“Worst leadership in the world.” That’s how Napheesa Collier described the WNBA’s leadership under Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. She wasn’t alone — the entire community backed her when she read her two-page prepared statement at a news conference in Minneapolis. Coaches like Cheryl Reeve, Becky Hammon, and Stephanie White had been raising their voices about officiating all playoffs long, and many were fined for it. But amidst all the chaos in the W, the Unrivaled league keeps gaining momentum. Just ask Angel Reese.

There were quite a few issues the Unrivaled founder highlighted during the press conference.

• Collier said she asked Engelbert why high-profile players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who are major revenue drivers for the league, were paid so little in comparison. (For context, Clark’s WNBA salary this season was $78,066.) To which Cathy Engelbert replied: “Caitlin should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn’t make anything.”
• Collier raised concerns about the league’s officiating, to which Engelbert reportedly replied, “Only the losers complain about the refs.” Meanwhile, Coach Cheryl Reeve was hit with a record $15,000 fine for questioning the officials during the semifinals, and Stephanie White has been fined multiple times this season for doing the same.

All these issues, combined with the inability to raise questions, are only hurting the WNBA and its image. But while the league we love struggles in this ongoing power struggle, another league is gaining immense popularity: Unrivaled. Angel Reese is back for the second season of her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, and in the first episode, she had plenty to say about the 3×3 basketball tournament.

“I’m really grateful for Unrivaled and thankful for what they did for me in my career because I can see how my jump from year one to two helped me a lot. My confidence, being around great players, being able to compete against the best every day, and even looking at the facility — like what a facility is supposed to look like. They showed me that, and I was able to see that from my own perspective. So I’m really grateful and will forever be grateful for Unrivaled because they did a lot for me. They continue to grow, and I’m excited for what Unrivaled has in store this year,” she said in her latest episode of the podcast.

Unrivaled has clearly helped Reese grow as a player this season. The reigning Defensive Player of the tournament saw a noticeable leap in her WNBA regular-season efficiency. Her scoring improved from 13.6 points per game on 39.1% shooting to 14.7 points per game on 45.8% shooting. That’s not all! She also developed as a playmaker, setting a career high with 3.7 assists per game this season.

All of this growth has been possible because Reese got to compete against the best of the best in Unrivaled while also accessing far superior training facilities than what the Sky offer. Chicago’s team notoriously practices 30 miles from Wintrust Arena at Sachs Recreation Center, a public facility in Deerfield, making it one of the least desirable setups in the WNBA.

But while the ‘Bayou Barbie’ has sung Unrivaled’s praises, the big question remains: will she suit up for season two of the tournament?

Will Angel Reese play in the Unrivaled this season?

The league co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart has announced 46 of the 48 players for Year 2. Thirty are returning from the first season, while 16 are newcomers — a mix of WNBA rookies and players who sat out last winter. But notably, Angel Reese’s name is still missing from the list.

With just two players left to announce — and the likes of Kayla McBride, Katie Lou Samuelson, Courtney Vandersloot, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Tiffany Hayes, and Stefanie Dolson, all returnees from last season, still unconfirmed — you can’t help but wonder: will Angel Reese even compete this season?

Yes, the likes of Samuelson and Vandersloot both suffered ACL tears this past season, so their absence isn’t a surprise. But what about Reese? She missed the last few games of the WNBA season with a recurring back injury. She missed 14 games in total this season due to injuries. Could that be the reason behind her “exclusion” this year? Or will she be a wildcard pick like Sabrina Ionescu was last season? We’ll just have to wait and see!