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Athletes Unlimited Basketball Roster

ByQueen Ballers Club| December 17, 2021If you buy something from a link on our site, Queen Ballers Club may earn a commission.
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Athletes Unlimited Basketball roster has 44-players for its inaugural season – and it’s clear it’ll be a competitive season. The league is packed with former college, and current overseas and WNBA players: 43 have represented a total of 37 NCAA Division I institutions; 42 have spent time in international professional leagues; 16 have WNBA experience across 97 seasons and six championships.

Discover the Athletes Unlimited Basketball roster for the inaugural season

The WNBA’s Washington Mystics’ guard Natasha Cloud and former WNBA players Sydney Colson (competed in the 2019 WNBA Finals) and Ty Young (Champion and MVP of the 2012 Israeli Cup) were unveiled as the first three players to sign and make up the Athletes Unlimited Basketball Player Executive Committee.

Coming from the WNBA, there are a total of 11 commitments. Which include NCAA standout and second overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft Kelsey Mitchell, 2018 Duke University graduate, three-time All-American, and WNBA champion Lexie Brown, and WNBA champion Mercedes Russell. As well as former WNBA player Kalani Brown, current Dallas Wings forward Isabelle Harrison, and former WNBA player Imani McGee-Stafford.

They join 2021 WNBA All-Star Courtney Williams, Odyssey Sims, and Tianna Hawkins, who played for the Atlanta Dream this past season; Jantel Lavender of the Indiana Fever (an 11-year WNBA veteran, winning the championship in 2016); and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan of the Seattle Storm, who missed this past season on pregnancy leave. Essence Carson is also joining Athletes Unlimited following a 13-year WNBA career. Which included capturing the 2016 WNBA title alongside Jantel while playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Overseas talent runs deep

The overseas depth is impressive as well. On the court you’ll find Kirby Burkholder, who currently plays in the top women’s pro league in Puerto Rico, Tyce Knox, Texas A&M’s season assist record-holder, who has played in both Israel and Finland, Jessica Kuster who is Rice’s all-time leading scorer with six seasons of international experience, and Laurin Mincy, a 2015 WNBA third round draft pick, has spent four seasons overseas.

Walk-ons round the roster out

There are also some hoopers who earned their way onto the roster. Becca Wann-Taylor– a two-sport student-athlete from the University of Richmond and All-American soccer player – is one of four players who earned a spot in Athletes Unlimited via the Open Tryouts last month in Atlanta, along with Taj Cole, Briahanna Jackson, and Takoia Larry.

Jantel Lavender shared, “Athletes Unlimited provides American players an additional opportunity to play in the United States, an opportunity we have always hoped for. Staying in the U.S. allows us to spend more time with our families while earning money. And not putting as much wear and tear on our bodies, so that we can put out the best product.”

“I am also looking forward to the unique Athletes Unlimited format, every week a new team, playing with – as well as against — some of the best players in our sport every week, I’m excited to be a part of the first group to try this out and I hope it’s something that can be an option for women’s basketball players for many years to come.”

Learn all about the innovative rules here and find out how to watch.

Athletes Unlimited Basketball rosters and teams for Week 4

Week 4 team captains are Tianna Hawkins, Isabelle Harrison, Natasha Cloud, and Odyssey Sims. Week 4 competition begins Wednesday the 16th at 3:30 PM on YouTube, with Team Harrison against Team Cloud.

Week 4 Athletes Unlimited rosters

Athletes Unlimited Basketball rosters and teams for Week 3

Week 3 Athletes Unlimited rosters

Athletes Unlimited Basketball rosters and teams for Week 2

The Week 2 team captains are Natasha Cloud (Gold), Lexie Brown (Orange), Isabelle Harrison (Blue) and Mercedes Russell (Purple). Week 2 competition begins Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT with Team Harrison vs. Team Brown on YouTube.

Athletes Unlimited Basketball roster week 2

Athletes Unlimited Basketball rosters and teams for Week 1

Here are the Athletes Unlimited Basketball rosters for Week 1.

AU Hoops full TV schedule

Complete Athletes Unlimited Basketball roster

The facilitators at Athletes Unlimited Basketball are first-class, too. This year, Team Purple will enjoy leadership from Shelley Patterson, Team Blue has Pokey Chatman, Team Orange has Danielle Viglione, and Team Gold has Plenette Pierson’s support.

Pos.NameHometownUniversityCurrent Team
GCiara AndrewsGlenside, Pa.Saint Joseph’s Univ. ‘16
G/FAntoinette BannisterJacksonville, Fla.East Carolina Univ. ‘17
CKalani BrownSlidell, La.Baylor Univ. ‘19Hatayspor (KBSL-TUR)
GLexie BrownSuwanee, Ga.Duke Univ. ‘18Chicago Sky (WNBA)
GKirby Burkholder*Bridgewater, Va.James Madison Univ. ‘14Santurce (BSNF-PUR)
GMarjorie ButlerKnoxville, Tenn.Univ. of Georgia ‘16
G/FDiJonai CarringtonSan Diego, Calif.Stanford Univ. ‘20⁴Connecticut Sun (WNBA)
GEssence Carson*Paterson, N.J.Rutgers Univ. ’08
G/FBrittany CarterSt. Louis, Mo.Ball State Univ. ‘14⁵Keltern (DBBL-GER)
GNatasha Cloud*Broomall, Pa.St. Joseph’s Univ. ‘15Washington Mystics (WNBA)
GTaj ColeRichmond, Va.Univ. of Georgia ‘19¹Unicaja Málaga (LF2-ESP)
GSydney Colson*Houston, TexasTexas A&M Univ. ‘11
FDrew EdelmanSunnyvale, Calif.Univ. of Southern California ‘16²Hollywood Wonder (WUBA)
CNikki GreeneDiboll, TexasPenn State Univ. ‘13Angers (LFB-FRA)
FKiki Harrigan*Pembroke Pines, Fla.Univ. of South Carolina ‘20Seattle Storm (WNBA)
GRebecca HarrisBelleville, Ill.Univ. of Illinois ‘08Dynamo NPU (SuperLeague-UKR)
FIsabelle HarrisonNashville, Tenn.Univ. of Tennessee ‘15Dallas Wings (WNBA)
FTianna Hawkins*Washington, D.C.Univ. of Maryland ‘13Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
GAriel HearnMemphis, Tenn.Univ. of Memphis ‘16Sherbrooke Suns (Big V-AUS)
GGrace HunterRaleigh, N.C.North Carolina State Univ. ‘20
GBriahanna JacksonTampa, Fla.Univ. of Louisville ‘17Club Aztks (LMBPF-MEX)
G/FMeme JacksonMurfreesboro, Tenn.Univ. of Tennessee ‘19Santurce (BSNF-PUR)
GTyce Knox*Humble, TexasTexas A&M Univ. ‘17
FJessica Kuster*San Antonio, TexasRice Univ. ‘14
FTakoia LarrySouth Bend, Ind.Texas Wesleyan Univ. ‘14
FJantel Lavender*Cleveland, OhioOhio State Univ. ‘11Indiana Fever (WNBA)
CAkela MaizeGreensboro, N.C.North Carolina State Univ. ‘18La Glacerie (LF2-FRA)
FLauren ManisFranklin, Mass.College of the Holy Cross ‘20Cegledi (NB I/A-HUN)
G/FDanielle L. McCrayOlathe, Kan.University of Kansas ‘10Poznan (EBLK-POL)
FDanielle M. McCrayWest Palm Beach, Fla.Univ. of Mississippi ‘16Hannover (DBBL-GER)
CImani McGee-StaffordLos Angeles, Calif.University of Texas ‘16
GLaurin Mincy*Newark, N.J.Univ. of Maryland ‘15
GKelsey MitchellCincinnati, OhioOhio State Univ. ‘18Indiana Fever (WNBA)
FChelsea PhillipsLong Beach, Calif.Park Univ. FSV Rijeka (Premijer Liga-CRO)
FToccara RossDavenport, IowaIowa State Univ. ‘09Pioneras de Delicias (LBE-MEX)
GTina RoyKaplan, La.Univ. of South Carolina ‘16
CMercedes RussellSpringfield, Ore.Univ. of Tennessee ‘18Seattle Storm (WNBA)
GOdyssey Sims*Irving, TexasBaylor Univ. ‘14Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
GAntoinette ThompsonFort Worth, TexasTexas Christian Univ. ‘12Saarlouis (DBBL-GER)
GDestinee WalkerOrlando, Fla.Univ. of North Carolina ‘19³Niki Lefkadas (A1 National-GRE)
G/FBecca Wann-TaylorChesterfield, Va.Univ. of Richmond ‘14
GCourtney Williams*Folkston, Ga.Univ. of South Florida ‘16Atlanta Dream (WNBA)
GDominique WilsonPowder Springs, Ga.North Carolina State Univ. ‘17Wroclaw (EBLK-POL)
G/FTy Young*Wilmington, N.C.James Madison Univ. ‘08Manati (BSNF-PUR)

Header photo captured by Jade Hewitt for Athletes Unlimited.

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