“Nashville welcomed us with open arms last season, and we’re thrilled to return to Municipal Auditorium for another year of world-class hoops,” said Megan Perry, vice president of basketball for Athletes Unlimited. “With a roster that blends proven leaders and exciting new faces, AU Pro Basketball is where legends rise and new stars are born.”
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Several seasoned WNBA and AU Pro Basketball players are returning to the league. They include Seattle Storm guard Alysha Clark, who won WNBA championships with Seattle in 2018 and 2020. She also won a championship with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023, when she won WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year.
Also returning to the four-week league is Isabelle Harrison. This Nashville native is currently playing in the WNBA with the New York Liberty. In 2022, she finished third on the AU Pro Basketball leaderboard and was awarded the league’s inaugural Defensive Player of the Year.
Lexie Brown, currently playing for the Seattle Storm, is on the chair of the AU Pro Basketball Player Executive Committee. In 2021 she won a WNBA championship with the Chicago Sky.
Though Ariel Atkins has been playing in the WNBA since 2018, she will be making her debut with AU Pro. In 2019, the current Chicago Sky star won a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics. In 2020, the guard star won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA. She is also a two-time WNBA All-Star (2021, 2022) and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive first team in 2022.
Here’s a look at all 14 early signees.
AU Pro Basketball allows 40 total players to stay active and compete during the WNBA offseason. It’s also one of two opportunities for WNBA players to stay in the United States and work on their skills instead of traveling overseas — the other being Unrivaled.
During the season, the players compete in 5×5 games over four weeks. Players help set the rules, and each individual player competes for the title of AU Pro Basketball champion. The winner is determined by player performance throughout the season and points are based on stats and team wins. There is also $500,000 in bonuses at stake for players.
Last season, Dallas Wings forward Maddy Siegrist sat on the top of the AU Pro leaderboard, making her the 2025 winner. Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray won in 2024, NaLyssa Smith won in 2023, and Tianna Hawkins came out on top in 2022.
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