The Unrivaled league is not just a 3-on-3 format. It also hosts an annual 1-on-1 tournament at the end of the regular season with major cash prizes. Las Vegas Aces stars Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray both advanced out of the first round and will move on to the second as they chase the title.
Gray edged Natasha Cloud in a tight matchup, with both shooting 44.4 percent from the field. Gray pulled it out 11-10. Young, meanwhile, took control against Aziaha James, holding her to 22.2 percent shooting and cruising to an 11-4 win.
Young and Gray have been key leaders for their respective teams. Young is averaging 16.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists for the No. 1-seeded Laces, who have already clinched a playoff spot at 8-2. Gray is averaging 25.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists for Rose. She ranks second in the league in scoring and has Rose sitting fifth at 5-6.
The tournament winner will take home $200,000. The runner-up earns $50,000, and third place receives $25,000. With WNBA salaries often hovering around $100,000, the event gives players a chance to nearly double that before the season even begins.
The second round is set to begin Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET. WNBA and Unrivaled fans are eager to see who proves they are the league’s best 1-on-1 player this season.
Jesse Vanderveer is a basketball reporter and writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @JesseVanderveer22
