Every queer player joining the Unrivaled women's basketball league for the 2026 season

Queer Unrivaled players Paige Bueckers, Alyssa Thomas, and Saniya Rivers.

With the WNBA Championship almost over, we'd normally have to wait until May 2026 for women’s basketball to grace our screens once again, but luckily, we’ve got Unrivaled to look forward to — and it’s looking like it’s going to rival the WNBA for the percentage of queer players.

Unrivaled is a women’s professional three-on-three basketball league founded by WNBA star Breanna Stewart and “power straight” Napheesa Collier in 2023. The league’s inaugural season started in January 2025 and included LGBTQ+ players like Kahleah Copper, Natasha Cloud, Jewell Lloyd, DiJonai Carrington, Brittney Griner, and StudBudz star Courtney Williams.

This week, Unrivaled began announcing the new players joining the league and will continue every day through October 1. Out of the first six players, four are LGBTQ+, and the league will probably get even gayer as they announce more players, considering just how queer the first season was. In the second season, which will tip off in January 2026, the league will add two new teams, taking the league from six to eight teams, which means there is even more room for talented LGBTQ+ players to dominate on the court.

But who are the new queer Unrivaled players?

Paige Bueckers

Coming off her rookie season on the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers is one of the first six players to be announced for the upcoming Unrivaled season. Bueckers signed a three-year deal with Unrivaled back in April and also invested in the league. Not only did Bueckers make it to the WNBA All-Stars and score the title of Rookie of the Year during her first WNBA season, but she also made headlines when she came out and announced she’s dating her former UConn teammate, Azzi Fudd.

Alyssa Thomas

After being the captain on the Laces during the first season of the league, Alyssa Thomas was the very first player announced for season two of Unrivaled. Outside of Unrivaled, Thomas is a forward on the Phoenix Mercury and is engaged to fellow WNBA star DeWanna Bonner.

Saniya Rivers

Connecticut Sun rookie Saniya Rivers will be joining one of the teams on the Unrivaled. According to Sports Illustrated, joining the Unrivaled for the second season will be a stepping stone in Rivers’ career, which will allow her to rack up more experience and cash, in light of the WNBA’s collective bargaining negotiations. Rivers made headlines during her rookie season, not just for her skills on the court, but for her friendship with Sun veteran players Marina Mabrey, which many fans suspect is more romantic than the two women are letting on.

Erica Wheeler

Seattle Storm star player Erica Wheeler is joining the Unrivaled for the first time for the league’s season. Wheeler is also engaged to assistant basketball coach Danielle Edwards, who she proposed to in May 2023 after winning on the court at a basketball game.