Unrivaled signs WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton.

Unrivaled revealed on Tuesday that WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton and standout rookie Sonia Citron will join the league for the 2026 season, alongside four returning players. Since its debut in January, Unrivaled has earned a reputation as a prime destination for young athletes eager to develop their skills, and Burton sees it as the perfect place to keep advancing her game.

“This is a huge opportunity,” Burton told ESPN, noting the appeal of competing against some of the league’s top talent. A member of the USA 3x3 Women’s U23 World Cup silver-medal team in 2022, Burton was intrigued by Unrivaled’s unique format—especially the smaller court and faster pace that demand nonstop involvement on both ends of the floor. Throughout the WNBA season, she sought insight from Golden State teammates Kate Martin and Tiffany Hayes, who participated in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, which only heightened her interest.

Burton and Citron join Paige Bueckers, Saniya Rivers, and Erica Wheeler as first-time Unrivaled players. Returning to the league are co-founder Breanna Stewart, Azura Stevens, Lexie Hull, and Jackie Young. Citron, the Rookie of the Year runner-up, averaged 14.9 points per game with highly efficient shooting percentages and earned her first WNBA All-Star selection in July. Burton, now in her fourth WNBA season and first with the Golden State Valkyries, delivered career-best numbers across points, rebounds, and assists—becoming the first player in league history to raise her averages by at least five points, two rebounds, and two assists per game from one season to the next (minimum 30 games played each year).