Power Rankings

2026-power-rankings-offseason-moves

2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Offseason Moves

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The party isn’t over for UCLA’s national champions. The Bruins had another big celebration at the <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/wnba-draft-0a00d49021a7aca63629b01c36e20d95" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">WNBA draft.</a>
Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Kiki Rice were taken with picks Nos. 4-6 on Monday night, barely a week after helping the <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-ucla-south-carolina-score-1b7d7aa969d6bded7ad857fa1d760e32" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">Bruins win their first NCAA championship.</a> UCLA became the first team to have five first-round selections, and the first with six players selected in one draft.
In a whirlwind stretch where the Bruins were feted from coast to coast, the good times hit their peak at the draft, where the best team this season took its place among the best of all time.
“It’s really hard to sum up because there’s so much,” Jaquez said. “I think that we’re just on a high right now. We just won the national championship. A lot of us have also graduated college, which is a huge step and something to be super proud of, especially at UCLA. And then we got to go to Jimmy Kimmel, a Laker game, Clipper game, dance, have the celebration at Pauley Pavilion. We went on ‘Good Morning America’ this morning. Obviously, a lot of us are here at the draft tonight being drafted. It’s just been a special moment.”
The 6-foot-7 Betts was selected by the Washington Mystics, with Jaquez then taken by the Chicago Sky. The expansion Toronto Tempo made Rice their first draft pick with the No. 6 selection.
With coach Cori Close sitting up front near her players, the Bruins kept having reasons to stand up and cheer. They were going so quickly that after Angela Dugalic was taken at No. 9 to join Betts in Washington, she worried she’d miss witnessing more big moments for her teammates.
Betts said she wasn’t surprised, having watched how hard her teammates worked.
“These are like my sisters, and getting to watch your family do something like that is amazing,” Betts said. “But I mean, this team is just so special. We knew the type of players that we had on the team, and to really just have this night really showcase all of the things that we’ve worked on all season is just amazing.”
UCLA went 37-1, routing South Carolina on April 5 in the title game — with their seniors scoring all of their points in the Final Four — and then made WNBA history when Gianna Kneepkens was drafted by Connecticut with the 15th and final pick of the first round. Close has said she doesn’t care about records, but that changed Monday.
“Well, I mean, I sort of do care about this one actually, because No. 1, it helps us in recruiting. I think we’ve really taken a developmental approach to this and to see it come to fruition the way it has is obviously really gratifying,” she said.
“Just to be a part of an historic night and for them to be so excited for each other, that’s sort of representative of how they’ve been all year long. But it’s a pretty cool record to be a part of.”
UConn had the previous record of four first-round selections — all in the first six picks — in 2002. Sue Bird was No. 1, Swin Cash No. 2, Asjha Jones No. 4 and Tamika Williams No. 6 from a team that went 39-0.
Tennessee, in 1999 and again in 2008, had five players selected in the draft, as did Notre Dame in 2019 and South Carolina in 2023. But those players weren’t all taken in the first round.
“I think it definitely demonstrates that being a selfless team, that maybe giving up individual stats for team success, that you can win with that formula. You can still be successful. You can win at a high level as a team but you can also achieve individual goals,” Rice said.
“We knew we all wanted to go to the WNBA. We all wanted to be pros, but that wasn’t the only focus during the season. It was winning, it was giving to each other, it was how can we be the best team possible. In the process of doing that, we still got the results that we wanted to at the end of the day, and that’s something that is really special.”
Charlisse Leger-Walker was taken by the Sun in the second round, set to remain teammates with Kneepkens.
The Bruins went to dinner together while in New York and were going to spend more time together after the draft. But Kneepkens said they wouldn’t be saying their goodbyes yet.
“Yeah, those girls mean the most to me, and good thing we live in this day and age and we have phones,” she said. “So hopefully we’ll keep in touch, and obviously we’ll see each other around.”
___
AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg contributed to this report.

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ucla-record-draft-night-2026

National Champion UCLA Has Record Night at WNBA Draft 2026

free

media-day-lauren-betts

Media Day: Lauren Betts

PHOENIX (AP) — Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw and the 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year.
Parker, Holdsclaw and members of the 1996 Olympic team were all in attendance Friday at halftime of the <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/march-madness-uconn-south-carolina-score-dde3360dc7558a9d98b573a3d07fe500" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">UConn-South Carolina game</a> during the women’s Final Four, where the selections were announced, as was Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.
They will be joined by longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers and Gonzaga coach Mark Few in the Hall of Fame.
Parker won three titles in the WNBA with three different teams: Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. She is the only player in league history to win both the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
She also won two titles while playing in college for Tennessee under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt, plus two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA MVP awards.
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Delle Donne won two league MVP awards in 2015 and 2019, the second of which came when she led the Washington Mystics to their lone WNBA championship. Delle Donne became the first player in league history to shoot more than 50% from the field, 40% from behind the 3-point line and 90% from the free-throw line.
Holdsclaw won three straight titles at Tennessee from 1996-98, the first team to accomplish that. The 1998 championship was Tennessee’s first undefeated season at 39–0 and the Vols also set an NCAA record for the most wins in a season. Holdsclaw went on to have an 11-year WNBA career.
Stoudemire, who was the only NBA player in this year’s class, was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003 and six-time All-Star. He spent the first eight years of his career with the Phoenix Suns, where he teamed with D’Antoni.
Rivers has nearly 1,200 victories on his resume, which puts him eighth on the all-time wins list. He led the Boston Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008 and also was in charge of the Los Angeles Clippers during their Lob City era.
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Few has won more than 770 games at Gonzaga in his career at the school. He set the NCAA Division I men’s coaching record by winning 81 games in his first three years at the school.
Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals games over his 39-year career. He retired in 2016.
The enshrinement ceremony will take place in August at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
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Parker, Delle Donne and Holdsclaw Set for Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement

Editorial

The WNBA’s new expansion team, the Tempo, has made one thing clear: They aren’t just Toronto’s team, they’re Canada’s team. A new era of women’s basketball across the northern border is set to tip off its inaugural season on May 8 against the Washington Mystics. And with the Tempo ushering in fresh WNBA fans, it feels ideal to remind everyone of the long line of Canadians who have hooped in the league since its early years. 
We know hockey runs through the country’s veins, but women’s pro hoops have entered the chat. Players like Kia Nurse, Bridget Carleton, Laeticia Amihere, and Aaliyah Edwards are actively repping their home turf in the WNBA. But get to know the Canucks who paved the way. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Kelly Boucher (Sudbury, ON)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257970" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257970" class="wp-image-257970" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="755" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-scaled.jpg 1695w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-199x300.jpg 199w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-678x1024.jpg 678w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-768x1160.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-1017x1536.jpg 1017w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1367205-1356x2048.jpg 1356w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />Kelly Boucher #13 of Canada cheers on the sideline during the game against France at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics</div>
In the WNBA’s inaugural season, 15 international players dotted rosters around the league, but it wasn’t until the following season in 1998 that the first Canadian suited up. Boucher signed with the Charlotte Sting after a week-long open tryout. She bested over 350 WNBA hopefuls, through what she described as “the most intense, chaotic, grueling, difficult experience.” 
Her dream of playing pro hoops close to home became a reality. In a <a href="https://toronto.citynews.ca/2021/05/14/meet-kelly-boucher-the-canadian-who-broke-the-wnba-barrier/">2021 interview</a>, Boucher recalls having visa issues because it was so unheard of for Canadians to go to the States to play hoops. “They didn’t even know what category of visa to give us,” she said then.
Boucher had competed in two Olympics for Canada and a World Championship, but in her lone WNBA season, she grew accustomed to playing in front of a roaring crowd of 25,000 at the Charlotte Coliseum. Playing in Madison Square Garden, though, was her “pinch-me” moment. “That was a highlight…you walk in there, and you can just smell the history,” she reminisced. “Patrick Ewing was there, chatting with him on the side, taking pictures with people. You’re supposed to be warming up, of course…but you just look around, and I think, ‘We’re playing in Madison Square Garden.’”
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<h2 style="text-align: center">Tammy Sutton-Brown (Markham, ON)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257971" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257971" class="wp-image-257971" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="771" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-scaled.jpg 1661w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-195x300.jpg 195w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-664x1024.jpg 664w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-768x1184.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-997x1536.jpg 997w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-599384-1329x2048.jpg 1329w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />Tammy Sutton-Brown #55 of the Charlotte Sting looking to pass the ball against the New York Liberty</div>
Twelve years, two All-Star selections, a WNBA championship — Sutton-Brown’s 388 games played are the most by a Canadian to date. 
The Markham, Ontario native decided to come to the States first to play under iconic coach C. Vivian Stringer at Rutgers in 1997. As a freshman, she led the Scarlet Knights in field goal percentage and blocks. As a junior, she led them to their first-ever Final Four appearance. It was clear that her efficiency at the rim was going to translate to the league. She was then drafted as the 18th pick to the Charlotte Sting in 2001.
The six-foot-four Sutton-Brown received her first All-Star nod after averaging 11.9 points and 6 rebounds in only her second season with the Sting. She was the first Canadian to be named to an All-Star team. Once the Sting folded in 2006, she was signed as a free agent by the Indiana Fever, earning her second All-Star spot that same year. She became a key member of the Fever alongside Tamika Catchings and Katie Douglas, and was the starting center for the 2012 championship team. Sutton-Brown is fifth in franchise history in total rebounds, and her<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/teams/IND/players.html"> 267 franchise blocks</a> rank behind only Catchings.
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<h2 style="text-align: center">Stacey Dales (Collingwood, ON)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257972" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257972" class="wp-image-257972" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="762" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-scaled.jpg 1680w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-197x300.jpg 197w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-672x1024.jpg 672w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-768x1170.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-1008x1536.jpg 1008w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-730660-1344x2048.jpg 1344w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />Stacey Dales-Schuman #21 of the Washington Mystics looks to pass during the game against the Indiana Fever</div>
The six-foot sharpshooter is the highest Canadian to be drafted to the WNBA at third overall in 2002—just behind Sue Bird and Swin Cash. Dales was coming off a stellar college career. She had two All-American seasons at Oklahoma and was a two-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year. In her senior season, her 17 points per-game led the Sooners to their one and only National Championship game. 
In Dales’ rookie season with the Washington Mystics, she made an immediate impact, starting 28 of 31 games. She was second on the team in scoring (9.8 ppg) and even earned an All-Star spot. She played five seasons in the league and officially retired in 2007 after two seasons with the Chicago Sky. 
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<h2 style="text-align: center">Natalie Achonwa (Guelph, ON)</h2>
<div id="attachment_257973" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257973" class="wp-image-257973" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="750" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-1427576372-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />Natalie Achonwa of Canada shoots during the 2022 FIBA Women&#8217;s Basketball World Cup Group B match between Australia and Canada</div>
Before dominating the paint in the WNBA, Achonwa made history in college and on the world stage. At 16, she became the youngest player ever to play for the Canadian national team in 2009. Then, she was the first international player to suit up for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish; in her tenure there from 2010 to 2014, she made four Final Fours and three title games. 
In 2014, Achonwa was drafted ninth overall by the Indiana Fever and was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team. The six-foot-three power forward played 8 total seasons with both the Fever and Minnesota Lynx.
Achonwa appeared in her fourth Olympic Games for Team Canada in 2024, the most by a Canadian basketball player ever.  
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<h2 style="text-align: center">Kayla Alexander (Milton, ON) </h2>
<div id="attachment_257975" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-257975" class="wp-image-257975" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="753" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-scaled.jpg 1700w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-199x300.jpg 199w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-680x1024.jpg 680w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-768x1156.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-1020x1536.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/GettyImages-450516148-1360x2048.jpg 1360w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />Kayla Alexander #40 of the San Antonio Stars attempts a free throw against the Phoenix Mercury</div>
When the San Antonio Silver Stars drafted Alexander with their 8th pick in 2013, they knew they were getting an athletic big who was a force at the rim on both ends of the court. Alexander hailed from Syracuse University and completed her collegiate career as one of the best ever to don the Orange. When she left, she was the all-time leader in points, blocks, field goals, free throws made, free throws attempted, and games played.
She played five of her eight seasons in San Antonio, with stops in Indiana, Chicago, and Minnesota.  Even after back-to-back knee surgeries in 2018 and 2019, she didn’t give up on her WNBA or Olympic dreams. “I feel like sports are a great setup for life,” she <a href="https://www.syracuse.com/orangewomen/2021/07/perseverance-pays-off-former-syracuse-player-kayla-alexander-to-represent-canada-in-olympics.html?outputType=amp">said</a>. “Life isn’t perfect. Things aren’t always going to go according to your plan, but you have to find the ways to persevere and push through and find the positive in everything, or try to.” She went on to compete for Team Canada at the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Games. 
Jordan Robinson is a freelance journalist, author, host, analyst, and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA and writes columns on <a href="http://wnba.com/">WNBA.com</a> throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.

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Before Toronto, These Canadians Made Their Mark on the WNBA

Press Release

– League’s 30th Annual Draft to be Exclusively Televised on ESPN from 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. ET – 
– State Street Investment Management and SPY Join as League’s Presenting Partner 
for WNBA Draft–   
–Tickets Go on Sale for WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY on Friday, March 27 –
NEW YORK, March 26, 2026 – The WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY will be held on Monday, April 13 at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN with exclusive coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET. The draft on ESPN, along with WNBA Orange Carpet Special (ESPN2, 5:30 pm ET) and WNBA Countdown Presented by Google (ESPN, 6:30 pm ET) will also be available live on the ESPN App.
Top collegiate and international prospects will participate in person as the WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY returns to New York City.
This marks the third consecutive year the draft will be a marquee live event with fans in attendance. Individual tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster on Friday, March 27 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
As determined by the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery held on November 23, 2025, the Dallas Wings will select first, followed by the Minnesota Lynx (second), Seattle Storm (third), Washington Mystics (fourth), and Chicago Sky (fifth).
“We are proud to welcome State Street Investment Management and SPY as the presenting partner of the WNBA Draft as we celebrate the league’s historic 30th season,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. “Every year, the draft is a defining moment for our league and its future stars, and together with State Street Investment Management, we’re excited to create an unforgettable experience as we welcome the next generation of WNBA talent.”
The official tip-off of draft night festivities will begin when invited draft prospects arrive on the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet presented by Coach. Earlier in the day, draft prospects will visit the iconic Empire State Building for a lighting ceremony to celebrate the WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY.
“We are proud to serve as presenting sponsor of the 2026 WNBA Draft,” said John Brockelman, Chief Marketing Officer of State Street Investment Management. &#8220;This event is more than a moment &#8211; it&#8217;s a beginning. And these incredible athletes serve as a powerful reminder of what&#8217;s possible when you believe in, and invest in, your future.&#8221;
On draft night, WNBA social and digital platforms – including the WNBA App and WNBA.com – will provide live updates, an interactive Draft Board, and comprehensive coverage of all draft-related events.
For more information on the WNBA and on the WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY, visit WNBA.com and the WNBA App.
The WNBA’s historic 30th season will tip off on Friday, May 8 with the Connecticut Sun visiting the New York Liberty, the Washington Mystics visiting the Toronto Tempo as the first ever Canadian WNBA team, and the Seattle Storm hosting the Golden State Valkyries.
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Tipping off its historic 30th season in 2026, the WNBA continues to be one of the fastest-growing brands in sports, fueled by record-breaking momentum and unprecedented growth. Having reached a tentative agreement on a new transformational Collective Bargaining Agreement in March 2026, the league enters a bold new chapter focused on elevating the player experience, drawing increased investment, and growing women’s basketball globally. The WNBA’s dedication to societal impact is supported by the WNBA Changemakers Collective (Ally, AT&amp;T, CarMax, Deloitte, Google, and Nike), a first-of-its-kind group of purpose-driven companies working to empower players and the league, increase visibility, and drive business transformation.
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WNBA Draft 2026 Presented By State Street Investment Management SPY To Be Held on April 13

Analysis

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: March. Where superstars are made. Where shots become historic. Where teams hoist trophies. As we gear up for a month-long women’s basketball frenzy with today’s stars like UConn’s Azzi Fudd, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, and UCLA’s Lauren Betts, let’s flash back to some WNBA greats who made their mark during the Big Dance in the 1990s before they were pros. 
These players deserve their due for how they captivated audiences en route to winning a national championship. As a nod to the viral social media trend, “What were you like in the ‘90s?” let’s go down memory lane while “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls serenades in the background. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Jennifer Azzi, Stanford (1986–1990)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257751" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg" alt="" width="538" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg 688w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-202x300.jpg 202w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-768x1143.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1032x1536.jpg 1032w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1376x2048.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-scaled.jpg 1720w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 538px) 100vw, 538px" />
Before Azzi was an Olympic gold medalist with the 1996 Dreamers and a member of the WNBA Top 20@20, the point guard led Stanford to its first women’s basketball National Championship in 1990. They defeated Auburn, and her future Olympic teammate and WNBA foe Ruthie Bolton, in a thrilling 88-81 victory. Stanford trailed in the first half, but rallied back thanks to Azzi’s 17 points.  
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer knew her Cardinals were going to win it all that 1990 season. She hung a sign on the locker room door: “1990 National champions. Get comfortable with it.” 
“Not winning never entered our minds,” Azzi <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/annkillion/article/In-Tara-they-trusted-Stanford-s-1990-16053720.php">said</a>.
That year, Azzi racked up the awards. She was named the Wade Trophy winner, Naismith Player of the Year, and the tournament’s most outstanding player. Azzi was drafted fifth overall in the 1999 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock, who reached the playoffs in her first season. She then played three seasons with the San Antonio Silver Stars, leading the league in the 3-point percentage in both 1999 and 2001.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Sheryl Swoopes, Texas Tech (1991–1993)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257752" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" />
Swoopes was on a mission in 1993. Her Texas Tech Lady Raiders entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West Regional and demolished everyone in their path to reach the National Championship game. They’d face No. 1 overall seed Ohio State, and future WNBA legend Katie Smith, for the title. 
Swoopes scored a Final Four record of 47 points (16-24 from the field and 11-11 from the free-throw line) in the upset, being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Her 144 total tournament points (35.4 ppg) in a five-game stretch still holds 30 years later. It was her 17th 30-plus game. 
“There are no words to describe what a great player she is,” head coach Marsha Sharp <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-05-sp-19403-story.html">said of Swoopes then</a>. “I’ve never seen a player who can dominate a game like she can. She’s the greatest player of her time, and she does everything with so much class. She has a certain charisma—it’s why all our people love her so much.”
It was not only women’s basketball’s first title, but it was also the first National Championship in any sport at Texas Tech. 
The Texas native would go on to win the first four championships in WNBA history with the Houston Comets, and would finish her Hall-of-Fame career as a three-time MVP, six-time All-Star, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Charlotte Smith, North Carolina (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257753" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg 1712w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-201x300.jpg 201w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-685x1024.jpg 685w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-768x1149.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1027x1536.jpg 1027w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1369x2048.jpg 1369w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px" />
Trailing by two points with 0.7 seconds left, North Carolina’s coach Sylvia Hatchell burned back-to-back timeouts. The first huddle’s play was drawn for a 6-foot-5 center, Sylvia Crawley, to catch a lob and finish at the rim. But Louisiana Tech quickly caught on and clogged the paint. The next whistle, a new one was drawn up: a baseline out-of-bounds play that would go for the win. Junior forward Charlotte Smith started on the ball-side block in a box set. On the whistle, she screened diagonally. Tech’s miscommunication left Smith wide open for a weak-side 3. The hometown kid sinks it. UNC’s lone title is stamped as one of the most thrilling title finishes ever.
“When I look back at that moment, the magnitude of it is still pretty shocking because it created waves all over the world,” Smith <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2022-02-16/1994-womens-ncaa-tournament-north-carolinas-charlotte-smith-remembers-buzzer">reminisces</a>. “It put not only women’s basketball on the map and UNC women’s basketball on the map, but Charlotte Smith became a household name.”
Smith was selected 33rd overall in the 1999 draft by the Charlotte Sting, then also played for the Washington Mystics and the Indiana Fever. She’d play eight seasons in the WNBA before getting into coaching; after serving as a long-time assistant coach at UNC, she took over at Elon University and led them to their first NCAA tournament bid in history. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Rebecca Lobo, Connecticut (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257754" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-280422-e1774456985332.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="800" />
UConn’s first unblemished season came in 1995 with six-foot-four Lobo in the center, and it would go down as one of the most dominant seasons ever. They went a perfect 35-0, and won every regular-season game by double digits. They set the record for the highest average scoring margin at 33.2. (<a href="https://justwomenssports.com/reads/uconn-womens-basketball-undefeated-regular-season-31-0-2026/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20Huskies%20went%20on,third%2Dhighest%20in%20DI%20history.">This season’s UConn team</a> is winning by a whopping 37.8 ppg. Sheesh.) 
Lobo was crowned the Naismith Player of the Year, the Wade Trophy, and AP Player of the Year for averaging a near double-double (17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds). Soon after the confetti and the national championship celebrations concluded, Lobo was headed to join Team USA — she skipped her college graduation to attend tryouts — and won gold with the 1996 Olympic squad. 
She was one of the founding players of the WNBA with the New York Liberty, was an All-Star in 1999, and is a part of the Naismith Hall of Fame. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257755" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-395005-scaled-e1774457155924.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" />
Before Holdsclaw was the No. 1 WNBA draft pick in 1999 and had a historic career for the Washington Mystics, she was wreaking havoc for Pat Summitt’s Tennessee Lady Vols. She’s the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She won three national championships (1996, 1997, and 1998), was the back-to-back MOP in 1997 and 1998, and was the back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. 
She was also one part of the “Three Meeks”: Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, and Holdsclaw. Mik, Meek, and Mique. Not only did they share the same middle syllable, but they shared the same winning desire at Tennessee. “We wanted to go out there and dominate and embarrass people,” Holdsclaw would say decades later. During the 1998 season, they did. A perfect 39-0 with a fairytale national championship ending. They each knew their role: Randall was the floor general, orchestrating Summitt’s offense to a T. Catchings was the defensive wizard, picking pockets and taking names. Holdsclaw was a precisionist, slicing through the defense like she was a contestant on Iron Chef. Together, they molded into a three-headed Meekmonster, virtually impossible to contain. 
Holdsclaw was a six-time WNBA All-Star, getting her first start as a rookie, and won Olympic gold in 2000. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Stephanie White, Purdue (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257757" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-401663-scaled-e1774457260866.jpg" alt="" width="536" height="800" />
When the game clock struck zero on March 28, 1999, in San Jose, CA, Purdue’s All-American Stephanie White and her head coach Carolyn Peck were national champions. The top-ranked Boilermakers handily beat Duke, 62-45, despite White going down with a severe ankle injury with only four minutes to go in the contest. It was Peck’s last game before heading to the WNBA to be the coach and GM of the Orlando Miracle. The 17,753 fans in the San Jose Arena went wild, and chanted “One more year!” as she cut down the net.
They wish they could’ve said the same for White, who in her senior year nabbed the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, Wade Trophy, and the Honda Sports Award while averaging 20.2 points per game. She’s still the Boilermakers’ third all-time leading scorer. 
White was drafted by the Charlotte Sting in 1999, then played the rest of her six-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. But White took to coaching early on, even while she was still playing pro. In the WNBA, she’s made stops in Chicago and Connecticut, where she won Coach of the Year in 2023, before returning to the Fever as head coach in 2025. 
Jordan Robinson is a freelance journalist, author, host, analyst, and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA.

a-look-back-at-tournament-greats

March Icons: A Look Back at Tournament Greats

Season Preview

The stage is set for the league’s 30th season! 
Following a historic 2025 season highlighted by the Golden State Valkyries’ debut, A’ja Wilson’s KIA MVP run and the Las Vegas Aces’ third WNBA title in four years, Season 30 is set to tip off on Friday, May 8, 2026.  
With the 2026 WNBA Draft (tune in to ESPN on April 13 at 7:30 pm ET!) and the debut of two additional expansion teams on the horizon, the momentum is high. Check out some of the early storylines and key dates to look out for in the action-packed 2026 WNBA Schedule.  
<hr />
<h2>Season 30 Tips Off  </h2>
The WNBA enters its landmark 30th season with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax on Friday, May 8, with a three-game slate. The action continues through the weekend with an additional three games on Saturday, May 9 and five games on Sunday, May 10, to kick off the 44-game regular season. 
Full weekend schedule: 
Friday, May 8 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">10 pm ET: Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm </li>
</ul>
Saturday, May 9 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 pm ET: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3:30 pm ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">9 pm ET: Chicago Sky vs. Portland Fire </li>
</ul>
Sunday, May 10 (5 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 PM ET: Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3 PM ET: New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">8:30 PM ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Golden State Valkyries </li>
</ul>
Season 30 is also highlighted with a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.
<hr />
<h2>The Home Debuts: Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo </h2>
The league is expanding to a 15-team field with the highly anticipated debut of the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Each team will make their home debut during the weekend of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax. 
Toronto: Friday, May 8 at 7:30 pm ET vs. Washington Mystics 
Portland: Saturday, May 9 at 9 pm ET vs. Chicago Sky 
<hr />
<h2>Aces Begin Back-to-Back Campaign, Revenge for the Mercury </h2>
The 2025 WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces will begin their campaign for another back-to-back title (previously taking home the chip in 2022 and 2023) with their first home game on Saturday, May 9, hosting a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury. The teams will face-off four times this season: 
Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Wednesday, June 17 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, July 11 at 4 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, September 24 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Battle of the No. 1 Picks </h2>
2023 and 2024 No. 1 overall picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark are the Indiana Fever’s dynamic duo. Soon, the newest top selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft will join the Dallas Wings and team up with the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers. The rookie duos will match up three times, with the first game coming Saturday, May 9. 
Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm ET (@ Indiana) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, August 20 at 8 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Presented by Coinbase</h2>
The sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase in-season tournament will take place Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 17. The Dallas Wings will kick off the two-game slate on opening night hosting the inaugural cup champions, the Seattle Storm. Following cup play, the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will go head-to-head in the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Who will be crowned the next Cup champion? 
<hr />
<h2 data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 takes Chicago<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> </h2>
The W is heading back to the Windy City! AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 will take place Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, hosted by the Chicago Sky.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> 
<hr />
<h2>Additional Key Dates: </h2>
Monday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 16: FIBA break 
Thursday, September 24: Last day of regular season 
Stay tuned for more updates around WNBA Rivals Week presented by Ally, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel and WNBA Finals dates!

2026-regular-season-key-dates

2026 WNBA Schedule Release: Key Dates and What to Know 

– Toronto Tempo Makes Franchise Debut May 8; Portland Fire Opens Season in Return to WNBA May 9 – 
– May 9 Includes Defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces’ Finals Rematch vs. Phoenix Mercury, and Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever Hosting Paige Bueckers and Dallas Wings – 
– Los Angeles Sparks Host New York Liberty on June 21 in Rematch of WNBA’s Inaugural Game, 
on Anniversary of Original Matchup –
 
NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 – The WNBA today released its <a href="http://www.wnba.com/schedule">game schedule</a> for the 2026 regular season, the league’s 30th, which will begin on Friday, May 8.  The regular season will conclude on Thursday, Sept. 24, followed by the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.
The milestone season will feature two new teams – the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo – and 44 games per team, with each team playing 22 home games and 22 road games. Highlights include a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.  In addition, the sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase will feature a 17-day period in June when the schedule will consist entirely of Cup games.
The WNBA will unveil its complete television and streaming schedule at a later date. That schedule is expected to include over 200 of 330 games being available through the league’s national broadcast and streaming partners.
“As we prepare to tip off the WNBA’s historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “From welcoming two new organizations in Toronto and Portland, to honoring our history with marquee matchups that connect the league’s first game to today’s stars, the 2026 season will celebrate the WNBA’s past, present, and future. With a record number of games, growing global reach, and unprecedented momentum, this milestone season will help define the next chapter of the WNBA.”
All 15 teams will be in action during opening weekend as part of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax will begin with three games on Friday, May 8, including the Tempo’s debut when it hosts the Washington Mystics at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto (7:30 p.m. ET). In other opening night games, the New York Liberty will host the Connecticut Sun (7:30 p.m. ET), and the Golden State Valkyries, who last season became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, will visit the Seattle Storm (10:00 p.m. ET).
The action will continue on Saturday, May 9 with a matchup of the two most recent Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year winners, as Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, who own the top pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, visit Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, champions of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase (1:00 p.m. ET). Later, the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will host the Phoenix Mercury in a rematch of last season’s WNBA Finals (3:30 p.m. ET). The nightcap marks the Fire’s regular-season return to the league, as Portland hosts the Chicago Sky at Moda Center (9:00 p.m. ET).
The opening weekend concludes on Sunday, May 10 with five games, highlighted by the Minnesota Lynx hosting the Atlanta Dream in a matchup of last season’s No. 1 and No. 3 playoff seeds, respectively (7:00 p.m. ET).
Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase
The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase will feature a 49-game schedule from June 1-17. Each team will play one game against every other team in its conference – a total of six games for each of the seven Eastern Conference teams and seven games for each of the eight Western Conference teams. All Cup games except the Championship will count toward regular-season win-loss records.
Eastern Conference teams will play three games each at home and on the road. Western Conference teams will play either four games at home and three on the road, or three at home and four on the road.
The title game will be played on Tuesday, June 30, featuring the Eastern and Western Conference teams with the best record in Commissioner’s Cup play and will be hosted by the conference winner that has the best winning percentage in all regular season games played from opening day through June 17, the final day of Commissioner’s Cup games.
AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026
The 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, the 22nd All-Star Game in league history, will be played on Saturday, July 25 at United Center in Chicago. Additional All-Star activities will also include the 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge on Friday, July 24 at Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky. WNBA Live, the league’s interactive fan festival, will take place at McCormick Place.
FIBA World Cup Break
The WNBA regular season will include a roughly two-week break when numerous WNBA players are expected to represent their respective nations in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 from Sept. 4-13 in Germany.
Race for the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel
With playoff berths and seedings potentially on the line, the regular season will resume after the World Cup break on Thursday, Sept. 17 and conclude with five games on Thursday, Sept. 24.
The WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel will then tip off on Sunday, Sept. 27. The bracket-style postseason will have three rounds, beginning with a best-of-three First Round featuring the top eight teams regardless of conference. First Round winners will advance to the best-of-five Semifinals, which will be followed by the best-of-seven Finals.
Additional Schedule Highlights
<ul>
<li>Two teams that closed the 2025 regular season on significant winning streaks – Las Vegas and Atlanta – will look to continue their streaks at the start of 2026.</li>
<li>The Aces need three wins to open the season to surpass the 2001 Sparks’ WNBA record of 18 straight regular season wins. The Aces will look to build on their 16-game winning streak when they open their season by hosting Phoenix (Saturday, May 9) and then visiting Los Angeles (Sunday, May 10) and Connecticut (Wednesday, May 13).</li>
<li>The Dream, whose six straight wins are two shy of the franchise record, will tip off at Minnesota (Saturday, May 10), visit Dallas (Tuesday, May 12), and host Las Vegas (Sunday, May 17) in its first three games.</li>
<li>In addition to opening the season against one another on Saturday, May 9, the Aces and Mercury will meet three more times: Wednesday, June 17 in Phoenix, Saturday, July 11 in Las Vegas, and Thursday, Sept. 24 in Phoenix on the final day of the regular season.</li>
<li>Indiana and Minnesota, the opponents in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game last season, will clash three times. The Fever and Lynx will first meet on Sunday, Aug. 2 in Minneapolis before closing the regular season with consecutive matchups on Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Indiana and Thursday, Sept. 24 in Minnesota.</li>
<li>Indiana and Las Vegas, whose 2025 WNBA Semifinals series went to a decisive Game 5, will meet three times. The Fever will visit the Aces on Sunday, July 5 and Sunday, July 12, and host them on Thursday, Aug. 6.</li>
<li>New York, which met Las Vegas in the 2023 WNBA Finals and Minnesota in the 2024 Finals, will face those two teams a total of six times. The Liberty will host the Lynx on Friday, July 3 and the Aces on Sunday, Aug. 9. New York will visit Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 23 and Thursday, July 30, and will be in Minnesota on Saturday, July 11 and Friday, Sept. 18.</li>
<li>Six teams will host a total of 19 games at special venues that accommodate larger crowds than their normal home arenas.</li>
<li>The Tempo, which will play a majority of its home games at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, will host three games at the nearby Scotiabank Arena and two games each at the Bell Centre in Montreal and Rogers Arena in Vancouver.</li>
<li>The Aces will host three contests at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, including games against Phoenix (May 9), Chicago (July 3) and Indiana (July 5).</li>
<li>The Mystics will play their regular-season finale against the Sky at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Thursday, Sept. 24).</li>
<li>The Sky will face Las Vegas (Sunday, June 28) and Indiana (Saturday, Aug. 8) at United Center.</li>
<li>The Sun will take on Los Angeles (Saturday, May 30) and Dallas (Thursday, July 2) at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn., and the Sparks at TD Garden in Boston (Tuesday, Aug. 18).</li>
<li>The Wings will host Chicago (Sunday, July 12), Golden State (Friday, Aug. 7), and Indiana at American Airlines Arena in Dallas (Thursday, Aug. 20).</li>
<li>During the regular season, each team will play three games against every cross-conference opponent and either three or four games, including Commissioner’s Cup play, against in-conference opponents. The Eastern Conference comprises Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Indiana, New York, Toronto and Washington. The Western Conference is composed of Dallas, Golden State, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Phoenix, Portland and Seattle.</li>
</ul>
Below is the game schedule for WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
2026 SCHEDULE: WNBA SEASON TIP-OFF PRESENTED BY CARMAX
 
<table style="width: 98.8929%" width="609">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">DAY</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">DATE</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">AWAY</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">HOME</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">LOCAL TIME</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">EASTERN TIME</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">12:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">3:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">9:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Atlanta</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">5:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Atlanta</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Thu.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/14/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Thu.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/14/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
 
 
# # #

2026-schedule-release

WNBA Slated To Tip Off 30th Season Friday, May 8 with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 Presented by CarMax

Draft 2026

– Minnesota Lynx Receive Second Pick, Seattle Storm to Select Third, 
Washington Mystics will Choose Fourth, and Chicago Sky Rounds out Top Five Picks –
NEW YORK, Nov. 23, 2025 – The Dallas Wings today won the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery and will have the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft to be held on Monday, April 13, 2026.
The results of the 25th annual Lottery were revealed by WNBA Head of League Operations Bethany Donaphin during the 30-minute, WNBA Draft Lottery Special on ESPN. following its presentation of the TCU vs. North Carolina State women’s basketball game. This marks the 14th consecutive year that ESPN networks has presented the WNBA Draft Lottery.
Dallas, which entered the Lottery with the most chances to win the top pick (420 out of 1,000), won the WNBA Draft Lottery for the second consecutive year. In November 2024, the Wings won the top pick for the first time in team history after participating in the Lottery 11 previous times. The franchise used that No. 1 overall pick to select Paige Bueckers, who went on to be voted as a starter in the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game and as the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year.
This also marks the fifth time in the history of the WNBA Draft Lottery that the results matched the order of chances held by the Lottery teams. The prior instances were ahead of the 2009, 2015, 2016, and 2018 WNBA drafts.
The Minnesota Lynx, which had the second-most chances to win the top pick (261), will have the second selection. The Seattle Storm will select third after having the third-most chances to land the top pick (167).
The fourth selection belongs to the Washington Mystics, which had 97 chances to receive the first pick. The Chicago Sky, which had the fifth-most chances to garner the top pick (55), rounds out the top five.
Lottery odds were based on the two-year (2024 and 2025) cumulative records of the five teams that did not make the playoffs in the most recent season. With a cumulative record of 19-65, the Wings had the most assigned combinations (420 out of 1,000) and were guaranteed at least the third pick.
The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third rounds will be announced at a later date.
A representative from the accounting firm of Ernst &amp; Young was in attendance to oversee the Lottery process.
The following are results of the 2026 WNBA Draft Lottery.
<table style="width: 85.6147%" width="633">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">Pick</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Team</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">Combined 2024-2025 Record</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">Chances (out of 1,000)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">1</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Dallas Wings</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">19-65</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">420</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">2</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Minnesota Lynx from Chicago Sky</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">23-61*</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">261</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">3</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Seattle Storm from Los Angeles Sparks</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">29-55^</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">167</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">4</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Washington Mystics</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">30-54</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 14.0355%" width="56">5</td>
<td style="width: 36.4392%" width="272">Chicago Sky from Connecticut Sun</td>
<td style="width: 25.7911%" width="165">39-45+</td>
<td style="width: 39.268%" width="140">55</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Chicago and Minnesota extinguished Minnesota’s right to swap its own first round pick for Chicago’s own first round pick and Chicago has traded its own first round pick to Minnesota (Sika Koné, Nikolina Milić, 4/14/24), (Draft picks, 4/13/25)
^ Los Angeles had traded its own first round pick to Seattle (Kia Nurse, 1/31/24)
+ Phoenix had traded its own first round pick to Chicago (Kahleah Copper, Morgan Bertsch, Michaela Onyenwere, Brianna Turner, 2/6/24) and Chicago had swapped Phoenix’s first round pick for Connecticut’s own first round pick (Marina Mabrey, Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, 7/17/24)
# # #

wnba-draft-lottery-2026-results

Dallas Wings Win Top Pick in 2026 WNBA Draft

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Washington Mystics 2024

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Pick	Name	Position	College/Country
6	Aaliyah Edwards	Forward	UConn / Canada
21	Kaylynne Truong	Guard	Gonzaga / USA
30	Nastja Claessens	Forward	Royal Castors Braine (Belgium) / Belgium

2024 Draft Team Profile

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