In a new career move, former No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick and two-time Olympian Angel McCoughtry is set to join the Athletes Unlimited pro league. McCoughtry, whose recent years have been marred by injuries, limiting her to only three WNBA games since 2021, aims to reignite her basketball journey in the league's third season, scheduled from Feb. 29 to March 23 in Dallas.

McCoughtry, 37, brings a wealth of experience and accolades to Athletes Unlimited, a league known for its unique setup where all games are played at a single site and spans across various sports like softball, lacrosse and volleyball.

“I miss the camaraderie, I miss being on court,” McCoughtry said, via Michael Voepel of ESPN. “I've given so much to the game, and I know I still have the capability to help a team and help people around me get better. I'm excited because it's a new journey … I've been healing, and I've been rehabbing and working out, getting my body back. I haven't been sitting around eating Twinkies.”

The Louisville alumna's career has been illustrious yet challenging. Her tenure with the Atlanta Dream, spanning a decade, saw her clinch the title of 2009 Rookie of the Year, make three WNBA Finals appearances and earn five All-Star selections. McCoughtry, who twice led the league in scoring and steals, faced setbacks with a left knee injury in 2018 and a right knee injury before the 2021 season, which drastically limited her playtime.

Angel McCoughtry's injury struggles have ‘been hell'

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McCoughtry's resilience was evident through her recovery and brief stints with the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx. However, the journey wasn't without its challenges.

“It's been hell,” she said. “You go over 10 years never getting hurt. But then you get hurt, you have a surgery, and it changes things. It's been like a domino effect.”

Her visit to the USA Basketball camp in November in Atlanta, where she reunited with former Olympic teammates Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, was a beacon of inspiration. Taurasi, embarking on her 20th WNBA season, serves as a motivational figure for McCoughtry.

The disappointment of not being picked up for the 2023 WNBA season, despite feeling fit, was a hard pill to swallow for McCoughtry. Yet, she remains confident in her abilities and contribution to the game. “I still have something left,” she affirmed.

Athletes Unlimited offers a valuable platform for players like McCoughtry to compete during the WNBA offseason without the need to go overseas. Joining her this season are notable players such as 2021 Olympian Allisha Gray of the Dallas Wings, Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever, and Sydney Colson and Kierstan Bell of the Aces.

A seven-time member of the WNBA's all-defensive first team and a gold medalist in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, McCoughtry's participation in Athletes Unlimited is more than just a comeback; it's a statement of her ongoing passion and skill in basketball. “I look forward to showing that I still have ability,” she said, hopeful that this experience will pave her way back to the WNBA, proving that her basketball journey is far from over.