The Connecticut Sun is approaching the second Unrivaled basketball season, with three stars in the mix. Saniya Rivers will be competing with the Hive Basketball Club after shining during her rookie WNBA campaign. Marina Mabrey and Aaliyah Edwards will be playing together for the Lunar Owls Basketball Club.
Unrivaled was originally made up of six teams: Phantom BC, Mist BC, Vinyl BC, Laces BC, Rose BC and Lunar Owls BC. However, the league expanded, and two new teams are debuting in January: Hive BC and Breeze BC.
During its inaugural year, Unrivaled was largely dominated by the Vinyl, Laces, Rose and the Lunar Owls — the four teams that reached the playoffs. The Lunar Owls finished the season with an impressive overall record of 13-1, and it looks like they will be following a similar trajectory in 2026.
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The Lunar Owls are equipped with a talented roster this year. Playing alongside Mabrey and Edwards will be Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx), Rebecca Allen (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm) and Rachel Banham (Chicago Sky). Head coach DJ Sackmann will be at the helm once again, one year after being named Unrivaled’s Coach of the Year.
Expectations are incredibly high for the Lunar Owls this year after having a stellar run in the past, so it’s hard to imagine a world in which they don’t succeed. In fact, in early November, Chelsea Leite of Bleacher Report carefully placed the Lunar Owls at No. 2 in her initial power rankings.
“With Collier and Skylar Diggins now joined by 1-on-1 tournament runner-up Aaliyah Edwards, Marina Mabrey, Rachel Banham and Rebecca Allen, the club is looking strong again,” Leite explained. “They have a great mix of size, versatility and shooting ability.”
Mabrey was one of Connecticut’s top shooters in 2025, averaging 14.4 points per game, trailing Tina Charles, who averaged 16.3 points per game. Mabrey brings her shooting abilities to the Lunar Owls, and Edwards brings a high level of versatility and a strong defensive front to the court.
With the Lunar Owls already having a successful season under their belt, the bar is set high. However, Leite said it best, “… the Lunar Owls are still packing a punch.”
Unrivaled is an opportunity for athletes to connect with players they might not otherwise have the chance to play with, but it’s also a way for athletes to fine-tune their game in preparation for the upcoming 2026 WNBA campaign.