Las Vegas Aces player Chelsea Gray named MVP of Unrivaled League: A Star-Studded Celebration
By Doug Feinberg
The Associated Press
March 3, 2026
NEW YORK -- The Unrivaled League MVP award was presented to Las Vegas Aces star guard Chelsea Gray on Monday, amidst a star-studded crowd at the Barclays Center. Gray, a standout player for Rose BC, averaged an impressive 24.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, breaking her own single-season assists record with 85 in 14 games. Her performance was a testament to her dedication and skill, as she aimed to be great every night.
"I want to say thank you to everyone who voted," Gray said. "I love this game. Want to be great every night, and that’s always my goal. Women’s basketball is where it’s at, shows by all you guys coming out and watching us compete every single night."
The 33-year-old Gray had an outstanding season, with nine games of 20 or more points and 10 games with five or more assists. She also tied the league's single-game 3-pointers record with 10. Gray's success was not limited to the court; she also won the Unrivaled's 1-on-1 tournament last month.
The championship game, featuring the No. 1-seeded Phantom BC, led by former Aces star Kelsey Plum, and Vinyl, led by former Aces player Dearica Hamby, will be played on Wednesday at Unrivaled's home arena in Miami. The winning team will take home a prize pool of $600,000, split among its six players.
The Unrivaled League's success in Philadelphia in late January, which drew over 21,490 fans, led to the move of the semifinals to New York a few weeks ago. Monday's sellout crowd of 18,261 included basketball legends like Carmelo Anthony and Sue Bird, actors Ashton Kutcher and Jason Sudeikis, and gold medal-winning U.S. hockey player Hilary Knight.
But here's where it gets controversial... While Gray's MVP win is well-deserved, some may argue that her success was due to the support of her team and the league's overall growth. What do you think? Is it fair to attribute her success solely to her individual talent, or does the league's success play a significant role? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
