NFL
By: Nick Andre
Make no mistake that the first week of Unrivaled was a success. The energy in the building has been spectacular and the players have given 100% every game. Through one week, there’s a great balance between teams who are undefeated and teams who are looking for their first win.
The Lunar Owls are one of the teams that have been undefeated so far. Looking at their play on the court, they’ve been spectacular on both ends of the floor and have shown great execution down the stretch to win games. The story behind the Lunar Owls was Skylar Diggins-Smith, who had two game-winners over the first week. However, Napheesa Collier has been dominant for the Lunar Owls, which plays a role in their strong start.
It’s been nothing but high-level play from Collier since night one. Being the co-founder of a new league means that you have to bring your best. Collier invested not only in being the face off the court but on the court as well. Collier has continued to be a driving force on both ends. She’s proven why she was named Defensive Player of the Year this past WNBA season with blocked shots and steals. Offensively, she’s just getting started with the way she’s been able to score from anywhere on the floor.
There’s unfinished business for Collier heading into the first Unrivaled Season. She had a monster MVP-caliber WNBA season with averages of 20.4 points along with 9.7 rebounds and two steals. Her impact helped her lead the Lynx to the WNBA Finals where they lost to the New York Liberty in five games. Not only did Collier lose the WNBA Finals but fell short against Unrivaled’s other Co-Founder, Breanna Stewart.
The art of losing puts a chip on many player’s shoulders. After the Finals, Collier didn’t have much to say. Her focus was solely on building this new league and continuing to get better on the basketball court. It’s safe to say that there are no complaints about Collier’s game as she’s currently averaging 29 points along with 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
Napheesa Collier came out firing in the Lunar Owls’ first matchup against Mist. It was important to set the tone for the season by getting a big win against a talented team. Collier struggled to begin the game but eventually caught fire on the offensive end. Overall, the Lunar Owls shot 50 percent from the floor while their leading scorer finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds.
Collier carried the momentum into the next matchup against Rose. This performance was an example of staying ready so you don’t have to get ready. The Lunar Owls were on a back-to-back as their next matchup was in less than 24 hours. With little recovery time, it meant that the team had to show their mental toughness and figure out how to come out on top. Collier proved that she was a superstar in women’s basketball. After dominating the night before, she posted 31 points and six rebounds while leading her team to another win.
If there was an MVP conversation through week 1 of Unrivaled, Napheesa Collier’s name would be at the top of the list. It’s amazing how she has stood out as the best in the league where there are so many talented players. But it also shows that Collier is continuing to rise as one of the best players in the world. Collier has been the leading factor in the Lunar Owls’ success. But she couldn’t do it alone as Diggins-Smith and Allisha Gray have both played pivotal roles as well.
As the season progresses, Napheesa Collier will continue her high-level play. She has one thing on her mind which is to lead the Lunar Owls as the last team standing. As of today, no player or team can currently stop her at this moment. 2025 has a chance to be Collier’s year. She could potentially lead the Lunar Owls on top while the momentum carries over to the WNBA where she could lead the Lynx to a championship. All of that is yet to be decided. However, one can’t deny the dominance of Napheesa Collier so far.
