Player News

Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball brings 40 world-class athletes to the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, for four weeks of playoff intensity competition. All games will be available to stream for free on the WNBA App!
Players will be drafted to their Week 1 teams on Sunday, February 1, at 1 pm ET.
Check out a rundown of WNBA players participating in this year’s AU action!
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<h2>The Veterans</h2>
<div id="attachment_205830" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205830" class="wp-image-205830" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-scaled.jpg" alt="Tina Charles #31 of the Connecticut Sun looks on against Atlanta Dream during first quarter at Gateway Center Arena on September 08, 2025 in College Park, Georgia" width="960" height="633" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-300x198.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-1024x675.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-768x506.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-1536x1012.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2234396956-2048x1349.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Tina Charles #31 of the Connecticut Sun</div>
Tina Charles, league leader in FGM and rebounds, highlights the veteran WNBA presence on the 2026 AU roster. Alysha Clark, Odyssey Sims, and Bria Hartley also each bring over 10 years of W experience to the roster. Nine-year veteran Aerial Powers, along with eight-year vets Ariel Atkins, Lexie Brown, and Kiah Stokes, are set to hit the floor as well. Emma Cannon, Isabelle Harrison, and Kia Nurse bring seven years of league experience, alongside six-year veterans Shey Peddy and Brianna Turner.
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<h2>The Next Generation</h2>
<div id="attachment_205831" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205831" class="wp-image-205831" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-scaled.jpg" alt="Te-Hina Paopao #2 of the Atlanta Dream smiles during the game against the Dallas Wings on August 29, 2025 at Gateway Center Arena at College Park in Atlanta, Georgia" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/01/GettyImages-2232055092-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Te-Hina Paopao #2 of the Atlanta Dream</div>
The 2025 WNBA Draft class highlights the wave of next-generation players set to hit the floor for 2026 AU action, including Aneesah Morrow, Te-Hina Paopao, Aaliyah Nye, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Kaitlyn Chen, and Bree Hall. Two-year veterans Jacy Sheldon and Jaylyn Sherrod are also on the roster alongside Zia Cooke and Grace Berger, who are both finishing up their respective third-year campaigns. Natasha Mack and Kierstan Bell round out the next generation on the roster, with four years of WNBA experience.
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The AU Pro Basketball season tips off Wednesday, February 4. Stream all games for FREE on the WNBA App!

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2026 Athletes Unlimited: The W Roster

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– Sheryl Swoopes and Cindy Brunson Return to Lead Broadcast Team for
Fifth Straight Championship Season –
– With Interest in Women’s Basketball Surging, High Stakes Four-Week Sprint
Tips off February 4 in Nashville with Games Available Nationwide via
ESPN and WNBA App; Tickets On Sale Now –
January 21, 2026, New York – With interest in women’s basketball at an all-time high and the sport commanding unprecedented attention across media, culture and fandom, Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball is meeting the moment – unveiling its most ambitious broadcast experience yet for its milestone fifth season, delivered via ESPN and the WNBA App.
As the league enters 2026 with its most competitive roster yet, AU Pro Basketball is matching elite on-court talent with a bold, fan-first broadcast production and talent team designed to bring viewers closer to the game than ever before. All 24 games of the AU Pro Basketball season will be available via ESPN and the WNBA App, with additional regional coverage on Gray Media’s Tennessee Valley Sports &amp; Entertainment Network (TVSEN) – ensuring expansive, always-on access throughout the league’s fast-paced, four-week sprint.
Headlining the evolution is the addition of two-time WNBA Champion Sydney Colson, who – as she recovers from her recent injury and works towards her on-court return – joins the AU Pro Basketball broadcast team in a newly-created, dynamic on-air role that blends high-level analysis, personality and real-time connection. A founding AU Pro Basketball athlete and Player Executive Committee member who has competed in every season since the league’s launch in 2022, Colson brings championship credibility and authenticity to the coverage.
Colson joins a veteran, championship-caliber broadcast team led by Basketball Hall of Famer Sheryl Swoopes and longtime play-by-play voice Cindy Brunson, who return for their fifth consecutive season as the defining voices of AU Pro Basketball, anchoring coverage of what shapes up as the league’s most competitive and talent-rich season yet.
In addition to the iconic Swoopes-Brunson pairing, Colson will serve as a regular game analyst alongside Kevin Barnett, delivering real-time storytelling and high-level breakdowns across ESPN and the WNBA App. Each game will also feature “The Half Show,” an enhanced, high-energy halftime experience spotlighting in-depth analysis, player conversations, and celebrity and VIP guest interviews – with Colson leading the way. Play by play duties will also see appearances by veteran NBA and Milwaukee Bucks announcer, Lisa Byington, as well as legendary play by play broadcaster, Pam Ward. Anna Camden will serve as in-game reporter and halftime contributor.
In addition, former WNBA champion Theresa Plaisance – who is also not competing in AU Pro Basketball this season – will nonetheless have a significant presence in Nashville. She will serve as a co-host in the arena during games and participate in postgame fan appearances, while she and Colson will also co-host a social-first, digital series mockumentary that will be released weekly throughout the season.
At the center of the 2026 AU Pro Basketball broadcast experience is a new approach to bring fans closer to the game. Athletes Unlimited will debut a custom-designed, elevated, fan-facing broadcast booth positioned above the scorer’s table and adjacent to the team benches – and featured prominently on air through a live “small box” view, allowing fans at home to watch announcers react and engage in real time. The Half Show Interviews, certain game analysis and some direct fan engagement fun are included in the plans for the in-venue audience to also enjoy some broadcast &#8220;extras&#8221;.
The fifth AU Pro Basketball championship season returns to Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium from February 4 through March 1, 2026, following a record-setting debut in Music City in 2025. Tickets are on sale now at AUProBasketball.com.
“This season of AU Pro Basketball is about innovation on every level – from the stacked roster to the physical spaces where games are called, and to how our broadcast talent moves, interacts, and tells the story of the game,” said Cheri Kempf, Chief Broadcast Officer for Athletes Unlimited. “Sydney represents that evolution perfectly, and will make a great addition to our broadcast team this season.”
“I’m really glad that we were able to figure out a way to keep me involved even though I’m physically unable to play,” said Sydney Colson. “AU has been such a special place to me as a player and now I’m excited to join Sheryl, Cindy, and Kevin on our broadcast team and hopefully make season five the best one yet. I’m not one for dramatics, but this will be the broadcast of a lifetime so just watch us.”
Forty elite professional athletes will compete in four weeks of fast-paced, 5-on-5 full-court action, with $500,000 in prize bonuses on the line and rules set by the players themselves, making every possession matter as athletes compete for the title of AU Pro Basketball Champion.
The league has already announced a robust group of signees for the 2026 season, featuring a dynamic mix of WNBA veterans and emerging fan favorites, including Tina Charles, Alysha Clark, Isabelle Harrison, Lexie Brown, NaLyssa Smith, Kaitlyn Chen, Odyssey Sims, Deja Kelly, Aneesah Morrow, Kia Nurse, Jaylyn Sherrod, Ariel Atkins, Aaliyah Nye, Te-Hina Paopao, Kiah Stokes, and Jacy Sheldon, among others.
AU Pro Basketball was the first winter pro women&#8217;s basketball league to launch in the United States when it began in 2022 and remains the only platform in the U.S. offering professional women the opportunity to play 5-on-5 full court basketball outside of the WNBA. Innovative in its player-focused approach, AU Pro Basketball provides an ability for WNBA players to stay in the U.S. during the offseason while also providing playing opportunities for elite pro players not currently on WNBA rosters. Like other Athletes Unlimited leagues, AU Pro Basketball is led by a Player Executive Committee, and players have the opportunity to share in long-term profits of the company.
AU Pro Basketball is part of Athletes Unlimited, which was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2023 and features an Advisory Board comprised of an illustrious group of high-profile contributors from the worlds of sports, business and entertainment including basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, two-time NBA champion and entrepreneur Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman of 35 Ventures; and U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team superstar Abby Wambach, among many others.
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About Athletes Unlimited:
Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, Athletes Unlimited owns and operates professional women’s softball, volleyball, and basketball leagues featuring world-class competition and fan experience, and stands out as an organization driven by the athletes that play in the leagues, with athlete representation on the company’s board of directors, each league led by a Player Executive Committee, and players sharing in long-term profits of the company, all while being proactive in shaping policies supporting the women that play in the league. Athletes Unlimited is the first professional sports league to be organized as a Public Benefit Corporation. For more information, visit AUProSports.com.

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Sydney Colson Joins Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball Broadcast Team as League Debuts Fan-First Broadcast Experience for 2026 Season in Nashville

— Trade Jacy Sheldon and Right to Swap 2026 First Round Pick to Washington —
Uncasville, CT (August 7, 2025) – Today, the Connecticut Sun announced that the organization has acquired forward Aaliyah Edwards from the Washington Mystics, in exchange for Jacy Sheldon and the right to swap Washington’s 2026 1st round pick (Minnesota’s) for Connecticut’s 2026 1st round pick (New York’s).
“We are incredibly grateful for everything Jacy has given to the Connecticut Sun,” said Morgan Tuck, Connecticut Sun General Manager. “She brought passion, professionalism, and heart to this organization every time she stepped on the court, and her impact was felt far beyond the box score. While it’s always difficult to say goodbye, we’re excited for what’s ahead for Jacy and wish her nothing but success on her new team.”
Edwards joins the Sun after spending her WNBA career thus far with the Washington Mystics. She was drafted by the Mystics as the sixth pick overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft and averaged 7.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists on 18.5 minutes per game during her time in Washington. The 6-3 forward played four seasons with the University of Connecticut Huskies and averaged 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game over 132 career games. Edwards left Storrs with a plethora of honors including WBCA All-American (2024), USBWA Second Team All-America (2024), AP Third Team All-America (2023), All-BIG EAST First Team (2023, 24), BIG EAST Most Improved Player (2023), BIG EAST Sixth Woman of the Year (2021) and BIG EAST All-Freshman Team (2021). At the time she left Storrs, Edwards also ranked 15th in program history in scoring (1,861), eighth in rebounds (1,020) and sixth in double-doubles (35). Edwards helped lead UConn to four BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championships, along with three NCAA Final Fours and one NCAA National Championship game appearance. The Kingston, Ontario native has also represented her country at the international level, notably being the youngest member of the 2020 Canadian Olympic squad in Tokyo and making a second appearance in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Bringing Aaliyah to the Connecticut Sun is more than just a roster move; it’s a statement about where we’re headed as a franchise. Aaliyah is a transformational talent with the mindset and drive that aligns with our vision of building a championship culture. What truly sets her apart is the way she leads, connects, and competes. Aaliyah is the kind of person and player who can help redefine the future of this organization and we’re ready to build that future together.” – Morgan Tuck, Connecticut Sun General Manager
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Connecticut Sun Acquire Aaliyah Edwards

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Game Recap: Liberty vs. Sun (8/3/25)

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Game Recap: Sparks vs. Sun (7/24/25)

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Game Recap: Sun vs. Sparks (7/13/25)

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Game Recap: Aces vs. Sun (7/6/25)

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Game Recap: Sun vs. Storm, 6/27/2025

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Game Recap: Sun vs. Valkyries (6/22/25)

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Game Recap: Mercury vs. Sun (6/18/25)

Latest

Jacy Sheldon

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
<ul>
<li>2024: Selected 5th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings.</li>
<li>2025: Traded to the Connecticut Sun in February 2025.</li>
</ul>
2024 SEASON WITH DALLAS:
<ul>
<li>Appeared in 40 regular season contests for the Wings, starting in 26.</li>
<li>Averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game during the regular season.</li>
<li>Tallied a season and career-high 17 points on July 5 against Atlanta.</li>
<li>Dished out a season and career-high eight assists on August 25 against Los Angeles.</li>
<li>Grabbed a season and career-high six rebounds on June 23 against Washington. </li>
<li>Made her first career start on June 20 against Chicago. </li>
<li>Grabbed a season and career-high three steals on two occasions (9/1 vs. IND, 9/15 vs. IND).</li>
</ul>
COLLEGE CAREER:
<ul>
<li>Played five seasons at Ohio State University (2019-2024).</li>
<li>Second-team All-American- AP and USBWA (2024).</li>
<li>2x First-team All-Big Ten (2022, 2024).</li>
<li>Second-team All-Big Ten (2021).</li>
<li>2x Big Ten All-Defensive Team (2022, 2024).</li>
<li>Named as one of the five finalists for the Nancy Liberman Award, an honor bestowed to the nation’s top point-guard. </li>
<li>Averaged 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals over 130 career games.</li>
<li>Left the program sixth all-time in scoring (2,009), eighth all-time in three-point field goals made (187) and sixth all-time in steals (247) and one of three players in program history with at least 1,900 points, 400 rebounds, 350 assists, 200 steals and 150 made three-pointers.</li>
</ul>

Jacy Sheldon was traded from the Connecticut Sun to the Washington Mystics.

Ruled out for Tuesday

No timeline for return

Another absence coming

Ruled out Sunday

Unlikely to play Sunday

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