Forward Angel Reese and the Rose Basketball Club became Unrivaled's first-ever champions with a win over the Vinyl on Monday. Guard Brittney Sykes led the squad with 21 points and iced the game-winner off an and-one against guard Jordin Canada. Guard Chelsea Gray, who stepped up as a scorer for the Rose and earned a spot on the All-Unrivaled First Team, earned 18 points and dished eight assists in the title victory.
The Rose's monumental turnaround saw them climb back from a 1-4 record to a spot on top of the Unrivaled landscape with their championship win. They would go from the fourth-ranked team in Bleacher Report's preseason power rankings to a record of 8-6 despite having nine players who played in at least one game. Two former Sky players, guard Kahleah Copper and forward Azura Stevens, would join Chicago forward Angel Reese in representing the Sky as they capped off the inaugural season of the 3-on-3 league, one that saw plenty of innovative ideas take hold with some of the biggest stars the WNBA has to offer.
How did Angel Reese fare in her first season with Unrivaled?
Offense: B+
From a few midrange shots to higher efficiency from the floor, Reese showed flashes of improvement on offense early in her first stint with Unrivaled.
Reese would end the regular season with a 46.9% clip from the floor, a leg up from what she logged in her first season with the Sky. She would log two games of 20 points or more in matchups with the Lunar Owls and the Phantom. The 6-foot-3 forward worked with Hall-of-Fame center Lisa Leslie to improve her finishing around the basket. She will still have a few things to work on heading into the 2025 WNBA season, but she still has plenty to write home about after being an essential contributor on offense for the Rose Basketball Club.
Defense: A+
Reese carried over the same defensive pressure that made her a valuable defender for the Sky in her rookie year.
She would ultimately finish the regular season with the league's first-ever Defensive Player of the Year award. The Sky star continued to be a rebounding machine as she led the league with 12.1 rebounds per game, including 8.5 per contest on the defensive end. She brought down 10 or more defensive rebounds on seven occasions during the regular season, including a season-high 15 defensive boards in a win over the Laces earlier this month.