University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
WNBA Season Begins With Nivar On Atlanta Dream Roster
May 8, 2026 | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – The next generation of Tar Heels in the WNBA is here, as North Carolina alumna Indya Nivar is set to kick off her rookie campaign with the Atlanta Dream. Nivar earned a spot on the roster after being selected in the 2026 draft in the second round, 28th overall.
Nivar was the 22nd Tar Heel to be drafted and the second under head coach Courtney Banghart. The Apex, N.C., native is set to be the 20th Carolina alum to appear in a WNBA game and the first since 2021.
Making an impact in Carolina Blue, Nivar was outstanding on both sides of the ball in her senior season with a career-high 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. A defensive power, Nivar tallied 94 steals to rank 25th nationally, and her 2.7 steals per game were second overall among players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Nivar's 94 steals marked the most by a Tar Heel in a single season since 2012-13.
Distributing the ball at a high rate, Nivar paced Carolina with an average of 3.6 assists per game and stuffed the stat sheet with six games of at least five points, five rebounds, and five assists. She made her mark in the record books by posting the second triple-double in Carolina women's basketball history with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 steals against South Dakota State in the Cancun Challenge. Her 10 steals tied the single-game program record last set in 1985.
Nivar joins a Dream franchise with Tar Heel ties, as LaToya Sanders (Pringle) is in her second season with Atlanta as an assistant coach. Sanders played for the Tar Heels from 2004-08, where she was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. She still holds the all-time Carolina record in career and single season blocks.
The Atlanta Dream kick off the 2026 WNBA season on Saturday in Minneapolis, facing off against the Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. ET.
Nivar was the 22nd Tar Heel to be drafted and the second under head coach Courtney Banghart. The Apex, N.C., native is set to be the 20th Carolina alum to appear in a WNBA game and the first since 2021.
Making an impact in Carolina Blue, Nivar was outstanding on both sides of the ball in her senior season with a career-high 10.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. A defensive power, Nivar tallied 94 steals to rank 25th nationally, and her 2.7 steals per game were second overall among players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Nivar's 94 steals marked the most by a Tar Heel in a single season since 2012-13.
Distributing the ball at a high rate, Nivar paced Carolina with an average of 3.6 assists per game and stuffed the stat sheet with six games of at least five points, five rebounds, and five assists. She made her mark in the record books by posting the second triple-double in Carolina women's basketball history with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 steals against South Dakota State in the Cancun Challenge. Her 10 steals tied the single-game program record last set in 1985.
Nivar joins a Dream franchise with Tar Heel ties, as LaToya Sanders (Pringle) is in her second season with Atlanta as an assistant coach. Sanders played for the Tar Heels from 2004-08, where she was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. She still holds the all-time Carolina record in career and single season blocks.
The Atlanta Dream kick off the 2026 WNBA season on Saturday in Minneapolis, facing off against the Minnesota Lynx at 8 p.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
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