Preseason 2026

The WNBA preseason is an excellent time for all 15 teams to figure out what’s working for their rosters, and what’s not. With significant turnover in free agency and a whirlwind draft season, all teams are experiencing some growing pains. Preseason ball helps iron out those pains. 
With each team having already played one game in preseason so far, we’re going to take a look at some key moments that stood out from each team’s debut. 
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<h2>Atlanta Dream</h2>
<div id="attachment_259715" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259715" class="wp-image-259715" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream</div>
The concept of positionless basketball was taken to an extreme in Atlanta’s first preseason game. Head coach Karl Smesko told reporters after the game that he hadn’t called any plays throughout the contest, specifically to see how well newly acquired forward Angel Reese would fare on the floor with her new teammates. 
The results? Pretty great, all things considered. Reese finished up with eight points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists in her first game against her former team. 
The Dream have one of the most versatile rosters in the league, with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Grey always a threat on all three levels, and now with Reese in the fold as a defensive threat in the paint. We got a nice glimpse into how she’ll fit into the mix in Smesko’s three-point-heavy offense, and it’s clear that Reese and Smesko have some room to grow in their partnership headed into the regular season. 
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<h2>Chicago Sky</h2>
The Sky had some major turnover this offseason, trading Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream and adding veteran leadership in free agency. Skylar Diggins, Dijonai Carrington, and Azurá Stevens highlight that group. 
 
However, it was the Sky’s top pick from the 2024 draft, Kamilla Cardoso, who really shined in Chicago’s first game. 
It was clear from tip-off that Chicago’s intention on offense this preseason, and potentially for their regular season, is to get Cardoso involved in plenty of actions alongside Skylar Diggins, Rickea Jackson, and basically any other ball handler equipped to feed Cardoso in the post. 
She’s become the nucleus for the Sky’s offense with Reese now gone, and Chicago’s offense looked a lot more open than in 2025 with Diggins and Cardoso working in the pick and roll together. With improved shooting around Cardoso, Chicago already looks like a sleeping giant ahead of the 2026 regular season. 
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<h2>Connecticut Sun</h2>
Connecticut had a quietly great offseason, acquiring Brittney Griner in free agency in addition to trading for Diamond Miller, who has bounced around the league since getting drafted second overall in 2023. Miller, specifically, looked very solid in her limited time on the court. Her eight points and three assists came thanks to her rim running, which could work very well alongside new acquisition Kennedy Burke &#8211; kick-outs to Burke for three pointers could become a staple in this offense. 
Speaking of, Burke was another standout from the Sun’s preseason debut. The former New York Liberty sharpshooter and 2026 EuroCup Finals MVP had 13 points on 60 percent shooting from three-point range and 62.5 percent shooting from the field overall. Connecticut has a plethora of players who can make you pay in the paint &#8211; Griner, Miller, Saniya Rivers, and Aneesah Morrow, to name a few. So, it was huge for them to add a legitimate three-point shooting threat like Burke to their roster. So far, that signing looks great. 
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<h2>Dallas Wings</h2>
The Wings’ first preseason game came against the Fever, so it was an impromptu battle between No. 1 overall picks Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell. The victor was anyone watching the battle between Clark and Bueckers throughout the game. 
Bueckers, especially, brought life to the Wings throughout the entire game. She finished up with 20 points on 8-12 shooting, as well as three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Bueckers is looking ready for a huge sophomore leap. 
And, for all the hype around the Wings’ acquisitions this offseason, two members of their 2025 roster were players that stood out around Bueckers &#8211; Maddy Siegrist and Aziaha James. Both were confident with their shot-taking and were helpful in pushing the pace for Dallas and Bueckers. They’re suddenly looking like a huge part of the young core growing around Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. 
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<h2>Golden State Valkyries</h2>
Golden State seems ready to build off an impressive 2025 campaign, all thanks to a ridiculous preseason debut from Veronica Burton. The 2025 Most Improved Player looks ready to leap right into All-WNBA conversations this season, especially if she can maintain her level of play from this first contest. Finishing up with 14 points on 4-7 three-point shooting, Burton looked like the leader for this Valkyries starting lineup. 
The rest of the squad also looked on point defensively, another piece of their 2025 success they’re surely looking to carry over into this year. Seattle shot just 39.1 percent from the field in this game, much thanks to the off-ball activity of Golden State’s defense. 
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<h2>Indiana Fever</h2>
<div id="attachment_259716" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259716" class="wp-image-259716" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Raven Johnson #3 of the Indiana Fever</div>
The Fever are entering 2026 after dealing with a ridiculous amount of injuries to their starting lineup last year. Now fully healthy, it seems like Indiana is looking to capitalize on their biggest strength: a point guard who can push the ball in transition effectively. Caitlin Clark was looking to distribute a bit more in their opening contest against the New York Liberty, which helped players like Sophie Cunningham and Makayla Timpson get comfortable on offense. 
Defensively, though, one player stood out: rookie Raven Johnson. She was fighting over screens, acting as a rim protector on Liberty cuts, and overall being a pest in the halfcourt. That’s the kind of defensive impact that Indiana was missing last year, and it’s something that’ll greatly impact their bench, assuming she sticks on the roster. She finished up her debut with six points, eight assists, three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. 
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<h2>Las Vegas Aces</h2>
Would this be a proper first game evaluation for the Las Vegas Aces without mentioning the play of Chennedy Carter? Probably not. 
Carter was sensational in her Aces debut, scoring 18 points in 19 minutes. She also had five rebounds, two assists, and a block. Her effectiveness in transition could be huge for an Aces bench that took half a season to gel in 2025. Las Vegas was one of the very few contenders to retool effectively in free agency, and Carter’s a huge piece of that retooling. Having her as a backup point guard is quite the luxury. 
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<h2>Los Angeles Sparks 
</h2>
After a 2025 season that left much to be desired defensively, the Sparks are coming into 2026 with a healthy Cameron Brink. That’s already a huge plus for their rim protection, as seen by her two blocks in 18 minutes on the floor. Another key contributor to their defense was Ariel Atkins, who was just acquired by Los Angeles in a player-for-player swap involving Rickea Jackson. 
 
Atkins had three steals and six defensive rebounds for the Sparks in her debut, immediately bringing the sort of pressure Los Angeles had been missing defensively all of 2025. Between that and her solid shooting, the Sparks might’ve found the perfect solution to their porous defense in Atkins. 
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<h2>Minnesota Lynx</h2>
We got a taste of the Lynx’s potential starting backcourt in Courtney Williams and Olivia Miles in their first preseason game. Miles’ speed and finishing were immediately on display in the 1st quarter of the Lynx’s win over the Mystics, and her work with the Lynx’s bigs gave viewers a small preview of how she and Napheesa Collier will work on the floor together. 
Another new acquisition for the Lynx, Nia Coffey, also looked great in limited action. The forward had five points, three blocks, and four rebounds in nearly 13 minutes played. With the departures of Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton in the offseason, Minnesota needs some help from a depleted forward room &#8211; and Coffey seems more than ready to provide that help and fill that gap. 
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<h2>New York Liberty</h2>
New York is one of those veteran-heavy teams that you just assume will figure things out by the time the regular season rolls around. Their opening lineup of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Sabrina Ionescu, and Rebekah Gardner didn’t look very sharp in the first quarter, but settled in once they found some scoring behind Stewart and Jones. The team was without Satou Sabally in this first preseason contest, so it’s hard to say how they’ll look once their season tips off on May 8. 
However, their bench feels a little more set than their starting lineup, and two players that stood out for their impact on the floor in this game were Anneli Maley and Han Xu. Xu was not afraid to shoot, providing some decent backup minutes to Jones (although her work defensively doesn’t compare to Jones’ impact). As for Maley, she was just all over the place. Rebounding and distributing were her biggest positives in this game, as she finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 29 minutes. 
Deep teams go far in the postseason, so if the Liberty found key bench members in Xu and Maley, that’s already a great sign ahead of a highly anticipated season. 
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<h2>Phoenix Mercury</h2>
In Phoenix’s first preseason game, one thing stood out: Kahleah Copper’s green light. 
Copper had 16 points in seven minutes in the first half, and she was far and away the Mercury’s biggest threat on all three levels. With Satou Sabally having left for the New York Liberty in free agency, Phoenix is back to relying a ton on Copper’s midrange and three-point shooting to generate offense in a pinch. She showed in this first preseason bout that she is more than capable of maintaining her hot shooting from last postseason. 
In addition to Copper, Natasha Mack and Alyssa Thomas both looked ready to go for Phoenix. All three were getting to the basket without hesitation, while Thomas looked comfortable in her rightful spot as floor general for the Mercury. She finished up with a team-high eight assists. Phoenix’s chemistry will be one of their strongest qualities in 2026, with those three players from their 2025 Finals squad serving as hubs for the team.  
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<h2>Portland Fire</h2>
The Fire got some incredible contributions from their international players, with Luisa Geiselsöder, Carla Leite, and Nyadiew Puoch all impressing in their minutes for Portland. Geiselsöder was especially electric, hitting 50 percent of her three-point attempts and shooting 60 percent from the field overall. 
Puoch and Leite took a bit longer to get going, but both finished up with stuffed stat sheets. Puoch’s defense was on immediate display in the Fire’s preseason debut, adding three rebounds, two steals, and a block. Leite, who endeared herself to Golden State Valkyries fans last season thanks to her relentless style of play, finished up with 12 points, five assists, and two rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the field. 
These players’ efforts, in addition to the solid team defense from the entire Fire squad, have definitely helped to show that the Fire aren’t going to be an easy out in any game this season. 
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<h2>Seattle Storm</h2>
<div id="attachment_259717" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259717" class="wp-image-259717" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Flau&#8217;jae Johnson #4 of the Seattle Storm</div>
The Storm boast a frontcourt that should terrify the entire WNBA. Dominique Malonga, Ezi Magbegor, and now Awa Fam Thiam will all be a part of Seattle’s rebuild, and what incredible players to have leading that effort. 
However, it wasn’t Seattle’s frontcourt that stood out in their preseason debut &#8211; it was their guard room. Rookie Flau’jae Johnson, probably the surprise of no one who’s followed her career at LSU, didn’t look scared of the moment in her own debut. She had 20 points in 19 minutes on 5-12 shooting from the field, coupled with three rebounds and an assist. Lexie Brown contributed significant minutes for the Storm, with her three steals and six rebounds providing strong defensive pressure for Seattle. Zia Cooke, following an excellent season with Athletes Unlimited’s basketball league, contributed 19 points in 18 minutes. 
The Storm might be in a rebuild on paper, but their current roster &#8211; stacked with veteran guard talent and ascending stars &#8211; seems to say otherwise. 
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<h2>Toronto Tempo</h2>
The Tempo’s home debut did not disappoint. Their first preseason game came with a loss, but there were plenty of highlight-worthy moments to build off of from that contest. Lexi Held, who was taken by the Tempo during the expansion draft, had the biggest performance of the night &#8211; 21 points on 62.5 percent shooting from three-point range, in addition to two steals, two assists, and a block. She clearly hasn’t missed a step since her breakout season with the Phoenix Mercury in 2025. 
Sharpshooting across the board doesn’t seem like it’ll be an issue for Toronto this season. Held, Aaliyah Nye, Kiki Rice, and soon, Marina Mabrey, will all be threats from long range for head coach Sandy Brondello’s offense. That should go a long way towards getting bigs like Temi Fagbenle and Nyara Sabally comfortable with the team. 
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<h2>Washington Mystics</h2>
The Mystics turned heads in this year’s draft, taking an exorbitant amount of bigs rather than focusing on a position of need, guard. After trading Jacy Sheldon to the Chicago Sky this offseason, it felt like a no-brainer that they’d focus on a fairly good guard class in this draft. Instead, they took three standout bigs in the first round: Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, and Cotie McMahon.
There might’ve been some concern about how these pieces would fit into the Mystics’ roster prior to their first preseason game, but after, it’s very clear that they hit on all three selections. Betts was a defensive force in the paint, picking up a block, steal, and three defensive rebounds in 23 minutes on the floor. McMahon was the exact tweener guard-forward that Washington’s been missing from their depth chart, providing rim pressure in transition and picking up two steals. 
The Mystics are still missing some pop from three-point range, but they likely hope to get that from McMahon and Dugalić once they settle into their roles in the WNBA.

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Game Highlights: Chicago Sky vs. Phoenix Mercury (4/25/26)

The WNBA’s 30th season officially kicks off on May 8 with three games tipping off to commemorate the occasion. Gelling with new teammates, showcasing draft picks, and figuring out a regular-season rotation are all possible during this time, which is what makes the WNBA’s upcoming slate of preseason contests all the more intriguing. 
WNBA ID members will receive a complimentary preseason preview of WNBA League Pass from April 25 through May 3. During this period, fans can stream all preseason games directly within the app with no subscription or credit card required.
Not a WNBA ID holder yet? You can join for free <a href="https://www.wnba.com/id?cid=wnba:id:digital:site:article:other:pre:26-058&amp;utm_medium=digital&amp;utm_campaign=id:pre&amp;utm_source=site:article:other&amp;utm_content=wnba:id:digital:site:article:other:pre:26-058">HERE</a> using your email address. If you’ve used NBA ID or had a WNBA account before, just log in with your existing info to activate your WNBA ID. If you have both, use your NBA ID password.
Let’s get into why you should catch each and every preseason contest coming up between April 25 and May 3, and how each game will prepare even the most novice fan for a huge WNBA season. 
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<h2>April 25</h2>
Nigeria @ Los Angeles Sparks
Nigeria will travel to Los Angeles to face the new-look Sparks to kick off the preseason. Ezinne Kalu had a spectacular showing at the Summer Olympics, most <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/womens-olympic-basketball-tournament-paris-2024/news/ferocious-defense-a-difference-maker-for-kalu-and-nigeria">notably with</a> a huge victory over the Australian national team in group play. Head coach Rena Wakama just finished up serving as the first head coach of the newly minted Unrivaled team Hive BC, and also serves as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky. 
 
Los Angeles will likely be testing out a roster that saw some major shakeups this offseason. The team traded 2024 4th overall pick Rickea Jackson to the Chicago Sky in exchange for veteran Ariel Atkins, as well as re-signing Nneka Ogwumike, a former championship-winning ry with the Sparks. 
Los Angeles also just drafted Ta’Niya Latson and Amelia Hassett, adding some rookie depth to their bench and ahead of their preseason. Defensively, they will be tested by D’Tigress. On offense, Los Angeles will be seeking to establish a much better offensive output than what they had in 2025 &#8211; a season in which they only averaged 33.7 percent from three-point range. 
&nbsp;
Chicago Sky @ Phoenix Mercury
The Sky just endured one of the biggest overhauls during an offseason that also didn’t quite signal a rebuild, but rather a reimagining. 
 
After trading Angel Reese, the Sky added a ton of firepower to the roster. Skylar Diggins and Dijonai Carrington are veterans the Sky added in free agency this offseason, while also re-signing veteran center Elizabeth Williams and 2021 champion Azurá Stevens. 
The team also landed young talent on the trade market in Jackson and guard Jacy Sheldon. And, in the draft, they took NCAA Tournament standout Gabriela Jacquez, adding to their fun guard room. 
The Mercury lost Satou Sabally on the free agent market, but they’ve got a core locked in long-term between Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, Monique Akoa-Makani, Natasha Mack, and Sami Whitcomb. They are closer to contenders than Chicago, but can still be tested with Carrington’s physicality and having to contain the offense that Jackson and Sheldon can generate with a point guard like Diggins on the floor.
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Indiana Fever @ New York Liberty 
New York reloaded this offseason, signing Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart to new deals, while also bringing on Sabally. They’re looking like the largest threat to a Las Vegas Aces repeat, although anything can happen come playoff time. They’ll likely be using the preseason to figure out, schematically, how all of their All-Star pieces fit together. 
As for Indiana, they’ll be tempering expectations for Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, as both suffered injuries last season that still need monitoring. Clark hasn’t suited up since July of last season for the Fever, but she looked good in FIBA play this offseason. 
 
The Fever will probably be relying a ton on their bench and, specifically, 2026 draftee Raven Johnson, in the preseason. They shouldn’t risk the health of their star backcourt prior to the regular season tipping off, but Johnson’s play should be well worth the price of admission in this contest. 
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Seattle Storm @ Golden State Valkyries
It feels pretty clear what the pull of this contest would be: seeing if Flau’jae Johnson treats this as a revenge game against the team that traded her on draft night. The former LSU star was nearly headed to the Bay Area when a shocking trade went down between Golden State and Seattle, sending Johnson to the Storm and Marta Suarez to the Valkyries. 
These are two teams on very different paths. The Storm are in a full rebuild, having landed Awa Fam Thiam and Johnson on draft night to surround Dominique Malonga on the floor. The Valkyries, on the other hand, are looking to continue to establish themselves as a tough-nosed defensive team after signing Gabby Williams in free agency and trading for Suarez. 
&nbsp;
Minnesota Lynx @ Washington Mystics
A battle between two very fun rookie classes will take place in this contest. Minnesota, despite being a perennial postseason presence, landed the 2nd overall pick in this year’s draft. They took Olivia Miles at that spot, which is an unbelievably great fit for her, and for star forward Napheesa Collier. They also netted a sharp shooter in Lani White at the very end of the draft. 
Washington, on the other hand, went big. They drafted Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, Cotie McMahon, and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs to add to their frontcourt depth. They also re-signed Shakira Austin in free agency, adding even more competition to a loaded roster. 
This game should be a fun showing of rookie talent in the league, as well as a mini-UCLA Bruins showcase. 
<hr />
<h2>April 26</h2>
Japan @ Las Vegas Aces
The Aces re-tooled this offseason, bringing back NaLyssa Smith and Jackie Young in free agency, as well as re-signing superstar A’ja Wilson to a multi-year, supermax extension. They also added an overseas star and, most recently, Chicago Sky star guard Chennedy Carter to their roster, bolstering their guard room.
As for Japan, they will be missing a recently drafted member of their national team in Kokora Tanaka, who was taken by the Valkyries at 38th overall. Still, the squad has a defensive stalwart in Yuki Miyazawa, who can muck things up for Las Vegas’ frontcourt in this contest. Assuming Wilson doesn’t get much playing time, we could be in for a battle between Miyazawa and Smith, Bri Turner, Steph Talbot, or recently drafted Janiah Barker. 
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<h2>April 27</h2>
Nigeria @ Minnesota Lynx
Nigeria will continue its preseason play stateside against the Lynx. These are two teams with strong paint scoring, with Nigeria shooting an efficient 52.8 percent from the field, per <a href="https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-afrobasket-2025/teams/nigeria#statistics">their FIBA team profile</a>. The Lynx found 52.4 percent of their scoring from 2-point range, per the <a href="https://stats.wnba.com/teams/scoring/?sort=PCT_PTS_2PT&amp;dir=-1">WNBA stats site</a>, which makes sense given Collier’s, Bridget Carleton’s, and Alanna Smith’s presence there in 2025. Of course, Carleton and Smith are gone, leaving a spot or two open on the team’s offense alongside Collier. 
A new look Lynx team versus an up-and-coming FIBA powerhouse should make for some great play. 
<hr />
<h2>April 29</h2>
Japan @ Phoenix Mercury
This should be another great battle between two teams with great bigs. Mack just re-signed with the Mercury, while Japan will have Miyazawa in the paint to discourage Phoenix from any paint scoring. That shouldn’t be an issue for a team with as versatile a scoring profile as the Mercury, though, with Copper, Whitcomb, Thomas, and Akoa-Makani all threats on different levels. 
&nbsp;
Atlanta Dream @ Chicago Sky
The Dream shook up the offseason with a huge trade for Reese, while also keeping their core intact. Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Reese, Naz Hillmon, and Bri Jones are just a few of the key members Atlanta managed to keep and bring on board. They’re suddenly contenders, in the same tier as the Aces, Liberty, Lynx, and Mercury. 
As for the specific appeal of this game, the pull is obvious: seeing if Reese gets any time on the floor against the team that just gave her up. If she doesn’t, we still get another interesting rookie showcase with the Dream having Madina Okot as their biggest get in the 2026 draft. For Chicago, getting some time from Gabriela Jacquez, Lattasha Lattimore, and Tonie Morgan will be critical for their bench construction. 
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Connecticut Sun @ Toronto Tempo
The Tempo are taking the floor for the first time, somewhat officially, in this preseason game. That’s already worth catching, especially considering the excitement the city of Toronto has had about tipping off their teams’ inaugural season. Of course, some high-level signings should also attract a crowd, with Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes on board alongside head coach Sandy Brondello. 
For the Sun, 2026 seems to be another interesting gap season with some great talent worth catching in the preseason. Saniya Rivers, their best rookie from last year, is back in the fold, while the team also signed future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner in free agency. Nell Angloma and Gianna Kneepkens are sure to get some decent playing time in this contest, with both first-rounders seeking to crack head coach Rachid Meziane’s rotation. 
And, if there are any Kiwis catching preseason, Charlisse Leger-Walker should be getting some action in this game. She’s the first player from New Zealand to ever be drafted into the WNBA. 
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Portland Fire @ Seattle Storm 
Fire and Storm fans have to be clamoring for these clashes to eventually turn into a proper Northwest rivalry. With both teams obviously in rebuild mode, or in Portland’s case, a build-up, this should be a good game to catch rookies fighting for roster spots. The Fire notably snagged a ton of great role players in the expansion draft, and also selected two international prospects with high ceilings in the college draft: Iyana Martín Carrión and Frieda Bühner. 
Seattle, again, is looking to see what they’ve got in their extremely young core of Malonga, Fam Thiam, and now Johnson. It’ll be hard for Portland to recreate the expansion magic that the Valkyries had last year, but they should still be competitive with how much veteran depth they now have. 
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<h2>April 30</h2>
Dallas Wings @ Indiana Fever
The Wings, after selecting Azzi Fudd first overall in this year’s draft, suddenly roster three top-5 picks in their backcourt, and two first overall picks. Paige Bueckers, who was taken first overall in 2025, is returning after winning Rookie of the Year and putting on a show during Unrivaled in the offseason. Ogunbowale returned to Dallas on a multi-year extension, hoping to bounce back after an uncharacteristically down year for her shooting. Fudd is now added to the roster, likely as a starter, to create even more offense. 
The Wings also made some key signings this offseason, bringing in Smith and Jess Sheppard from the Lynx, in addition to veteran Alysha Clark. They also brought back Odyssey Sims for backcourt depth. 
Of course, the Fever roster includes multiple first-rounders: Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Mitchell. While these players may not get a ton of time in the preseason, it’ll still be a fun preview of the future of star-studded matchups between the two clubs. 
<hr />
<h2>May 1</h2>
New York Liberty @ Connecticut Sun 
The Sun’s farewell tour of Uncasville will kick off in this preseason match against the Liberty. New York has had Connecticut’s number for a few years now, but they could easily be out-run by a younger Sun team in this preseason game. Rivers had some especially great showings against the Liberty in 2025, so we should expect her to get up just the same for a preseason match. 
&nbsp;
Washington Mystics @ Atlanta Dream 
While the Mystics did load up on bigs, they also snagged one of the draft’s most intriguing prospects in Rori Harmon at 34th overall. Defensively, she’s shown elite traits despite her size. On offense, there’s room for improvement, but she also averaged 6.2 assists per game in her last season with the Texas Longhorns. She could end up in a nice bench role after the Mystics traded Jacy Sheldon to the Sky. 
For Atlanta, its guard room is facing some decisions as well. Jordin Canada is back in the fold after re-signing in free agency, but she’s also dealt with some injury woes that have kept her sidelined for a good portion of her tenure with the Dream. Te-Hina Paopao is seeking a Year 2 boost to her stock, which could be helped along with a strong preseason showing. This battle between two young guards, Harmon and Paopao, should be entertaining. 
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Los Angeles Sparks @ Portland Fire
This is yet another preseason matchup where a former player could really make their former team hurt for letting them walk. In this case, it’s Barker, who was left unprotected by the Sparks in this year’s expansion draft. The guard was a great defender in her first season with Los Angeles, but couldn’t find a consistent shooting touch alongside Kelsey Plum. 
As for the Sparks, they’re in the midst of some restructuring that’s added some more shooting to their frontcourt and from long range. Trading for Atkins while also re-signing Sparks legend Ogwumike should help create even more spacing for a Sparks squad desperate for some better offensive output. 
Latson was the Sparks’ 2nd round selection in this year’s draft, and she should have a big role for Los Angeles off their bench if she can impress in the preseason. She’ll be facing off with quite a veteran-heavy squad in Portland, so doing well in this contest would speak volumes to her pro-readiness. 
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Las Vegas Aces @ Dallas Wings
The Aces’ most exciting selection from the draft, Barker, could see some ample playing time in this final preseason bout before the tip-off to the regular season. As for Dallas, their rookies &#8211; Fudd and Zee Spearman &#8211; should be getting some burn in this contest for the same reason. 
 
One final look at both teams’ benches and rookie talent should be a good window into their final roster and into how they plan to rotate between so much talent in the regular season. The Aces and Wings loaded up in free agency with key depth signings, and this is a good opportunity for both teams to feel themselves out in a final dress rehearsal. 
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Pick	Name	Position	College/Country
10	Ajša Sivka	Forward	Slovenia
11	Hailey Van Lith	Guard	TCU / United States
16	Maddy Westbeld	Forward	Notre Dame / United States
22	Aicha Coulibaly	Guard	Texas A&M / Mali

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