AU Pro Basketball Returns to Nashville for 5th Championship Season with Elite Roster

July 14, 2025, New York - Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball will return to Music City with elite talent and electrifying energy, tipping off its fifth championship season on February 4, 2026, at Nashville's Municipal Auditorium. Following a banner debut in Nashville in 2025 with record attendance and community engagement, the league brings its unique brand of basketball action back to Nashville, where it is the only women's professional sports property in the city.

A dynamic mix of WNBA veterans and up-and-coming fan favorites promises to deliver even more unforgettable moments on and off the court for the 2026 season. Of the 14 players signed to date, eight were first round draft picks in the WNBA and they have won a combined 11 WNBA Championships and 6 NCAA Championships among them.

Forty professional hoopers are invited to compete in four weeks of intense 5-on-5 competition. With $500,000 in prize bonuses at stake and the rules set by the players themselves, every moment counts as each player competes for the title of individual AU Pro Basketball Champion.

Early signees include:

• Alysha Clark: Three-time WNBA champion (2018 & 2020 with Seattle Storm, 2023 with Las Vegas Aces), WNBA Sixth Person of the Year in 2023 and former Belmont University and Middle Tennessee State standout; Currently with the Seattle Storm.
• Isabelle Harrison: Nashville native is the final active WNBA player to have been coached by Tennessee legend Pat Summitt; finished third on the 2022 AU Pro Basketball leaderboard and was the league's inaugural Defensive Player of the Year. Currently with the New York Liberty.
• Lexie Brown: 2021 WNBA champion with the Chicago Sky; Chair of the AU Pro Basketball Player Executive Committee; Currently with the Seattle Storm.
• Sydney Colson: Two-time WNBA champion (2022 & 2023 with Las Vegas Aces) and NCAA champion (2011 with Texas A&M); Currently with the Indiana Fever.
• NaLyssa Smith: 2023 AU Pro Basketball Champion, scoring a record 50 points in the season's final game to clinch the title; 2019 NCAA Champion with Baylor; Currently with Las Vegas Aces.
• Odyssey Sims: Runner-up in the 2025 AU Pro Basketball season; former WNBA All-Star (2019) and standout player with the Dallas Wings and Los Angeles Spark.
• Kia Nurse: five year WNBA veteran (currently with the Chicago Sky) and member of Canadian Olympic team.
• Jaylyn Sherrod: 2024 WNBA Champion with the New York Liberty.
• Theresa Plaisance: 2022 WNBA Champion with the Las Vegas Aces.
• Ariel Atkins: Currently with Chicago Sky; 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist with Team USA; 2019 WNBA Champion with the Washington Mystics; Two-time WNBA All-Star (2021-22) and First-Team WNBA All-Defensive Team in 2022.
• Aaliyah Nye: Currently playing her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces after graduating from Alabama in 2025 and being selected with the 13th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
• Te-Hina Paopao: Selected by the Atlanta Dream with the 18th pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and playing her rookie season; 2024 NCAA Champion with South Carolina.
• Kiah Stokes: Two-time WNBA Champion (2022-23 with the Las Vegas Aces) and three-time NCAA Champion (2013-15 with UConn); previously played seven seasons with the New York Liberty.
• Jacy Sheldon: Currently with the Connecticut Sun; drafted with the 5th overall pick by the Dallas Wings in the 2024 WNBA Draft out of Ohio State.

"Nashville welcomed us with open arms last season, and we're thrilled to return to Municipal Auditorium for another year of world-class hoops," said Megan Perry, Vice President of Basketball for Athletes Unlimited. "With a roster that blends proven leaders and exciting new faces, AU Pro Basketball is where legends rise and new stars are born."

Group and season ticket deposits for the upcoming season are available now at AUProBasketball.com. The 40-player roster, as well as the full schedule for the 2026 AU Pro Basketball season, including broadcast information, game dates and times will be announced at a later date.

AU Pro Basketball was the first winter pro women's basketball league to launch in the United States when it began in 2022 and remains the only platform in the U.S. offering professional women the opportunity to play 5 v 5 full court basketball outside of the WNBA. Innovative in its player-focused approach, AU Pro Basketball provides an ability for WNBA players to stay in the U.S. during the offseason while also providing playing opportunities for elite pro players not currently on WNBA rosters. Like other Athletes Unlimited leagues, AU Pro Basketball is led by a Player Executive Committee, and players have the opportunity to share in long-term profits of the company. National broadcast and business partners for AU Pro Basketball include ESPN, Nike and Gatorade.

AU Pro Basketball is part of Athletes Unlimited, which was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in 2023 and features an Advisory Board comprised of an illustrious group of high-profile contributors from the worlds of sports, business and entertainment including basketball legend Sheryl Swoopes, two-time NBA champion and entrepreneur Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman of 35 Ventures; and U.S. Women's National Soccer Team superstar Abby Wambach, among many others.

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