Washington Mystics guard Ariel Atkins is the newest WNBA participant to hitch Unequalled on a reduction contract. Atkins, a two-time WNBA All-Star and the No. 7 general choose within the 2018 WNBA Draft, has but to be assigned to a specific membership, however she’ll present harm insurance coverage for groups lacking too many gamers with accidents.
Ariel Atkins had been taking part in for the Turkish skilled membership Fenerbahce this winter, however she’s now parted methods with them.
Unequalled has handled a myriad of accidents
Unequalled, a brand new skilled 3-on-3 ladies’s basketball league co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is halfway by way of its inaugural season. Thus far, 4 different gamers have signed reduction participant contracts: Dallas Wings ahead NaLyssa Smith, New York Liberty ahead Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman, and former Lynx guard Kiki Jefferson.
These reduction participant contracts have been supplied to gamers as a consequence of a excessive variety of accidents, with the Laces Membership even needing to cancel a sport earlier this month as a result of truth not sufficient gamers have been accessible. Tiffany Hayes, Kate Martin, Alyssa Thomas, Jackie Younger, Brittney Sykes, DiJonai Carrington, and Jordin Canada have all needed to miss substantial time with varied accidents, amongst different gamers. Accidents additionally impacted Unequalled’s 1v1 event, which featured 23 of the league’s 36 gamers.
What Ariel Atkins brings to Unequalled
Ariel Atkins was one of many Mystics’ most constant gamers final 12 months. showing in all 40 video games and averaging 14.9 factors per sport. She shot 42.7% from the sphere and 35.7% from three en path to the highest-scoring season of her profession.
The 28-year-old has averaged double figures in every of her 7 WNBA seasons, She’s additionally an elite defender who was the primary participant in WNBA historical past to make an All-Defensive Crew in every of her first 5 seasons. Regardless of being undersized — Atkins is 5’8 — she’ll carry a degree of versatility to any staff she joins and will thrive within the fast-paced 3-on-3 surroundings.
Atkins is the fourth Mystic participant taking part in Unequalled, with Stefanie Dolson (Laces), Shakira Austin (Lunar Owls), and Brittney Sykes (Rose) being the others. So, there’s an honest probability Atkins will hyperlink up with considered one of her WNBA teammates throughout her Unequalled tenure. It’s additionally doable she’ll play on a number of golf equipment relying on harm wants. Unequalled play will proceed by way of March seventeenth.
