Unrivaled Basketball is back and kicked off with two exciting games during the day on Jan. 5, 2026. Club Mist dominated the newest club, Hive, while the Vinyl and Laces game was an evenly matched, tight game between veterans. Both games were exciting displays of 3-on-3 basketball, pointing to another high-energy season.
Team Mist Roster
Team Hive Roster
Mist closed down the Hive
Club Mist started off strong and kept the pressure on the newest club, Hive. This almost felt like a hazing ritual, because the majority of the team (with the exception of Hiedeman) is completely new to Unrivaled and its brand of 3-on-3 basketball.
Mist standouts include Gray’s (21 points) sharp shooting, Li’s suffocating defense, with Stewart’s (12 points) and Ogunbowale’s (12 points) chemistry on full display. Smith (10 points, 5 blocks) also showed why she was awarded WNBA’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year along with A’ja Wilson. Hive’s rookies and newbies definitely held their own, though, with Mitchell keeping the team in the game, Saniya’s stellar defense, and Billings balling out.
While Hive showed flashes of a comeback in the second half, they ultimately struggled to overcome Mist’s elite rim protection and dynamic offense.
Final score: Mist, 72-56
Team Vinyl Roster
Team Laces Roster
Laces pulled a fast one on the Vinyl
Club Vinyl and Club Laces were a little more evenly matched, with Laces falling behind a bit in the first half. Vinyl came out very aggressive and consistent with Howard (10 points) being nearly unstoppable, not even her shoe falling off could throw her off her game. Even though it’s her first time playing Unrivaled, Wheeler (12 points) made an impression and showed great synergy with her teammates.
Laces struggled a bit more, but after halftime, they were back with a vengeance with Sykes’ (19 points) aggressive play and shooting shifting the momentum. Thomas showed up when it mattered, getting seven defensive rebounds. Young (15 points) overcame early foul issues (and some frustration with the officiating, “What the fuck?”) to hit a massive four-point play in the fourth, before sinking the winning shot. Both Laces and Vinyl were really impressive on both sides of the ball, which makes the Laces win even sweeter.
Final score: Laces, 58-42
The next match-ups are later in the evening on Jan. 5, 2026 between Lunar Owls and reigning champions, Rose and Phantom against new club, Breeze. Streaming/airing on HBO Max, TNT, and truTV.
Writer and editor