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Phantom BC will kick off their first game of the inaugural Unrivaled season on Saturday without Marina Mabrey on the court. The Connecticut Sun star, who joined Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier's new league, is sidelined with a calf strain sustained during training camp, according to Annie Costabile of the Chicago Sun-Times. With Mabrey expected to miss 2-4 weeks for recovery, Phantom BC has brought in Natisha Hiedeman on a relief player contract to fill the gap.
Natisha Hiedeman coming in for Marina Mabrey
Hiedeman, originally not one of the six players designated for Phantom BC, will now make her Unrivaled debut in place of Mabrey. The Minnesota Lynx guard steps in to provide crucial support for the team during this time.
The 27-year-old has been active in the WNBA since the 2019 season when the Minnesota Lynx drafted her in the second round. However, on draft night, she was traded to the Connecticut Sun. Last season, she joined the Minnesota Lynx after another trade.
In 40 games with the team, Hiedeman averaged 4.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 38.0% from the field and 28.0% from beyond the arc.
Natisha Hiedeman now joins Satou Sabally, Brittney Griner, Natasha Cloud, Katie Lou Samuelson, and Sabrina Ionescu on Phantom BC, a team coached by Adam Harrington.
Sabrina Ionescu also hurt for Phantom BC
As Phantom BC enters the inaugural season of Unrivaled, they are not only without Marina Mabrey due to injury but also facing a setback with Sabrina Ionescu, who is dealing with an injury as well.
After securing the WNBA championship with the New York Liberty last season, Sabrina Ionescu had thumb surgery on December 6. As a result, there has been some uncertainty regarding her return to the court.
Ionescu received clearance to play ahead of Phantom BC's opening game against Laces on Saturday, although she's not yet at full strength. Excited by the buzz surrounding Unrivaled's inaugural season, Ionescu is eager to return to the court after getting cleared on January 8.
With Marina Mabrey sidelined and Sabrina Ionescu not yet at full strength, only time will reveal how Phantom BC fares in their season opener.
Played on a smaller 49.2-foot by 72-foot court—much smaller than the WNBA's 94-by-50 court and the 36-by-49 half court used in the Olympics—the new 3-on-3 league will feature rules that differ significantly from those of the 3×3 event introduced at the Tokyo Games.
Unrivaled officials told ESPN that each Unrivaled game will consist of three seven-minute quarters, followed by a fourth quarter called the “winning score.” In this quarter, the league will add 11 points to the leading team's score after three quarters. For example, if the score is 40-39 before the final quarter, the first team to reach 51 points will win. Overtime will not be played.
