Paige Bueckers joins Cameron Brink on Unrivaled League expansion team

The Unrivaled League is getting ready for its second season of existence after a successful first year. They added two new teams this year, the Breeze and the Hive, and the rosters were announced on Wednesday. Playoff teams from the first season were allowed to keep two players, while non-playoff teams kept one. Every other player was put into a draft pool, and teams were selected from there.

With the first overall pick, the Breeze selected Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, fresh off a phenomenal rookie season in the WNBA where she won Rookie of the Year, was an All-Star Game starter, and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team despite the Wings going just 10-34.

She’ll now be asked to lead the newest Unrivaled League team. The Breeze also selected Rickea Jackson, Dominique Malonga, Aari McDonald, Kate Martin, and Cameron Brink. Those are a lot of big names and good players, which should hopefully give Bueckers a successful first season.

Paige Bueckers is an investor in the new league, but this will be her first time playing. She was still playing at UConn in the league’s first season, but they said she was an “intern” and helped fold shirts. She’ll earn more in her first season in this league than she will in her entire WNBA rookie contract, which is why people are fighting so hard for a new CBA.

READ MORE: Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers gives honest review of new-look UConn Huskies

Bueckers is far from the only member of the Dallas Wings to play in the Unrivaled League for this upcoming year. Maddy Siegrist will be playing for the Laces, Arike Ogunbowale and Li Yueru will play for the Mist, and Haley Jones and Aziaha James will be in the league’s development pool. The head coach of Rose BC, Nola Henry, was an assistant for the Wings last year, too, but her status on the Wings’ staff is still unknown after the decision to fire Chris Koclanes and hire Jose Fernandez.

Nola Henry helped Rose BC win the championship in the first year, leading players such as Angel Reese and Chelsea Gray. That’s why some fans were clamoring for her to get the job, but it seems like she’ll need to wait another year before she gets a chance at a WNBA coaching gig.

The Unrivaled League is a 3-on-3 style of play, and the players quickly took to it with the more manageable schedule, and it’s easier on the body since it’s not a 5-on-5 league.

READ MORE: Why Sandy Brondello chose Toronto Tempo over Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings

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