Unmatched is an opportunity for former teammates like Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally to reunite

Sabrina Ionescu becoming a member of Unmatched made headlines throughout the WNBA final week. The New York Liberty guard — one of many league’s most seen stars — is recent off of a profession season that was punctuated by one of many greatest photographs in WNBA historical past.

To some followers, maybe the good a part of Ionescu becoming a member of Unmatched is that she’ll be reunited with former Oregon teammate Satou Sabally on the Phantom membership. Sabally and Ionescu performed collectively for 4 seasons, and their senior 12 months season at Geese was reduce brief by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, greater than 4 years later, the duo will be a part of forces as soon as once more.

Ionescu and Sabally didn’t get an opportunity to compete for an NCAA championship in 2020, and whereas they’ll by no means get that likelihood, this winter they’ll get a chance to compete for an Unmatched title.

Unmatched, the brand new 3-on-3 basketball group fashioned by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, suggestions off subsequent month in Miami. Ionescu and Sabally are one among many duos that may get to reunite on this brand-new basketball atmosphere.

We took a have a look at a number of the enjoyable pairs and reunions that may happen this winter in every membership.

Laces: a mega Aces reunion

Jackie Younger (Aces), Tiffany Hayes (Aces), Kayla McBride (Lynx), Alyssa Thomas (Solar), Kate Martin (Valkyries), and Stefanie Dolson (Mystics).

Picture by Ethan Miller/Getty Photos

The Laces are fittingly named. Three of their six gamers (Jackie Younger, Tiffany Hayes, and Kate Martin) had been on the Las Vegas Aces final season. And Kayla McBride was on the Aces from 2014 to 2020 and was teammates with Younger for 2 seasons.

There are just a few different reunions on this roster; Jackie Younger and Alyssa Thomas, for instance, are reuniting after enjoying collectively on the U.S. Olympic group in Paris.

Phantom: Oregon stars Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally reunite

Satou Sabally (Wings), Marina Mabrey (Solar), Brittney Griner (Mercury), Natasha Cloud (Mercury), Katie Lou Samuelson (Fever), and Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty)

Picture by Ethan Miller/Getty Photos

Satou Sabally and Sabrina Ionescu, teammates on the College of Oregon for 4 years, will reunite.

Moreover, the Phantom Membership options two Mercury gamers — Brittney Griner and Natasha Cloud — who shared the ground in 2024.

The Phantom may also double as a Dallas Wings reunion of kinds — Marina Mabrey, Katie Lou Samuelson, and Satou Sabally had been all teammates in Dallas in 2020, and Mabrey and Sabally finally performed three seasons collectively earlier than Mabrey was traded to Chicago.

Like a number of of the opposite golf equipment, there’s additionally an Olympic connection on the Phantom — Griner and Ionescu performed collectively on Group USA this previous summer time.

Vinyl: Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard get one other likelihood at 3×3

Arike Ogunbowale (Wings), Rhyne Howard (Dream), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Jordin Canada (Dream), Rae Burrell (Sparks), and Dearica Hamby (Sparks)

Picture by Matthew Stockman/Getty Photos

The Vinyl Membership will a number of WNBA reunions. Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada are presently Atlanta Dream teammates, whereas Dearica Hamby and Rae Burrell are teammates on the Sparks. Canada beforehand performed with Hamby and Burrell for one season in Los Angeles, so she’ll get to share the ground with some acquainted ex-teammates.

Maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing Vinyl membership reunion is between Howard and Hamby, who had been teammates on the U.S. Olympic 3×3 basketball group in Paris. Whereas Unmatched’s 3-on-3 format is completely different than FIBA’s — video games are full-court and the identical size as a typical WNBA recreation — the duo did study to play by a number of the challenges of 3-on-3 en path to a Bronze medal.

Mist: Breanna Stewart reunites with Storm teammate Jewell Loyd

Jewell Loyd (Storm), DiJonai Carrington (Solar), Breanna Stewart (Liberty), Courtney Vandersloot (Liberty), Rickea Jackson (Sparks), and Aaliyah Edwards (Mystics)

Picture by Steph Chambers/Getty Photos

For Breanna Stewart, the Mist membership is a chance to reunite with a number of teammates she’s gained WNBA championships with. Stewart and Jewell Loyd gained two championships collectively on the Seattle Storm — in addition to an Olympic gold medal in Paris. Stewart and Courtney Vandersloot may also reunite after successful a WNBA championship in October.

Rose: Former Sky, Sparks teammates reunite

Chelsea Grey (Aces), Kahleah Copper (Mercury), Angel Reese (Sky), Brittney Sykes (Mystics), Lexie Hull (Fever), and Azura Stevens (Sparks)

Picture by Ned Dishman/NBAE through Getty Photos

Kahleah Copper and Azura Stevens — former teammates on the Chicago Sky — will likely be reunited on the Rose Membership. Chelsea Grey and Brittney Sykes — teammates on the Sparks in 2020 — may also as soon as once more be a part of forces. Angel Reese and Lexie Hull don’t have important enjoying stints with different Rose membership gamers.

Lunar Owls: Napheesa Collier, Courtney Williams reunite

Napheesa Collier (Lynx), Courtney Williams (Lynx), Skylar Diggins-Smith (Storm), Allisha Grey (Dream), Shakira Austin (Mystics), and Cameron Brink (Sparks, will solely play starting in 2026).

Picture by David Berding/Getty Photos

Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams will proceed enjoying collectively after main the Lynx to the WNBA Finals this previous fall — a exceptional run that resulted in a last-second loss to the Liberty. Williams stated that Colliers’ management with Unmatched inspired her to play.

Williams was excited to study that Unmatched could be broadcast on TNT.

“I used to be like, ‘Rattling, that’s loopy,’ as a result of I positively didn’t know that’s how they was getting down,” she informed SB Nation in October. “However that’s what’s up man. The truth that they in a position to get on that platform is loopy.”