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Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins announced Monday she will no longer compete in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, which had its debut season this year, in the league's 2026 season and will instead play for Athletes Unlimited, marking a WNBA midseason switch.
“I’m super excited about it. They’ve been building something for a while now,” Atkins said, as reported by Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press “They focus on the players having everything they need to give us the opportunity in the offseason.”
Atkins played briefly in Unrivaled as a fill-in last season, but she said her move to Athletes Unlimited came after conversations with WNBA peers who previously competed in the four-week, player-run league.
“I had deep conversations to get the gist of how it is and they all truly enjoy it,” she said, citing players like Alysha Clark, Elizabeth Williams and Theresa Plaisance.
Athletes Unlimited is entering its fifth season and will return to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium starting Feb. 4, 2026, following record attendance last season. The league features 40 professional players in a five-on-five format and offers $500,000 in bonuses. Megan Perry, AU’s vice president of basketball, called the roster “a blend of proven leaders and exciting new faces.”
“AU Pro Basketball is where legends rise and new stars are born,” Perry said.
Early signees for the upcoming season include Chicago teammates NaLyssa Smith, Kiah Stokes and Aaliyah Nye, along with Lexie Brown, Isabelle Harrison, Jalyn Sherrod, Te-Hina Paopao, Sydney Colson and Alysha Clark.
Atkins, a former overseas player, currently does not plan to play internationally this year. She also shared positive words about Unrivaled.
“They (Unrivaled) were doing a phenomenal job,” she said. “The players are taken care of.”
The announcement follows a standout game by Atkins on July 12, when she scored 27 points to help the Sky defeat the Minnesota Lynx 87-81. The win marked Chicago’s second straight win, led also by double-doubles from Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Atkins joined the Sky in February after a trade with the Washington Mystics for the No. 3 overall pick in this year's WNBA draft.
Chicago now stands at 7-13 on the season. The Sky are 1-10 against teams with a .500 record or better.
