Bridget Carleton signed to Unrivaled league

Bridget Carleton with the WNBL’s Townsville Fire

Chatham’s Bridget Carleton won’t be playing pro basketball in Europe in her off-season.

Carleton, who plays for the WNBA’s Portland Fire, has signed a contract with Unrivaled for the 2027 season, the league announced last week.

Unrivaled, going into its third season, is a full-court three-on-three eague founded by WNBA superstars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier as a way to give players an opportunity to stay in the United States and earn money playing in the offseason.

Unrivaled’s season takes place between January and March before the start of the WNBA’s 2027 training camp in April. Most of the league’s games are played in Miami. It gives Carleton a chance to play closer to her Chatham home rather than going overseas.

“Cool opportunity for me to get some reps and stay home a little bit,” Carleton told CKSN’s Peter Cobb in Chicago this past weekend.

“Obviously I love Europe, and I loved my time in Europe, but it’s a good opportunity to stay home and have some time with family,” Carleton said.

“I’m excited. A new challenge and opportunity to get better.”

She played the 2025-26 EuroLeague season with the Czech team USK Praha. In past seasons Carleton has played in France, Israel, Spain, Hungary, Australia and Turkey in her off-seasons.

Carleton signed a three-year, $3.7 million contract with the Fire after becoming their first overall pick in the expansion draft earlier this year and the new franchise’s first player.

Carleton said to CKSN she was excited about going to Portland.

“To be picked number one to a team that was really excited to have me and really wanted me, was an honour and I was really excited.”
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Carleton is a starter with Portland (8-12), and is their second-leading scorer.