Unrivaled: 1-on-1 Tournament—with $350K prize pool—begins tonight

Unrivaled is cruising through its debut season down in Miami, FL.

The league created by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier is giving WNBA players the chance to play 3×3 basketball and develop with their peers. Now, another element of the Unrivaled package is set to kick-off tonight: the 1-on-1 Tournament.

Giving players a stateside offseason hub was key for the growth of the sport. Unrivaled has been treating them well too, with top-of-the-line facilities, a nursery for the athletes’ kids, a glam room, an on-site aesthetician—just to name a few. The 1-on-1 Tournament is something to break the season up, but also something for the fans. Of course, the players are also going to love the chance to go head to head with their friends and teammates.

Yet, like every season of sports, injuries are inevitable. With only 36 total players and six players per club, injuries can rack up quickly. The league also does not want to rush anyone back from an injury, given that one of the league’s priorities is offseason conditioning and development. Due to that, Unrivaled had to cancel one of Saturday’s scheduled games. Now, the injury bug also trickled down to the 1-on-1 Tournament as well. Quite a few players were forced to bow out, causing the league to condense the first round into one session, as opposed to the originally planned two.

Still, there are going to be a ton of great matchups as we determine who the Unrivaled 1-on-1 champion will be. That winner will get a $200,000 bonus, and additional bonuses for their Unrivaled teammates.

Based on fan voting, some players were already awarded a first-round bye. Players who were matched up against players who had to withdraw will also get an automatic bye to the second round. The action begins at 7 p.m. ET on TNT, TruTV and Max.

So, let’s go through each of the matchups we will see tonight:

Napheesa Collier vs. Katie Lou Samuelson

College teammates, best friends, now going head-to-head. After winning a national championship together at UConn, Samuelson was a bridesmaid at Collier’s wedding. Yet, they have not been teammates since their UConn days. With Collier absolutely dominating the league so far with her 8-0 Lunar Owls, plus her size and defensive edge over Samuelson, she may have the advantage here.

My pick: Napheesa Collier

Chelsea Gray vs. Shakira Austin

The Point GAWD against a young hooper. This one is interesting—Austin has the size, Gray has the outside shooting and experience edge. If Gray can just shoot daggers from distance, this could go her way. If Austin plays tight defense, she may be able to stop Gray.

My pick: Shakira Austin

Kahleah Copper vs. Aliyah Boston

Boston is strong in the post, but Copper is fast. Both thrive closer to the basket. Boston may be able to dominate Copper down low, but I think Copper’s speed and shooting may be able to help her out.

My pick: Kahleah Copper

Rhyne Howard vs. Lexie Hull

Both players have experience in the halfcourt game, having represented the United States at various FIBA 3×3 competitions, with Howard, most notably, helping Team USA win bronze at the 2024 Olympics. While Hull is an excellent defender who also shoots from distance, I think Howard’s game is a little more holistic.

My pick: Rhyne Howard

Skylar Diggins-Smith vs. Dearica Hamby

The size difference in this match is astounding. Hamby and SDS essentially play opposite positions on the court. Diggins-Smith can shoot, but Hamby may just run through her to get to the hoop.

My pick: Dearica Hamby

Allisha Gray vs. Jordin Canada

WNBA teammates now facing off. Canada and Gray both play for the Atlanta Dream, so they know each other’s styles on the court quite well. This should be a good one.

My pick: Allisha Gray

Jackie Young vs. Rickea Jackson

Another promising young player going against a more experienced player. Young is a Jackie of all trades on the court—she can shoot, facilitate, defend and more. Jackson had an amazing rookie season in LA, and also has the size advantage here.

My pick: Jackie Young

Breanna Stewart vs. Aaliyah Edwards

Young Husky vs. Vet Husky. It’s another UConn-on-UConn matchup. The chance for Edwards to be teammates with Stewart will do wonders for her personal game going forward. Stewart is obviously one of the GOATS of the sport for a reason, yet Edwards could possibly give her some trouble. It will be fun, for sure.

My pick: Breanna Stewart