As one of the four playoff teams from Unrivaled\u2019s first season, the Lunar Olws were allowed to protect two players in the draft ahead of the league\u2019s second season. Considering that the Lunar Owls were one of the strongest rosters during last season, coach DJ Sackmann was presented with a very difficult choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Protecting Napheesa Collier was a no-brainer. She was the league\u2019s leading scorer last season and was named the first-ever Unrivaled MVP. Even with the crushing injury news<\/a>, no one can blame Sackmann for protecting Collier. The Lunar Owls also protected Skylar Diggins, leading Allisha Gray, the team\u2019s second leading scorer and one of the most productive two-way players in the league, up for grabs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Protecting Diggins made sense in a way and there wasn\u2019t one perfect choice. She was the Lunar Owls\u2019 leading playmaker, a great pick-and-roll partner for Collier, and an energizer. Still, considering how good Gray has been for the Mist, how well she would fit next to Marina Mabrey and Aaliyah Edwards, and that Diggins has been sidelined for three games now, the decision to let Gray go doesn\u2019t look good.<\/p>\n Allisha Gray is off to a good start<\/p>\n Allisha Gray averaged 22.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4 assists over her first three games with the Mist. She is the team\u2019s leading scorer\u2014despite inexplicably coming off the bench for two games\u2014and the sixth leading scorer in the league. She also ranks ninth in assists per game.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gray, who has a very versatile offensive skill set and 3×3 experience, thrives in Unrivaled. If she were still on the Lunar Owls, they may have started the season very differently.\u00a0<\/p>\n