By: Betty Cantley
MIAMI, FLA – The coaching lineup for Unrivaled Basketball 2026, Season 2, is absolutely stacked, blending WNBA head coaches in experience, championship expertise, and renowned skills training.
With the league expanding to eight teams, four inaugural coaches are returning, and four new coaches are joining – including two WNBA Champions.
The four coaches new to the league for 2026 bring significant WNBA experience, with Noelle Quinn and Roneeka Hodges having recently coached in the WNBA Finals.
Noelle Quinn is the head coach for the new expansion team, Breeze BC. She was the Head Coach for the Seattle Storm (2021-2025). Quinn guided the Seattle Storm, guiding them to the 2021 Commissioner’s Cup title and four playoff appearances. She was also an Associate Head Coach on the Storm’s 2020 WNBA Championship staff, and had a 12-year WNBA playing career.
Rena Wakama is the Head Coach for the other expansion team, Hive BC. Wakama has achieved international success as the head coach of the Nigerian Women’s National Team. She made history as the first female coach to win the FIBA Women’s Afro basketball title (2023) and won it again in 2025. Wakama also serves as an Assistant Coach for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
Mist BC Zach O’Brien, WNBA Champion Assistant, joins Unraveled from the New York Liberty, where he served as an Assistant Coach and was part of the 2024 WNBA Coaching staff. He has extensive experience in player development and as a video coordinator.
Phantom Bc Head Coach Roneeka Hodge was a WNBA Champion Assistant. She is a former WNBA player. Hodges came from the Connecticut Sun as Associate Head Coach in 2025. Hodges was an assistant coach for the New York Liberty, contributing to their 2024 WNBA Championship.
Vinyl BC Head Coach, Teresa Weatherspoon, is a WNBA Legend. She is a Naismith Hall of Famer and a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. Weatherspoon also served as a WNBA Head Coach (Chicago Sky) and led the Vinyl BC to the inaugural Unrivaled finals in Season 1.
The Rose BC Head Coach is Nola Henry, the defending Champion. She returns to the Unrivaled Championship club. She also holds the Assistant Coaching position with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA, making her another coach bridging the WNBA and Unrivaled.
Lunar Owls BC Head Coach DJ Sackmann is a globally recognized, skilled coach; he also led the Lunar Owls to the next regular season record (13-1) in the
Inaugural year. He is widely known as a global basketball skills trainer with over 15 years of experience working with numerous NBA and WNBA players.
Laces BC Head Coach Andrew Wade, WNBA player development returns after leading the Laces to the playoffs in Season 1. He spent the WNBA off-season serving as the Director of Player Development for the New York Liberty, building on his previous role in player development with the Washington Mystics.
This year’s coaching staff is characterized by a strong representation of Black female coaches (five out of eight) and a high number of individuals (six out of eight) who are actively involved or have recently been involved with WNBA teams, solidifying Unrivaled’s connection to the highest level of professional basketball.