Unrivaled is preparing for its third season and has announced a 48-player roster to go along with it, but several familiar faces from its last outing will be missing when the action returns in January 2027. Whether it’s injury setbacks, competing league commitments, or contract changes, stars like Aliyah Boston and Kate Martin are set to depart. Here’s a breakdown of notable WNBA players missing from each of last season’s eight clubs.

Breeze BC

Rickea Jackson, Kate Martin, and Aari McDonald will not be returning to Breeze BC. Jackson was announced for the 2027 season but suffered an ACL tear, and her rehab has taken her out of action, but she’s set to return in 2028. Martin’s departure came just a few days ago, when it was announced that she and the league came to a mutual agreement to terminate her contract. McDonald is facing commitment issues with her team in Turkey, Melikgazi Kayseri Basketbol, and will be playing there instead.

Hive BC

Ezi Magbegor, Kelsey Mitchell, and Saniya Rivers are three notable departures from Hive BC. Magbegor was announced for the season but suffered an ACL tear, forcing her to leave, but she’s expected back in 2028. Meanwhile, Mitchell is set to join Project B, a five-on-five league whose schedule conflicts with Unrivaled. Rivers also expressed interest in wanting to join Project B, while making it clear in her exit interview this WNBA season that she did not intend to come back to Unrivaled.

Mist BC

Alanna Smith is the only notable player missing from the 2027 pool for Mist BC. The Australian forward is set to head to Project B.

Laces BC

Alyssa Thomas is the only notable player not returning to Laces BC for the upcoming season. Like Smith and Mitchell, she is also headed to Project B, marking the third and final player departing Unrivaled for this reason.

Rose BC

Azura Stevens, Angel Reese, and Sug Sutton are set to miss the upcoming Unrivaled season for Rose BC. Reese is still in the playoffs, so there’s no clear reason for her to miss the 2027 season. Stevens, meanwhile, explained that she would be rehabbing a minor injury. No reason is known for Sutton.

Phantom BC

Aliyah Boston, Dana Evans, and Kiki Iriafen are the three Phantom BC players missing the upcoming title defense season. Boston’s absence is related to an injury, as she underwent arthroscopic surgery on her right knee, but the 2026 Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year is expected back in 2028. Iriafen made it clear during her WNBA exit interview that she was not returning for this Unrivaled season due to rest after suffering a few injuries in the WNBA season. There’s no clear reason for Evans’ departure.

Vinyl BC

Brittney Griner and Erica Wheeler will both be missing from Vinyl BC this year. Griner indicated that she was going to take the summer to vacation abroad and not play. Wheeler’s reasoning is unclear, and we haven’t heard from her yet.

Lunar Owls BC

Rebecca Allen and Rachel Banham round out the list of missing players. Allen announced her retirement in August, and her career came to an end following the New York Liberty’s second-round exit in the WNBA playoffs. Meanwhile, Banham is set to do some commentary for Big 10 Network TV, and has not indicated that she’s coming back to Unrivaled.

The new Unrivaled season starts on January 8, with new club assignments scheduled for unveiling on November 4.