Courtney Williams’ worst fear isn’t leaving her anytime soon, it seems.

The Vinyl BC player hesitated over just one player going into the Unrivaled 1vs1 tournament: Hive BC’s Kelsey Mitchell. But…as fate would have it, a matchup between the two can seriously be on the cards next week in Miami.

In a video with Mitchell’s Unrivaled teammate and her Minnesota teammate-cum-bestie, Natisha Hiedeman, Williams expressed her fear of facing Mitchell in the 1v1 tournament. “Her in a 1vs1? Please don’t be in my bracket, don’t put her in my bracket, bro. Like, I can’t guard her fast a** bro,” Williams was heard saying in the video.

Mitchell’s quickness has long been her biggest weapon, something that has been highlighted before (and often), including by Kelsey Plum.

Los Angeles Sparks veteran Kelsey Plum expressed her praise, saying, “You know who’s really hard to guard and doesn’t get enough flowers? Kelsey Mitchell. She’s so fast. She can stop on a dime.” Plum went on to explain what makes Mitchell so difficult to defend. “A lot of guards, I feel like, are either one way or the other. They significantly prefer either pulling up outside or going to the rim. But with her, I swear it’s 50/50. You don’t know which way she’s going.”

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Even her own Unrivaled teammate, Saniya Rivers, when asked what she was looking forward to the most, said, “”First of all, I’m glad I don’t have to guard Kelsey Mitchell for three months.”

Comments like these speak volumes about Mitchell’s skill set in tight 1v1 situations. And now, even a two-time WNBA All-Star like Williams joins the growing list of players who appear hesitant to go up against her.

However, sad for Lyns xtar, Unrivaled’s latest announcement of all four pods leaves open the possibility of an anticipated matchup between the two, as they are both featured in the same pods. The eventual final brackets will come down to the fan rankings, open till Feb 4 midnight, with the one-on-one tournament taking place between February 11 and 14.

Courtney Williams’ Vinyl BC and Kelsey Mitchell’s Hive BC have already faced each other twice in the season, with each side pocketing one win. However, Micthell has had a much greater impact on the court for her team, scoring 16 and 15 points in these two games. Williams chipped in with 12 in the first game and added eight in the second game, in relatively less time.

Mitchell is also having a better Unrivaled season than Williams by the numbers. Safe to say, with this staggering form and skill set, Williams will have a challenge to deal with in her hands if a matchup is drawn in the bracket. However, the Vinyl BC player has fair experience competing in the Unrivaled’s inaugural 1vs1 tournament, where she took down opponents like Rhyne Howard but lost to Napheesa Collier in the Quarterfinals.

Thus, with this experience, Williams will have a better perspective on how to deal with the opponents. Mitchell’s strength generally lies in shooting. If Williams can eliminate space from her, it can put the Hive BC player in an uncomfortable position, forcing her to make more mistakes.

But Mitchell is just one of the players who pose a challenge to Williams in the 1vs1 tournament.

Who Are the Other Competitors Who Can Pose a Challenge to Courtney Williams Besides Kelsey Mitchell?

The Pod A that features Courtney Williams and Kelsey Mitchell also features other notable stars like Skylar Diggins and Kelsey Plum. Diggins faced an elimination in the second round of the tournament against Arike Ogunbowale. Additionally, she has the speed to quickly tackle Williams’ block and get away from her, creating more space.

Hence, this Diggins vs Williams matchup will also be quite exciting for the fans.

Next up is a possibility for a Williams vs Kelsey Plum matchup. The 2026 Unrivaled 1vs1 tournament will be Plum’s debut event with Phantom BC. This fact doesn’t diminish the anticipation, though. Plum, in her debut Unrivaled, has been impressing with precise shooting from open play, her latest outing vs. Lunar Owls in the 3-0n-3 tournament giving her 18 points, including 6-15 from open play.

Moreover, with the experience of playing overseas, Plum truly stands as one of the fiercest opponents of Williams in the 1vs1 tournament. Other possible clashes can also include one with her partner-in-crime, Natisha Hiedeman.

Thus, participants have a long way to go to compete their way out as the winner of their pod, establish contention for the finals, and eventually clinch a prize of $200,000.

With last year’s winner, Napheesa Collier, out of the tournament with an injury, players like Courtney Williams, Mitchell, and Plum do have an opportunity to fill in Collier’s shoes.

So, with the tournament just more than a week away, what are your expectations for Williams? Feel free to let us know in the comments.