From the moment Unrivaled tipped off its debut season, ESPN had already written the story—at least in their eyes. Angel Reese and Rose BC? Dead last. A team with no chemistry, no real firepower, and no chance of contending with the best. But if there’s one thing sports history has taught us, it’s that underdogs don’t just roll over. And when you doubt Angel Reese, she’s going to make sure you regret it. Fast forward to the championship game, and the so-called “last-place” team wasn’t just in the mix—they were lifting the trophy. Against all odds, with critics laughing at their preseason ranking, Rose BC had the last laugh. And now, fans are firing back at ESPN.

This all started before Unrivaled even began. With Reese having zero experience in the 3-on-3 format, ESPN placed Rose BC at the bottom of their preseason rankings. And for a while, it looked like they might have been right. After a rough 1-4 start, the doubts seemed justified. But that’s when Chi-Town Barbie flipped the script.

The 2024 WNBA All-Star didn’t just step up—she dominated. Leading the league in rebounding with 12.1 boards per game, she powered Rose BC through an eight-game winning streak and etched her name in history as the first player to notch a 20-20 game in Unrivaled. “We have a chip on our shoulder right now. They ranked us at the bottom. We were the last team. Nobody believed in us, and we believed in each other in that locker room,” Reese said after one of their biggest wins.

The doubters had been loud, but Rose BC drowned out the noise with pure dominance on the court. It wasn’t just Reese. With Chelsea Gray and Kahleah Copper leading the charge, Rose BC found their rhythm. They took down top teams like Phantom BC and handed the Lunar Owls their first and only loss of the season.

Reese’s presence in the paint was unmatched, securing double-doubles night after night. And she wasn’t just rebounding—she was evolving. Working closely with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, she refined her scoring and defensive skills. “Being here at Unrivaled has been the best thing for me,” Reese admitted. “It’s helped me grow, it’s helped me expand my game, and most of all, it’s made me stronger.”

But just when everything seemed to be lining up for a perfect playoff run, disaster struck. Days before the championship, Rose BC suffered a massive blow. Angel Reese was ruled out with a hand injury. To make matters worse, Chelsea Gray was sidelined as well. Losing two of their biggest stars on the biggest stage? Most teams would’ve crumbled. But not Rose BC. Even from the sidelines, Reese’s influence remained unshaken. She sent a simple yet powerful message on social media: “COME ON ROSEBUDSSSSS.”

Her team heard her loud and clear. And as Rose BC proved themselves, without two key players, fans couldn’t resist but dived into the comment section to deliver their unique take.

From doubters to believers, fans roast ESPN after Rose BC’s shocking championship win

As expected, fans’ target was ESPN due to their preseason rankings. “@ESPN what y’all gotta say now????????? #Unrivaled” penned a spectator. All thanks to Azurá Stevens and Brittney Sykes, who stepped up in a major way to lead the charge against Vinyl BC. While Stevens was a beast in the paint, dropping 19 points and grabbing an astounding 18 rebounds, Sykes poured in 21 points, ensuring that even without Reese, Rose BC wouldn’t back down.

Chelsea Gray, despite being ruled out, played the role of a mentor on the bench, keeping her team focused. “AND F—KKK ESPN #unrivaled.” In a game where every possession mattered, Rose BC outworked Vinyl BC, securing the 62-54 victory and officially claiming the first-ever Unrivaled title. “We weren’t supposed to be here. Nobody believed in us,” Sykes said postgame. “But we knew. We knew what we had, and we knew we could do this.”

The final buzzer sounded, and the crowd erupted. Against all odds, Rose BC was the last team standing. “To think ESPN ranked us last!!! Ha! W! #Unrivaled” But winning Unrivaled wasn’t just about proving ESPN wrong—it came with real rewards. Each player on the championship team received an additional $50,000 bonus, a significant prize in a league aiming to elevate women’s basketball. For a team that started at the bottom, this victory meant everything.

“ESPN really had Rose in last place, and they just won the first Unrivaled championship,” added another user. Beyond the money, Rose BC’s title run proved something bigger: talent and teamwork will always outshine expectations and rankings.

And for Angel Reese, despite missing the championship game, this was yet another chapter in her book of proving doubters wrong. “They were ranked LAST and now won the championship!!! Tell a hater I said f–k em. @espn #Unrivaled.” From college to the WNBA to Unrivaled, she has consistently overcome criticism—and now, she has another trophy to show for it.“We worked for this. We earned this,” Reese said. “And we’re just getting started.”

From being ranked dead last to standing at the top, Rose BC’s championship run will go down as one of the greatest underdog stories in women’s basketball history. ESPN may have missed the mark, but the Roses didn’t. And now, the whole world knows their name. The only question left? Will ESPN admit they were wrong?

Stay tuned for more such updates, and here’s WNBA prodigy Caitlin Bickle’s candid take on the intense Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese rivalry and a lot more!