna Stewart were missing from the First Team announcements. Mabrey led the league in scoring at 25.3 points per game, but wasn't named to First or Second Team. Stewart, who averaged 21.4 points and 9.1 rebounds, also didn't make the cut.
But news of the nominations is a great sign that Unrivaled has picked up steam from the beginning of the season, when many where openly expressing concern that the league's viewership numbers were dwindling. The league made a lot of exciting changes this season that bode well for its long term future, and Unrivaled's president Alex Bazzell repeated previous statements in support of working and coexisting with the WNBA.
In January Unrivaled played two games in Philadelphia. The announcement of the Philly games proved enormously popular, and the games resulted in the largest attendance for a women's professional basketball game ever — a stat that effectively squashed previously expressed concerns about the league's viability over time.
The trip was the first time the league has traveled outside of its home base in Miami, Florida, and was also the first professional women's basketball game in Philadelphia since 1998. The popularity of the game bodes well for the city, which will join the WNBA in 2030.