Given that Athletes Unlimited has softball, volleyball, and lacrosse, adding basketball to their ever-emerging repertoire was a no-brainer. Beginning in 2022, there will be over 40 players competing in the new league. Moreover, this league will be nearly identical to the WNBA. Also, $1 million will be the prize pot for the over 40 players to take home. The winner will get around $50,000. Athletes Unlimited is working on the location in which the games will be played. At this time, three players were announced as part of the new league.
Natasha Cloud
Undoubtedly, if there is any player who would have any familiarity with the AU format, it would be Cloud. She had a front-row seat per se because her wife, softball player Aleshia Ocasio, won the AU Softball Championship in September. If you are not aware of how good Ocasio is, check out this piece here.
For @T_Cloud4 playing for Athletes Unlimited presents a growth opportunity for Professional Basketball within the United States 🏀 pic.twitter.com/tNNqgWveed
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) October 12, 2021
Going back to Cloud, she is a champion herself as a member of the 2019 WNBA Champion Washington Mystics. She was their second-round pick, No. 15 overall, in the 2015 WNBA Draft. This season for the Mystics, Cloud averaged 31.6 minutes per game. She almost averaged nine points six assists in 27 games.
Sydney Colson
Colson was drafted in round two by the Connecticut Sun back in the 2011 WNBA Draft and subsequently traded to the New York Liberty on draft night. Nevertheless, she played for the Liberty, San Antonio Spurs, Las Vegas Aces, Minnesota Lynx, and Chicago Sky in her ten-year WNBA career. While playing her college ball at Texas A&M, she led the Aggies in 2011 to their first National Championship.
Basketball PEC Member @SydJColson joined @savannaecollins earlier this week to talk AU Hoops 🏀
— Athletes Unlimited (@AUProSports) October 13, 2021
Check it out here! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/M1fRV4bOAb
In addition, Colson is tied as the winningest player in program history with a 115-29 (.799) record in her four years at College Station.
Ty Young
In her 12-year WNBA career, Young has played for the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces. She made history as the first-ever women’s basketball player from James Madison to play in the WNBA. By comparison, another James Madison alum made an impact in AU Softball this year in pitcher Odicci Alexander.
Although Young was drafted by the Dream number eight overall in the 2008 draft, she played a preponderance of her games with the Sky, suiting up for 219 games. She averaged a little over seven points and nearly four rebounds a game in her career.
Comparatively, if AU basketball is anything like AU Softball or any of their other sports, it will be exciting to watch from start to finish. By all means, share your thoughts about the new league here at Beyond Women’s Sports. Also, let me know on my Twitter and Instagram.
