Unrivaled’s 1v1 tournaments create an exciting, playground-style atmosphere, vividly showcased during the opening round. On Wednesday, 22 competitors faced off in a single-elimination format to secure spots in the second round, vying for a share of the $300,000 prize pool. The first round saw several surprising upsets, with the standout moment being Mist guard Veronica Barton’s dominant 11-0 victory over Brees guard Courtney Williams.
Barton sealed her win in just 1 minute and 23 seconds, completely shutting down Williams, who expressed disbelief on X, saying, “Wow chat, it’s crazy that I can’t even get the ball.”
Aside from the thrilling Barton vs. Williams game, top contenders like Brianna Stewart, Paige Bakkers, and Kelsey Mitchell successfully advanced. Other high-profile players such as Chelsea Gray from the Roses and Arike Ogunbowale of the Mists also secured their passage to the next round.
Before the second round, No. 1 seed Alisha Gray and her partner Saniya Rivers of Vinyl moved forward automatically after Rose’s Carlea Copper and Brees’ Rikea Jackson withdrew from the competition. Guards Skylar Diggins from Luna Owls, Rays’ Jordan Canada, and forward Alyssa Thomas also opted out. Diggins and Canada chose to bypass playing Luna Owls’ Kelsey Plumb to face Hibs’ Natisha Heedeman in the next round. Additionally, Phantoms center Aliyah Boston advanced following the withdrawal of Thomas’ replacement, Leticia Amihere.
Here are the updated results from the first round of the Unrivaled 1-on-1 tournament bracket as of February 12, 2026:
Pod A
- (5) Veronica Barton def. (4) Courtney Williams, 11-0
- (1) Kelsey Mitchell def. (8) Rachel Banham, 12-3
Pod B
- (4) Arike Ogunbowale def. (5) Britney Sykes, 11-2
- (2) Chelsea Gray def. (7) Natasha Cloud, 11-10
- (3) Jackie Young def. (6) Asia James, 12-4
- (1) Paige Backers def. (8) Kate Martin, 12-5
Pod C
- (6) Sonia Citron def. (3) Marina Mabry, 12-10
- (7) Ray Burrell def. (2) Ryne Howard, 12-9
Pod D
- (6) Shakira Austin def. (3) Dearika Hamby, 12-10
- (2) Aaliyah Edwards def. (7) Dominic Malonga, 11-8
- (1) Brianna Stewart def. (8) Li Yuer, 11-6
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Unparalleled 1-on-1 Bracket 2026: Burton blanks Williams, shocking fans.
Fan Take:
This tournament highlights the intense competitiveness and individual skill rising within the WNBA, offering fans a fresh, thrilling perspective on player matchups. It also serves as a powerful platform to elevate players’ profiles and grow the sport’s fanbase by showcasing pure one-on-one talent on a big stage.
