On Tuesday, November 19, Athletes Unlimited officially announced a batch of player commitments for the 2025 season, the fourth basketball campaign for the organization that has blossomed into a stable mainstay for hoopers looking to stay stateside in the winter. After stints in Las Vegas, NV and Dallas, TX, AU Hoops is moving to Nashville, TN, with games tipping off on February 5, 2025 and going through March 2, 2025.
Several of the league’s founding members – Lexie Brown (Los Angeles Sparks), Sydney Colson (Las Vegas Aces), and Izzy Harrison (Chicago Sky) – have already been announced as returning, but this latest announcement brings a familiar face back home to Tennessee. Alysha Clark (Aces), who grew up in Mount Juliet, TN and attended Middle Tennessee before going on to win three WNBA championships, will enjoy a hoops homecoming.
“I’m so excited to be playing back home in front of family and friends where it all started,” said Clark. “Tennessee has such a rich women’s basketball culture and being part of AU in bringing a professional women’s league that the fans deserve to experience is also really special. I’m also really looking forward to making an impact in the community, the same way I’ve been able to in all the cities I’ve played throughout my career.”
Clark is not the only player with Tennessee roots lacing up her kicks: the Harrison sisters are Nashville natives, with Izzy (also a former Lady Vol) returning for her fourth campaign, alongside her sister, Dorie, who will play in her second AU season. Jordan Horston (Seattle Storm) and Meighan Simmons are both Tennessee alums.
Other notable newcomers on this list include Kia Nurse (Sparks), Bria Hartley (last with Connecticut Sun in ‘22), Alissa Pili (Minnesota Lynx), and Victaria Saxton (Indiana Fever). Kierstan Bell (Aces) and Maddy Siegrist (Dallas Wings) are among the returners, having found great success with AU in the past.
Here’s the full list of the 15 players that have already signed on, with more names to still be announced, as the complete roster balloons to 40.
AU PRO BASKETBALL ALPHABETICAL ROSTER (AS OF NOVEMBER 19)
Name Hometown School
Kierstan Bell
Alliance, Ohio
Florida Gulf Coast
Lexie Brown
Suwanee, Ga.
Duke
Alysha Clark
Mount Juliet, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee
Sydney Colson
Houston, Texas
Texas A&M
McKenzie Forbes
Folsom, Calif.
USC
Dorie Harrison
Nashville, Tenn.
Lipscomb
Isabelle Harrison
Nashville, Tenn.
Tennessee
Bria Hartley
North Babylon, N.Y.
UConn
Jordan Horston
Dallas, Texas
Tennessee
Kia Nurse
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
UConn
Alissa Pili
Anchorage, Alaska
Utah
Lydia Rivers
Kinston, N.C.
Virginia Tech
Victaria Saxton
Rome, Ga.
South Carolina
Maddy Siegrist
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Villanova
Meighan Simmons
Cibolo, Texas
Tennessee
Like other Athletes Unlimited leagues, AU Pro Basketball is led by a Player Executive Committee. Players have the opportunity to share in long-term profits of the company, and there’s constant open dialogue about the development of the league with their input. The 2025 AU Hoops PEC includes Brown as the Executive Chair, Colson, Rebecca Harris and Theresa Plaisance. (The latter two have not yet been officially named as participating athletes.)
“These latest player signings are further evidence that AU Pro Basketball is a home for both emerging and established top-level talent,” said Megan Perry, Director of Basketball for Athletes Unlimited. “We continue to be energized by the enthusiastic embrace we have received from the city of Nashville, and look forward to bringing world-class women’s pro basketball to Music City.”
If you’d like a primer on AU Hoops’ fun and unique structure, here’s a primer on its weekly redraft and the fantasy-like scoring system. And if you’d like to get to know some of these athletes a bit better, several current and previous participants have guested on Pull Up with Myles and Owen.
AU has yet to have a repeat champion, with Tianna Hawkins (2022), NaLyssa Smith (2023) and Allisha Gray (2024) all holding the title for just a year, and Gray off to Unrivaled this winter. Single game day tickets go on sale today at noon eastern, and be sure to stay locked in with us at Winsidr for continued coverage ahead of AU Pro Basketball.
