Athletes Unlimited’s inaugural basketball season begins this week, with a plethora of new and old talent taking the court for the player-led five-week campaign. Of the 44-player roster, 11 hail from the WNBA, 11 from overseas and 12 from the sidelines after taking a year off for one reason or another.

Under AU’s unique scoring format, it’s hard to know who will come out on top. But it’s still fun to speculate, and Just Women’s Sports has five players to watch as the season gets underway Wednesday.

Briahanna Jackson

Most recent team: Club Aztks (Mexico)
Position: Guard

A guard out of Louisville, Jackson went undrafted in 2017 before heading overseas to play in Brazil, Spain, Puerto Rico, Poland and Mexico. Most recently, Jackson spent the 2021 season with Club Aztks in Mexico, where she averaged 15 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists through 24 games.

Spending her first two NCAA seasons at the University of Central Florida, Jackson was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year and averaged 17.8 points per game as a sophomore before transferring to Louisville. She finished her 2016-17 redshirt senior season with the Cardinals second on the team in steals (41) and assists (127). Nationally, she ranked 33rd with a 2.35 assist-to-turnover ratio. With steals and assists each worth 10 points in the Athletes Unlimited system, Jackson could quickly move up the scoreboard.

As one of four players picked up during AU’s open tryouts in Atlanta, Jackson is a well-rounded playmaker who should fit into the lineup of any team that drafts her, giving her an advantage with the turnover each week.

Kelsey Mitchell

Most recent team: Indiana Fever (WNBA)
Position: Guard

The Indiana Fever’s No. 2 pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Mitchell is one of the most consistent scorers in the Athletes Unlimited pool. A member of the 2018 WNBA All-Rookie team, she’s only gotten better as her career has gone on. The 5-foot-8 guard has finished among the WNBA’s top-10 scorers the past two seasons, averaging 17.9 points per game in 2020 and 17.8 in 2021. She ended last season on a 23-game streak of scoring at least 10 points, the longest active such streak in the WNBA.

Mitchell is a prolific 3-point shooter, having left Ohio State as the NCAA’s all-time leader with 497 made 3-pointers. In 2018, Mitchell and Fever teammate Victoria Vivians recorded the most 3-pointers ever by a WNBA rookie tandem, with 135.

Made 3-pointers are worth 30 individual points in AU’s system, while a missed 3-pointer is a loss of just 10 points. A player loses the same amount of points for a field goal, but earns only 20 points for a made 2-point shot. While shot selection is still key, long-range shooters like Mitchell could end up being rewarded more for their efforts and find themselves higher up the leaderboard.

Mercedes Russell

Most recent team: Seattle Storm (WNBA)
Position: Center

A two-time WNBA champion with Seattle, Russell has spent four total seasons in the WNBA. The 6-foot-6 center finished last season just off her career best in points per game with 7.3 and with a career-high 6.1 rebounds. She also added 1.6 assists per game for the fourth-place Storm.

It’s not just the number of shots Russell takes that will serve her well in AU, but her offensive efficiency. Last season, she shot 61.7 percent from the field, good for second-highest in the WNBA. She is currently third in field-goal percentage in Storm franchise history, ahead of the likes of Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart, and is 14th all-time in the WNBA.

That level of efficiency should be rewarded in AU. While made shots are guaranteed points, missed shots lead to a deduction, meaning Russell is less likely to give up easy points.

Mikiah Herbert Harrigan

Most recent team: Seattle Storm (WNBA)
Position: Forward

A two-year WNBA veteran, Herbert Harrigan took off last year to give birth to a son. The Storm acquired the forward last February in a trade with the Minnesota Lynx, who drafted her sixth overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft. She made 21 appearances off the bench during her rookie season, averaging 3.8 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. She was an efficient shooter as well, with a field-goal percentage of 60 percent.

Before turning pro, Herbert Harrigan was a standout at South Carolina. As a senior, she averaged 13.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game during the regular season and was named SEC tournament MVP. Where Herbert Harrigan excels is on defense. She finished her career at South Carolina ranked second all-time with 210 blocked shots. While it might take some time for her to get back up to game speed after the year off, she could make an all-around impact for whichever captains draft her.

Kirby Burkholder

Most recent team: Energa Torun (Poland)
Position: Guard

Burkholder has extensive experience on the international circuit, playing in Poland, Hungary, Belgium and Italy. Most recently, she averaged 12.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists in seven games for Energa Torun in Poland. Prior to that, she was with ZTE Noi Kosarlabda Klub in Hungary and averaged 14.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

Before heading overseas, Burkholder was a standout guard at James Madison University. As a senior, she averaged 18.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, finishing among the top-seven guards in the nation in rebounds per game and earning Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year. Upon graduating in 2014, Burkholder signed with the Mystics and competed in training camp before heading to Italy.

The guard has the high-scoring and high-rebounding potential to capitalize on AU’s scoring system.

Emma Hruby is an associate editor at Just Women’s Sports.

The USWNT announced their 2025 season finale on Monday, setting a pair of friendlies against Italy at Orlando's Inter & Co Stadium on November 28th and Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on December 1st.

Facing the now-world No. 2 US for the first time in 15 years, Italy's recent run to the 2025 Euro semifinals shot them to No. 12 in the FIFA rankings.

"As we prepare for World Cup qualifying at the end of 2026, we want to play teams from all parts of the world with different styles and different strengths, so getting to play Italy, one of Europe's up-and-coming teams, will be a great way to end the year," said USWNT head coach Emma Hayes in a statement announcing the friendlies.

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After an extended break following a series of early July matchups, the US now has five matches left on the books, with the year-ending Italy matches rounding out three already-announced October friendlies.

The USWNT kicks off next month's lineup with two matches against Euro 2025 participant No. 23 Portugal, followed by a third friendly against No. 33 New Zealand.

As Hayes's year of roster evaluation comes to a close, expect stakes to rise as the 2027 World Cup comes into sharper view.

How to purchase tickets to the final 2025 USWNT friendlies

Though a myriad of presale opportunities are available throughout this week, tickets to both the November 28th match in Orlando and the December 1st friendly in Fort Lauderdale will go on sale to the general public on Friday.

Tickets will drop at 10 AM ET online.

The red-hot No. 2 Las Vegas Aces will hit the court in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs again on Tuesday night, facing off against the No. 7 Seattle Storm in Game 2 of the postseason's first round with an eye on scoring their 18th consecutive victory — and a trip to this year's semifinals.

"You guys celebrate this more than we do," MVP frontrunner A'ja Wilson said, brushing off the team's recent dominance. "The streak stopped in the regular season."

"It's the first to nine wins [for the championship], so that's how we want to approach it," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon echoed, voicing a renewed focus on retaking the WNBA crown.

Following the league's new home-away-home first-round format, Seattle has the chance to extend their season on their home court on Tuesday night, as the Storm arrives back in market with few answers after suffering a 102-77 Game 1 loss.

"Our fans deserve for us to play well," said Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike. "We have to figure out how to do it, no matter what. That's going to be the test on Tuesday."

How to watch the Las Vegas Aces vs. Seattle Storm

No. 7 Seattle will try stay alive against No. 2 Las Vegas at 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage of Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs airing on ESPN.

With their backs against the wall, the No. 6 Indiana Fever will face down both the No. 3 Atlanta Dream and potential elimination from the 2025 WNBA Playoffs when they host their first home postseason game in nearly a decade on Tuesday night.

"I think you give yourself an edge as the home team. When they punched us, they punched us hard," Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell said after Sunday's 80-68 loss in Atlanta. "So we have to do the same thing."

"I would like to think that being back at home can kind of give us a sense of comfort, so hopefully we could use it for what it's worth and not take it for granted," she continued.

Mitchell will likely be the key to the Fever's survival, after an onslaught of season-ending injuries forced the three-time WNBA All-Star to step up as a scoring leader — with Mitchell dropping a postseason career-high 27 points in Sunday's Game 1.

"It's a lot of little things," said Indiana head coach Stephanie White following the weekend result. "I like where we are, I'm proud of our group for continuing to fight, and we're going to be better on Tuesday."

How to watch Atlanta vs. Indiana in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

No. 6 Indiana will tip off against No. 3 Atlanta in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

WNBA legend Elena Delle Donne is returning to the court, with USA Basketball announcing on Monday that the two-time league MVP will join the 3×3 Women's National Team as its first-ever managing director.

The 36-year-old officially retired in April 2025 after struggling with injuries, capping a career that spanned winning gold at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FIBA World Cup with Team USA as well as two WNBA championships.

"Elena has been a member of the USA Basketball family for almost 15 years," USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in Monday's press release. "Her wealth of knowledge of the sport of basketball and our organization will be an asset as we continue our journey."

As part of her duties, Delle Donne will be responsible for selecting the USA Basketball 3x3 team's coaching staff and players prior to the 2028 LA Olympics, the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and other major international competitions.

"USA Basketball was an important part of my on-court career for a decade and a half. To have the opportunity to continue my journey with the organization, and to help shape and grow the 3x3 program, is something that I take very seriously," Delle Donne said. "I'm excited to get started."

Delle Donne's new position is the 3x3 version of fellow WNBA icon Sue Bird's role, as the newly minted Hall of Famer became the managing director of the USA Basketball women's 5x5 arm in May.

"To now think that I'm going to be on the other side of the phone letting someone know that their dream has come true and they've made the team is going to be such a fulfilling, full circle moment for me," Delle Donne said.