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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. Phantom and Mist Are Championship Bound 🏆
Phantom BC and Mist BC are heading to the 2026 Unrivaled 3-on-3 Championship after two epic semifinal games in a sold-out Barclays Center.
Phantom erased a 59–50 third-quarter deficit to beat Vinyl, then Mist stormed back from 16 down to knock out Breeze. The championship game tips Wednesday. (USA Today)
WHY IT MATTERS: The four semifinal teams put on a show for 18,261 fans in Brooklyn. With just a few weeks’ notice, Unrivaled filled Barclays Center. Earlier this season, the league drew 21,490 in Philadelphia, the largest attendance ever for a regular-season pro women’s basketball game. Fans are showing up in bigger venues for 3-on-3 women’s basketball.
🗳️ Which semifinal comeback impressed you more?
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley shared that three former Gamecocks — Tiffany Mitchell, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, and Destiny Littleton — remain in Israel following U.S.-Israel military strikes against Iran. The program is working to bring them home safely. (AP News)
WHY IT MATTERS: A lot of WNBA and overseas pros spend part of the year playing abroad. It’s how many of them make a living. Most of the time, it feels far removed from politics and global conflict. Until it’s not. This is a reminder that overseas careers come with real-world risks, and that the bond between a coach and her players doesn’t always end after they graduate.
3. Chelsea Gray Named Unrivaled MVP 👏
After a dominant season with Rose BC, Chelsea Gray was named the 2026 Unrivaled MVP. She averaged 24.2 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.6 rebounds in 14 games, and she also won the league’s 1-on-1 tournament in February. (Swish Appeal)
WHY IT MATTERS: At 33, Gray is just as dominant of a point guard as she’s ever been. Her trophy case already includes six WNBA All-Star selections, four championships, a 2022 Finals MVP, plus an Unrivaled championship and Finals MVP from last season. Now she adds Unrivaled MVP to the list. She’s still one of the best decision-makers and closers in the game.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Aussie Crown Secured: Former Iowa guard Lucy Olsen and the Townsville Fire captured the Australian WNBL championship.
Can’t Stop Crooks: Iowa State’s Audi Crooks tied Brittney Griner’s Big 12 record with five 40+ point games.
Another Perfect Run: The UConn Huskies finished 31–0, marking the program’s 11th undefeated regular season and extending their win streak to 47 games.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked which Unrivaled team you were rooting for in the semifinals, and 50% of you were pulling for the Breeze. Safe to say some of you went to bed disappointed last night.
