As the NBA season continues to roll while the WNBA moves through the offseason, the Blue Zone is here with more updates from former Blue Devils:
Chelsea Gray
In past WNBA offseasons, professional women’s basketball players have often signed with overseas clubs in Australia, China and Europe as a way to maintain form but more importantly, supplement their income. Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird played 11 years in Russia, a time in which she stated in an interview that she earned up to ten times her WNBA salary.
However, Bird’s and others’ international careers may now be a thing of the past, as the Unrivaled Basketball League began its inaugural season Jan. 17. Co-founded by current stars Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, Unrivaled is a professional 3v3 women’s basketball league and a U.S.-based potential solution to the WNBA’s offseason issues.
The league comprises six teams — the Laces, Lunar Owls, Mist, Phantom, Rose and Vinyl — which each roster six of the top women’s basketball players in the world, a group that includes former Duke star Chelsea Gray.
Gray, an All-ACC First Team selection in the 2012-13 season, leads the Rose alongside Chicago Sky teammates Angel Reese and Kahleah Copper. After dropping its first two games, the Rose bounced back with a 71-66 victory against the Mist, the first win in club history. Despite her smaller stature, the Las Vegas Aces guard led the team in rebounds as well as assists — finishing with 12 points, seven boards and six assists.
With this extremely exciting development in Unrivaled, Gray will have the opportunity to fundamentally transform the landscape of professional women’s basketball.
Jayson Tatum
For the fifth consecutive season, Boston’s superstar forward has earned a starting spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team — marking his sixth straight selection as an All-Star. After finally capturing an NBA title in 2024, the St. Louis native has posted career-high averages in rebounds and assists — 9.0 and 5.4, respectively — while maintaining his prolific scoring.
Despite Tatum’s strong play, the reigning-champion Celtics have found themselves in a bit of a rough patch recently, as they have dropped six of their 15 games in 2025. With questions regarding a “championship hangover” beginning to percolate, Tatum will look to stabilize a team that began the year as clear title favorites.
Mark Williams
After reminding the basketball world of his immense potential with a 31-point, 13-rebound breakout performance against the Utah Jazz, Mark Williams has continued to impress in recent performances. In a 132-120 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the former Blue Devil put on a masterful offensive display — scoring 38 points, which he paired with nine rebounds and five assists.
Since the new year, Williams has averaged 18.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game — looking every bit the franchise center Charlotte had hoped for when they selected in the 2022 draft. Although the former lottery pick has dealt with his fair share of injury struggles throughout his young career, a trio of Williams, Lamelo Ball and Brandon Miller promises a bright future for the Hornets.
Kyrie Irving
Now in his 14th NBA season, the 2011 No. 1 pick has rebounded from a disappointing championship appearance — definitively showing all critics that he has not lost a step. Despite an extended absence from co-star Luka Doncic due to injury, Irving has managed to keep the Mavericks afloat.
The Dallas guard has again produced at an elite level — recording 24.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game on near 50-40-90 efficiency. With the gauntlet known as the Western Conference only continuing to grow stronger, the Mavericks will need Irving to maintain his play if they hope to return to the NBA Finals.
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