Ex-Stanford Standouts Begin 2026 Unrivaled Campaign

Unrivaled is back. For the second year, the new 3x3 women's basketball league is back, with WNBA players using it as an alternative to going overseas during the offseason, instead working on their game in a highly competitive setting.

The new league, created by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier last year, has been highly successful in the early going, and it a great way for WNBA players to earn a good bit of money during the WNBA's offseason.

Since the inaugural season of the league, Stanford representation has continued to grow, with multiple players from Stanford joining the league this season after a couple played in the league last year. The new season began on Jan. 5, the 2026, and there were four former Cardinal in action.

Stanford in Unrivaled

In Mist BC's 72-56 win over Hive BC, former Stanford and current Minnesota Lynx F/C Alanna Smith scored 10 points in 11.5 minutes off the bench, shooting 5-for-10 from the field with six rebounds, five blocks and an assist, putting her elite defensive abilities on full display. The 2025 WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Smith is entering 2026 as one of the WNBA's top players.

Lexie Hull, a participant in Unrivaled last season as well, was the only former Cardinal to start a game on opening night, getting into the starting lineup for Rose BC in its 80-60 win over Lunar Owls BC.

Playing nearly 13 minutes, Hull scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field, recording four rebounds and two steals. Known for her shooting, Hull did not put up her best performance in the first Unrivaled game, but will quickly get the chance to bounce back on Friday, Jan. 9 against Vinyl BC.

The final game on opening night featured the most Stanford representation, with Cameron Brink and Kiki Iriafen taking center stage. Iriafen, who was one of the top players in college basketball during her lone season at USC in 2024-25, played at Stanford from 2021-24, breaking out as a junior in 2023-24, averaging 19.4 points, 11 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

In her Unrivaled debut for Phantom BC, a 69-62 loss to Brink's Breeze BC, Iriafen scored six points in 9.6 minutes, while also recording eight rebounds and two assists.

Brink, playing in her first Unrivaled game after missing the majority of last season recovering from a torn ACL, played seven minutes for Breeze, scoring four points and grabbing six rebounds with two blocks. She was in for the Breeze down the stretch, grabbing boards, and even blocking her former college teammate in Iriafen.

Brink was also donning a face mask in the opener, after suffering a broken nose in the Sparks' final game of the season back in September.

A national champion at Stanford and leaving the school as one of the program's most decorated and accomplished players, Brink was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she tore her ACL as a rookie, ending her debut season prematurely.

The Unrivaled season is slated to last a couple of months, with the championship game scheduled for March 5. But during this fast-paced season, expect highly competitive games that will surely grab plenty of attention attention while the WNBA labor negotiations continue.

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