Dream Unrivaled Trios We'd Like to See in 2026
Unrivaled basketball's second season is fast approaching, which means it's time for another draft! A lot will be similar to last year's iteration. But with two expansion teams hitting the three-on-three format, and therefore more players, there are going to be some new elements to the draft.
The league has implemented a protection system, allowing teams from last season retain players. It's similar to how an expansion draft in the WNBA would work. Like last year, the league's 48 players have been separated into six pods, so at the end each team will have at one player from each pod on its roster.
Ahead of the draft, we are dreaming up trios we'd love to see play together when the second season of Unrivaled tips off Jan. 5.
Breeze Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Allisha Gray, Naz Hillmon, Ezi Magbegor
Allisha Gray had a career-best, MVP-conversation-worthy 2025 WNBA season, leading the Atlanta Dream to a postseason appearance. She's an easy pick for any team, but with the expansion Breeze BC not having any players to protect, snatching Gray would be a power move.
Then, pairing her with her Atlanta teammate Naz Hillmon, who won the 2025 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year award, would boost the new team with instant chemistry.
When it comes to pairing the duo with a front-court player, Ezi Magbegor is a fun choice. The Australian is fast, long and can defend the rim. She is a great roller, but she also stretches the floor and can shoot from distance when she needs to. Gray, who may be soft-spoken but is definitely a leader, is certainly ready for a bigger role, and letting her lead one of Unrivaled's newer teams would put her front and center.
Hive Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Kelsey Plum, Marina Mabrey, Shakira Austin
Kelsey Plum heads to Unrivaled after opting out of Year 1 to rest, and it almost feels like her incredible 2025 WNBA season was slept on. In her first year with the Los Angeles Sparks, she averaged 19.5 points per game and shot 35.5 percent from three-point range. Her leadership would benefit the expansion Hive BC.
Plum, Mabrey and Austin don't have history as teammates, but the potential is exciting. Austin is developing into one of the league's slickest post-players, and Mabrey's ability to make big shots in big moments lends to Unrivaled's format very well.
Add in a gritty player like Plum who isn't afraid to grind for points and wins, and this could be a fun, passionate team to watch.
Laces Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Alyssa Thomas, Natasha Cloud, Aaliyah Edwards
Aaliyah Edwards was one of the biggest highlights of Unrivaled's first campaign, making her impact during the league's midseason one-on-one tournament. She made it all the way to the end, ultimately losing to Napheesa Collier, but it was an incredible run.
Her WNBA season was a little wonky after she was bumped out of the Mystics lineup and traded midseason to the Connecticut Sun, but the 23-year-old's future is bright. Pairing her with a veteran point guard in Natasha Cloud and an all-around superstar in Alyssa Thomas would be great for Edwards' development.
Cloud would bring facilitation and defense to this lineup, while Thomas is a multi-faceted threat that is hard to stop. Coming off a WNBA Finals run, Thomas—blameless in the Mercury's loss—continues to play at an elite level more than a decade into her career. Any team with the veteran star is guaranteed to have an edge.
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Lunar Owls Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins, Cameron Brink
The fiery Lunar Owls were unstoppable all season, going 13-1, but fell in the playoffs to Vinyl BC. Led by league MVP and co-founder Napheesa Collier, Lunar Owls will be hungry again this season.
This dream trio isn't much of a stretch, given all three players were on the squad last year. Yet, Brink didn't play as she was still recovering from her ACL injury. Now that she is back on the court, she could add an interesting dimension to the Lunar Owls' dynamic. Brink's ability to operate beneath the basket could let Collier expand her game outside the paint, and as her 50/40/90 season in the WNBA proved, Collier can shoot from literally anywhere.
Collier (6'1"), Brink (6'4") and Diggins (5'9") create a bigger lineup for 3x3 play, and it would be extremely hard to defend them. On the other end, these are also three really skilled defenders and would likely be a frustrating lineup for opponents.
Mist Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, Veronica Burton
In Year 1, league co-founder Breanna Stewart headlined Mist Basketball Club, which also featured young talents Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards. With expansion shaking things up, Mist BC could look different this season but will likely still be led by Stewart.
The idea of pairing Stewart and Paige Bueckers may have UConn fans salivating. Each player represents a different era of college basketball excellence, and the idea of seeing how they'd fit is intriguing. Stewart and Sue Bird's two-woman game in Seattle was always thrilling, and pairing the four-time NCAA champ with the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year could bring back that excellence.
Adding to this dream trio is the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player, Veronica Burton. Her leadership on the Valkyries this past season, along with her 34.5 percent shooting from distance, could help Mist BC rack up points in close games.
Phantom Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Satou Sabally, Aari McDonald, Kiki Iriafen
After a phenomenal rookie season in the WNBA, Kiki Iriafen is heading to Unrivaled. The three-on-three style the league has created will make Iriafen faster, stronger and a quicker decision-maker. She will also get some great playing time against some of the WNBA's best post players.
Satou Sabally, who went No. 2 in the 2020 WNBA draft, may not yet be considered a true veteran. But Iriafen could could benefit from her experience nonetheless, coming from a young Mystics roster.
Pairing "The Unicorn" Sabally with Iriafen will space the floor, allowing Iriafen more opportunity to operate under the rim. Those two will also impact defense heavily on the other end.
Aari McDonald was having a great season filling the gaps for Indiana after Caitlin Clark's injury, before a foot injury sidelined her. Hopefully, playing in Unrivaled will get her back to the form we saw her in this summer.
Rose Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Chelsea Gray, Dominique Malonga, Sonia Citron
Unrivaled's inaugural championship squad was a dark horse last season but has the skill the continue to go the distance even with a few changes.
Dominique Malonga is the perfect player to insert into this trio, as the No. 2 overall pick from the 2025 WNBA draft was just starting to show the base of her potential when the season ended. Pairing her with a point guard of Gray's caliber could do wonders for her offseason development.
Then you pair one great rookie with another in Citron, who would add another distance-shooting threat, as she shot 44.5 percent from three in her first WNBA season for the Washington Mystics. Citron also proved she's a fast learner and ready to meet a moment—something the fast-paced style of Unrivaled will continue to prove.
Vinyl Basketball Club
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Dream Trio: Rhyne Howard, Courtney Williams, Alanna Smith
Rhyne Howard, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 WNBA draft, is one of the sport's best young talents. The 25-year-old brings a ton of 3x3 experience to Unrivaled, after winning bronze with Team USA in the event at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Her quickness, shooting ability and versatility lend really well to this style of hoops. Add in Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith, and this may be the trio you didn't even know you needed so bad.
Smith is the 2025 WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and having her in the mix for Unrivaled means her team will benefit from her rim protection, rebounding, and 6'4" size. She and Williams already have a history as well, playing together not just in Minnesota most recently, but on previous teams as well.
Williams is one of the best midrange shooters the sport has ever seen, and pairing her with Smith and Howard means this trio would be a three-level scoring threat as well as a defensive wall.
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