Unmatched is an opportunity for former teammates like Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally to reunite

Sabrina Ionescu becoming a member of Unmatched made headlines throughout the WNBA final week. The New York Liberty guard — one of many league’s most seen stars — is recent off of a profession season that was punctuated by one of many largest pictures in WNBA historical past.

To some followers, maybe the best a part of Ionescu becoming a member of Unmatched is that she’ll be reunited with former Oregon teammate Satou Sabally on the Phantom membership. Sabally and Ionescu performed collectively for 4 seasons, and their senior yr season at Geese was minimize brief by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, greater than 4 years later, the duo will be part of forces as soon as once more.

Ionescu and Sabally didn’t get an opportunity to compete for an NCAA championship in 2020, and whereas they’ll by no means get that likelihood, this winter they’ll get a possibility to compete for an Unmatched title.

Unmatched, the brand new 3-on-3 basketball crew fashioned by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, ideas off subsequent month in Miami. Ionescu and Sabally are one among many duos that may get to reunite on this brand-new basketball atmosphere.

We took a take a look at among the enjoyable pairs and reunions that may happen this winter in every membership.

Laces: a mega Aces reunion

Jackie Younger (Aces), Tiffany Hayes (Aces), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Alyssa Thomas (Solar), Kate Martin (Valkyries), and Stefanie Dolson (Mystics).

Picture by Ethan Miller/Getty Photographs

The Laces are fittingly named. Three of their six gamers (Jackie Younger, Tiffany Hayes, and Kate Martin) have been on the Las Vegas Aces final season. And Kayla McBride was on the Aces from 2014 to 2020 and was teammates with Younger for 2 seasons.

There are a number of different reunions on this roster; Jackie Younger and Alyssa Thomas, for instance, are reuniting after taking part in collectively on the U.S. Olympic crew in Paris.

Phantom: Oregon stars Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally reunite

Satou Sabally (Wings), Marina Mabrey (Solar), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Natasha Cloud (Mercury), Katie Lou Samuelson (Fever), and Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty)

Picture by Ethan Miller/Getty Photographs

Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu, teammates on the College of Oregon for 4 years, will reunite.

Moreover, the Phantom Membership options two Mercury gamers — Brittney Griner and Natasha Cloud — who shared the ground in 2024.

The Phantom can even double as a Dallas Wings reunion of kinds — Marina Mabrey, Katie Lou Samuelson, and Satou Sabally have been all teammates in Dallas in 2020, and Mabrey and Sabally in the end performed three seasons collectively earlier than Mabrey was traded to Chicago.

Like a number of of the opposite golf equipment, there’s additionally an Olympic connection on the Phantom — Griner and Ionescu performed collectively on Group USA this previous summer season.

Vinyl: Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard get one other likelihood at 3×3

Arike Ogunbowale (Wings), Rhyne Howard (Dream), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Jordin Canada (Dream), Rae Burrell (Sparks), and Dearica Hamby (Sparks)

Picture by Matthew Stockman/Getty Photographs

The Vinyl Membership will a number of WNBA reunions. Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada are at present Atlanta Dream teammates, whereas Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell are teammates on the Sparks. Canada beforehand performed with Hamby and Burrell for one season in Los Angeles, so she’ll get to share the ground with some acquainted ex-teammates.

Maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing Vinyl membership reunion is between Howard and Hamby, who have been teammates on the U.S. Olympic 3×3 basketball crew in Paris. Whereas Unmatched’s 3-on-3 format is completely different than FIBA’s — video games are full-court and the identical size as a typical WNBA recreation — the duo did study to play by among the challenges of 3-on-3 en path to a Bronze medal.

Mist: Breanna Stewart reunites with Storm teammate Jewell Loyd

Jewell Loyd (Storm), DiJonai Carrington (Solar), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty), Rickea Jackson (Sparks), and Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics)

Picture by Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs

For Breanna Stewart, the Mist membership is a chance to reunite with a number of teammates she’s gained WNBA championships with. Stewart and Jewell Loyd gained two championships collectively on the Seattle Storm — in addition to an Olympic gold medal in Paris. Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot can even reunite after profitable a WNBA championship in October.

Rose: Former Sky, Sparks teammates reunite

Chelsea Grey (Aces), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Angel Reese (Sky), Brittney Sykes (Mystics), Lexie Hull (Fever), and Azura Stevens (Sparks)

Picture by Ned Dishman/NBAE through Getty Photographs

Kahleah Copper and Azura Stevens — former teammates on the Chicago Sky — can be reunited on the Rose Membership. Chelsea Grey and Brittney Sykes — teammates on the Sparks in 2020 — can even as soon as once more be part of forces. Angel Reese and Lexie Hull don’t have vital taking part in stints with different Rose membership gamers.

Lunar Owls: Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams reunite

Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Courtney Williams (Lynx), Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm), Allisha Grey (Dream), Shakira Austin (Mystics), and Cameron Brink (Sparks, will solely play starting in 2026).

Picture by David Berding/Getty Photographs

Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams will proceed taking part in collectively after main the Lynx to the WNBA Finals this previous fall — a exceptional run that resulted in a last-second loss to the Liberty. Williams stated that Colliers’ management with Unmatched inspired her to play.

Williams was excited to study that Unmatched can be broadcast on TNT.

“I used to be like, ‘Rattling, that’s loopy,’ as a result of I positively didn’t know that’s how they was getting down,” she advised SB Nation in October. “However that’s what’s up man. The truth that they capable of get on that platform is loopy.”