Angel McCoughtry signs on to play in Athletes Unlimited basketball league

FILE - Las Vegas Aces forward Angel McCoughtry sets up a play during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Sept. 29, 2020, in Bradenton, Fla. Two-time Olympic champion McCoughtry will play in the upcoming Athletes Unlimited season. The 2009 No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft has been limited to just three games in the league since 2021 because of injuries. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

By DOUG FEINBERG

Two-time Olympic champion Angel McCoughtry will play in the upcoming Athletes Unlimited season.

The 2009 No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft has been limited to just three games in the league since 2021 because of injuries.

“As the newest member of the AU family, I am beyond excited to start this journey. Basketball has always been a passion that drives me,” McCoughtry said. “My focus is clear: I just want to hoop again, to be on the court where I feel most alive. I can’t wait to show the world what I got.”

The 37-year-old spent 10 seasons with the Atlanta Dream, taking the team to three WNBA Finals. She suffered an injury to her left knee in 2018 and played in one game in 2019. She played with Las Vegas in 2020 before a right knee injury cost her all but one game of the 2021 season. She played two games with Minnesota in 2022 before getting waived.

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Other WNBA players already signed to play in the third season of AU include Tiffany Mitchell (Minnesota Lynx), Zia Cooke (Los Angeles Sparks) and Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream). They join returning players Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Odyssey Sims (Dallas Wings), Lexie Brown (Los Angeles Sparks), Sydney Colson (Las Vegas Aces) and Kiersten Bell (Las Vegas Aces).

Athletes Unlimited started in 2020 and also has softball, volleyball and lacrosse leagues in which there are no team owners and players share directly in league profits. The basketball rules are similar to the WNBA and there will be over $1 million for the 44 players to earn with the winner receiving roughly $50,000.

The league redrafts its teams each week with the top four point scorers serving as captains. The league returns to Dallas for a second consecutive season.

Games will be played in Dallas again from Feb. 29 to March 23.

“The Dallas Wings welcome Athletes Unlimited back to North Texas for a second season of women’s professional basketball at Fair Park,” Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb said. “We are excited to support our Wings players who will be participating and look forward to watching the competition as it takes place in early 2024.”

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