Alysha Clark, Kia Nurse to play in Athletes Unlimited’s upcoming campaign

Clark, a veteran forward, averaged 6.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game for the Las Vegas Aces this year in her 12th season in the WNBA. Nurse averaged 7.6 points per game in her first season in Los Angeles and sixth overall.

“I’m so excited to be playing back home in front of family and friends where it all started,” Clark, a Tennessee native who spent her collegiate career at Middle Tennessee State, said in a statement. “Tennessee has such a rich women’s basketball culture and being part of AU in bringing a professional women’s league that the fans deserve to experience is also really special.”

Also committing to AU Pro Basketball are Seattle Storm forward Jordan Horston and the Indiana Fever’s Victaria Saxton, both 2023 WNBA draftees. Their commitments bring the number of active WNBA players on AU’s roster to ten. Lexie Brown (Sparks), Maddy Siegrist (Dallas Wings), Isabelle Harrison (Chicago Sky), Alissa Pili (Minnesota Lynx), and a pair of Clark’s teammates in Sydney Colson and Kierstan Bell had already agreed to play for AU in Nashville this offseason. 

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Colson, returning for another year, was among the 18 players on active WNBA rosters to play for AU last season. Of the 40 total players in AU’s 2024 talent pool, another 11 had WNBA experience. 

15 players have now committed to AU’s upcoming campaign, its first in Tennessee after the relocating from Dallas. Bria Hartley, who spent nine years in the W, Dorie Harrison (sister of Isabelle), former Tennessee guard Meighan Simmons, and USC alum McKenzie Forbes round out the players currently pledged to join AU this coming February. 

“These latest player signings are further evidence that AU Pro Basketball is a home for both emerging and established top-level talent,” Megan Perry, director of basketball for Athletes Unlimited, said in the release. “We continue to be energized by the enthusiastic embrace we have received from the city of Nashville, and look forward to bringing world-class women’s pro basketball to Music City.” 

Notable from the names unveiled so far is the absence of a particular pair of players. Last year’s AU champion, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, and longtime face of AU Pro Basketball Natasha Cloud — now with the Phoenix Mercury — both opted instead to play in the inaugural season of Unrivaled. 

WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier founded the new 3×3 league. Featuring 36 players (33 of whom have been announced) across an eight-week season, Unrivaled will debut in January in Miami. In addition to the difference in game play and season length — AU plays over a four-week span — Unrivaled also chose to adhere to a more traditional team format than AU. A fixed set of players, a head coach, assistant coach and general manager comprise each of its six teams.

AU, on the other hand, is player-led, with rotating rosters and recurring drafts. The result is an individual champion. Playing full court 5×5 basketball, the league’s fourth season will tip off from Municipal Auditorium on Feb. 5. AU will crown its 2025 champion when the season concludes on March 2 after a 24-game slate. 

There are still slots for an additional 25 players for AU’s upcoming season. Those will be announced at a later date. ESPN will broadcast the campaign across its platforms.

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