The second season of Unrivaled began on Jan. 5 and features top WNBA stars, including Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Kelsey Plum, Paige Bueckers, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Rhyne Howard, and Kahleah Copper.
However, not every star is participating this season. One of the league’s brightest young players, Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, is not playing this year.
Angel Reese Responds to Missing Unrivaled 2026
Reese is still recovering from injuries sustained during the WNBA season and is not playing this year. She suffered a back injury last season and missed 14 of the Sky’s 44 games.
Despite not playing, Reese’s popularity has continued to engage fans. A fan posted a video on X showing Reese’s highlights from last season. Reese responded: “ugh i kinda miss it 😢”
ugh i kinda miss it 😢 https://t.co/P2lzOrzqzV
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) January 26, 2026
While Reese is disappointed she couldn’t rejoin the league, her focus remains clear. If she hopes to help the Sky rebound after a 10-34 season, sitting out to fully recover appears to be the right move.
Reese averaged 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game last season.
Unrivaled games are played on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Friday and Monday games air on TNT and truTV, while weekend games air on truTV. All games stream on HBO Max.
Founded by Stewart and Collier, the league originally featured six teams — Mist, Rose, Phantom, Lunar Owls, and Vinyl — competing in a 3-on-3 format. The Breeze and Hive joined for the 2026 season, expanding the league to eight teams.
The league was created to allow players to earn offseason income without going overseas, addressing the issue of lower WNBA salaries.
Unrivaled reportedly generated $30 million in revenue during its inaugural season, and some players have been offered six-figure salaries. Each player on last year’s championship team received $50,000 and will earn $100,000 this year.
That presents a strong incentive for players — especially since it eliminates the need to travel overseas and spend time away from family and friends during the offseason.
Although Reese was in line to earn more money through Unrivaled, she is hardly short on income. Since her days at LSU, she has enjoyed massive popularity and lucrative endorsement deals. She also walked in the Victoria’s Secret fashion show last year.
A reserve pool of six WNBA players — Hailey Van Lith, Aziaha James, Haley Jones, Emily Engstler, Laeticia Amihere, and Makayla Timpson — is available in the event of injuries or absences. The pool was created after injuries affected Unrivaled during its first season. These players can appear for more than one team, ensuring there is no shortage of talent even if some of the league’s most popular players, like Reese, are not participating.
