Connecticut Sun star is latest WNBA player to commit to Unrivaled

Alyssa Thomas, a five-time All-Star, is joining Unrivaled, a new 3-on-3 basketball league that looks to alter the professional sports landscape.

For weeks, Alyssa Thomas stood as one of the most notable omissions from Unrivaled’s star-studded cast.

Not anymore.

The 32-year-old MVP candidate is headed to Miami as player No. 31.

Thomas, a free agent who has spent her entire 11-year career in Connecticut, has historically gone overseas during the WNBA season, playing for clubs in China, Prague, South Korea, and Turkey throughout her career.

This winter, she has another option: she’ll join Unrivaled to play in Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart’s brand-new 3×3 women’s professional basketball league.

The league will launch on January 17th in Miami, span 8 weeks, and include 36 players — 31 of whom have already been announced. Games will be played on a compressed full-court, and players will earn an average salary of more than $200,000 — in additional to all inaugural players getting equity in the league.

Thomas, the WNBA’s all-time triple-double leader, is one of the league’s most well-rounded players. Most recently, she was a member of the US Olympic team that won gold, and she’s been named to First Team All-WNBA for each of the past two seasons.

She’s also a six-time member of the All-Defensive team. Last season, she averaged 10.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.9 assists for the Sun, who fell in the WNBA semi-finals to the Minnesota Lynx in five games.

Here’s a full list of confirmed Unrivaled players:

1. Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics)
2. Alyssa Thomas (Sun)
3. Aliyah Boston (Fever)
4. Allisha Gray (Dream)
5. Angel Reese (Sky)
6. Arike Ogunbowale (Wings)
7. Azura Stevens (Sparks)
8. Breanna Stewart (Liberty)
9. Brittney Sykes (Mystics)
10. Brittney Griner (Mercury)
11. Chelsea Gray (Aces)
12. Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty)
13. Courtney Williams (Lynx)
14. Dearica Hamby (Sparks)
15. DiJonai Carrington (Sun)
16. Jackie Young (Aces)
17. Jewell Loyd (Storm)
18. Kahleah Copper (Mercury)
19. Kate Martin (Aces)
20. Kayla McBride (Lynx)
21. Kelsey Plum (Aces)
22. Lexie Hull (Fever)
23. Marina Mabrey (Sun)
24. Napheesa Collier (Lynx)
25. Natasha Cloud (Mercury)
26. Rhyne Howard (Dream)
27. Rickea Jackson (Sparks)
28. Satou Sabally (Wings)
29. Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm)
30. Shakira Austin (Mystics)
31. Tiffany Hayes (Aces)

Over the coming days, five additional WNBA players will be revealed as participating members of Unrivaled. A full list of players and teams will be shared on November 20th.