Unrivaled signs another surprise WNBA player in the wake of injuries

Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins is the latest WNBA player to join Unrivaled on a relief contract. Atkins, a two-time WNBA All-Star and the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, has yet to be assigned to a particular club, but she’ll provide injury insurance for teams missing too many players with injuries.

Ariel Atkins had been playing for the Turkish professional club Fenerbahce this winter, but she’s now parted ways with them.

Unrivaled, a new professional 3-on-3 women’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is midway through its inaugural season. So far, four other players have signed relief player contracts: Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith, New York Liberty forward Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman, and former Lynx guard Kiki Jefferson.

These relief player contracts have been offered to players due to a high number of injuries, with the Laces Club even needing to cancel a game earlier this month due to the fact not enough players were available. Tiffany Hayes, Kate Martin, Alyssa Thomas, Jackie Young, Brittney Sykes, DiJonai Carrington, and Jordin Canada have all had to miss substantial time with various injuries, among other players. Injuries also impacted Unrivaled’s 1v1 tournament, which featured 23 of the league’s 36 players.

What Ariel Atkins brings to Unrivaled

Ariel Atkins was one of the Mystics’ most consistent players last year. appearing in all 40 games and averaging 14.9 points per game. She shot 42.7% from the field and 35.7% from three en route to the highest-scoring season of her career.

The 28-year-old has averaged double figures in each of her 7 WNBA seasons, She’s also an elite defender who was the first player in WNBA history to make an All-Defensive Team in each of her first five seasons. Despite being undersized — Atkins is 5’8 — she’ll bring a level of versatility to any team she joins and should thrive in the fast-paced 3-on-3 environment.

Atkins is the fourth Mystic player participating in Unrivaled, with Stefanie Dolson (Laces), Shakira Austin (Lunar Owls), and Brittney Sykes (Rose) being the others. So, there’s a decent chance Atkins will link up with one of her WNBA teammates during her Unrivaled tenure. It’s also possible she’ll play on several clubs depending on injury needs. Unrivaled play will continue through March 17th.