Angel Reese shines in Unrivaled 2026 debut

On Friday, Angel Reese made her Unrivaled season debut, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds for Rose BC in an 80-78 loss to Hive BC at Sephora Arena in Miami. Reese shot efficiently, going 6-for-9 from the field and 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, contributing in just 10 minutes of action.

The 23-year-old was not originally expected to play this season but filled a vacancy on Rose BC’s roster after Azura Stevens was traded to Hive BC in a rare three-way league trade. The deal also involved Vinyl BC guard Courtney Williams moving to Breeze BC and Hive BC guard Saniya Rivers heading to Vinyl BC. Reese’s return, announced by Unrivaled on February 11, was made possible by the opening created after Aari McDonald’s season-ending right leg injury.

SHE'S BACK

Angel Reese went 4-of-4 from the field for 8 points in the first quarter in her Unrivaled season debut pic.twitter.com/8mRjjwoZ8r

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 21, 2026

Rose BC, now 5-7, is in fifth place with two regular-season games remaining, competing for one of the six playoff spots. The matchup with Hive BC was fiercely competitive, featuring 19 lead changes and 16 ties throughout the game. Hive guard Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points, including the game-winning layup, while Reese’s former teammate Stevens recorded 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Rose guard Kahleah Copper led the team with a game-high 29 points, supported by Shakira Austin’s 17 points and nine rebounds.

Reese returns to the league with an impressive Unrivaled resume. Last season, she led the league in rebounding with 12.2 per game, recorded eight double-doubles, and achieved the league’s first-ever 20-20 game. Her performance earned her the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year award, despite missing the semifinals due to a hand injury. Rose BC went on to win the inaugural championship without her in the playoff rounds.

Reese’s success in Unrivaled has carried over to the WNBA, where in her second season with the Chicago Sky, she averaged 14.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. She is also set to make her debut with the U.S. senior national team during the FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament on March 11, 2026.

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