Even with the WNBA schedule being at a halt because of its self-inflicted CBA quagmire, we are still spoiled with a bountiful amount of women’s basketball to witness.
The lion’s share of attention has been bestowed upon conference play in the collegiate ranks as well as the second season of Unrivaled. Then there is also Athletes Unlimited which has completed half of its season.
Tennessee is consistently a women’s basketball state and the presence that Athletes Unlimited has brought to Nashville is no exception to the rule. While there have been a plethora of noteworthy names that have made their presences known in Music City, we at Beyond The W have narrowed it down to these eight.
Odyssey Sims
We remember how the veteran that is Sims played a massive role in the Indiana Fever’s run to the WNBA semifinals last season.
For those that forgot, Athletes Unlimited uses a more points-based system. Sims is currently second in points with 2829 as of this writing. In terms of basketball points, she is Athletes Unlimited’s leader in scoring averaging 22.5 points per game.
Sims is also second among Athletes Unlimited participants in assists with 4.5 per contest. She is set to begin Week 3 as captain of Team Gold Rush.
Rebekah Gardner
Speaking of seasoned veterans, Gardner’s story of how she went undrafted to ultimately find her way on WNBA rosters – those of the Chicago Sky and New York Liberty – is well-documented.
Week 3 will commence with Gardner as team captain for Team Eclipse. As of this writing, Gardner is the current Athletes Unlimited points leader with 3035. In fact, she is the only player this Athletes Unlimited season currently that has compiled more than 3000 points through the first two weeks.
Gardner is currently averaging 13 points and three rebounds per game through the first pair of weeks.
Tina Charles
While many a WNBA fan most fondly remembers Charles during her time when she sported Liberty seafoam, she deserved plenty of flowers for the 2024 campaign she put together with the Atlanta Dream.
During that season, Charles displayed that she still belonged on a roster. She has compiled nearly 2300 league points and is averaging 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Charles will be part of Rhythm’s roster to begin Week 3.
Kia Nurse
Nurse is one of the more heralded professionals from Canada. Her career in the WNBA began with high expectations as she spent the first three years of her time in the W with the Liberty.
Since then, Nurse has worn the threads of the Mercury, Storm, Sparks and Sky. Through the first two weeks of Athletes Unlimited’s fifth season, she has 1527 league points and will be part of Team Eclipse for the third week.
Nurse has averaged 18.5 points per game – second among this year’s Athletes Unlimited participants. There were three 20-point scorers during the most recent day of Athletes Unlimited competition – which was Valentine’s Day.
Nurse was one of those scorers that day as she wore the uniform of Team Gold Rush.
Natasha Mack
Natasha Mack began this year’s Athletes Unlimited season with Rhythm before being drafted to Glow.
As Week 3 arrives, Mack will be Glow’s team captain. She was originally drafted by the Sky and has had a career that has seen her wear the WNBA uniforms of the Mercury and Minnesota Lynx.
Mack is currently third in league points with 2773. She is averaging 10.7 points per game but is leading the Athletes Unlimited field in rebounds with 13.8. She is also leading the field in blocks, averaging 3.3 rejections per contest.
Kaitlyn Chen
One of the closely watched stories regarding the 2025 WNBA season was the on-again, off-again saga involving Chen and the Golden State Valkyries.
Ultimately, she would be on Golden State’s roster – and coach Natalie Nakase had to be happy that she was as the Valkyries qualified for the postseason as an expansion franchise.
Through two weeks of Athletes Unlimited play, Chen has compiled 2319 league points – seventh among this year’s participants. She has averaged 13.3 points per contest. She is also the league leader in assists, dishing out 4.8 dimes per matchup.
As Week 3 commences, Chen looks to remain in a … Rhythm.
Zia Cooke
Cooke was a highly touted pro prospect coming from South Carolina, but her WNBA career has seen her suit up for the likes of the Los Angeles Sparks and Seattle Storm.
She is another notable name that will be part of the Team Rhythm roster beginning in Week 3. Cooke currently is third among Athletes Unlimited participants in terms of points. She is averaging 17.7 points per game.
Cooke has also compiled just over 1900 league points – 1909 to be exact. She also has collected plenty of steals – 11 overall – and is averaging 3.5 assists per contest.
Shey Peddy
Remember when Peddy became “the real Playoff P” to many a WNBA fan when she wore Phoenix Mercury threads?
Peddy is set to be one of the four team captains at Athletes Unlimited for the Week 3 slate of games. Peddy is currently fourth among Athletes Unlimited participants in 3-point shooting as she has shot 42.9 percent from behind the arc.
She is also one of the league leaders in assists with 4.2 per contest. Peddy will be Eclipse’s team captain to begin Week 3 and she has compiled over 1800 league points.
