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rhyne-howard-36points

Rhyne Howard Goes Off For 36 Points

rhyne-howard-37points

Rhyne Howard Catches Fire in 37-Point Performance

Black History Month

Renee Montgomery made history as the first former WNBA player with team equity and an executive title, now serving as partner and Vice President of the Atlanta Dream since 2021. Check out her story of going from the court to the boardroom.
Montgomery played 11 WNBA seasons, winning two titles with Minnesota, earning an All-Star nod, and claiming Sixth Woman of the Year before finishing her career with the Dream.
<div id="attachment_234990" style="width: 970px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-234990" class="wp-image-234990" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/GettyImages-857714122-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />Renee Montgomery #21 of the Minnesota Lynx poses for a portrait while holding the 2017 WNBA Championship trophy after the game against the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Five of the 2017 WNBA Finals on October 4, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.</div>
She sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice work, a decision that reshaped her vision for change in sports.
Inspired by LeBron James’ call to action, she pursued ownership when the Dream went up for sale and joined the buying group in February 2021. That move made her the first former WNBA player with team equity (with the Atlanta Dream) and executive roles. Since 2021, she has served as a partner and Vice President.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-234224" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4.png" alt="" width="1440" height="1880" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4.png 1440w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4-230x300.png 230w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4-784x1024.png 784w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4-768x1003.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/02/4x5-5-4-1177x1536.png 1177w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" />

black-history-month-player-spotlight-renee-montgomery

Black History Month Player Spotlight: Renee Montgomery

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 

Press Release

– 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

It&#8217;s 2025 WNBA Assists Week! Who had the best dime-dropping action from the 2025 season?
<hr />
<h2>Best Team: Minnesota Lynx</h2>
The Minnesota Lynx have established themselves as one of the most efficient passing teams in WNBA history. In the 2025 season, the Lynx averaged 23.3 assists per game, ranking third all-time in single-season assist averages. This follows their 2024 season where they averaged 23.0 assists per game.
With these back-to-back seasons, the Lynx now account for two of the four instances in league history where a team averaged 23+ assists per game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@minnesotalynx</a> led the league with 746 assisted catch and shoots this szn, a masterclass in timing and touch.
See how these dimes turned into pure rhythm! 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> | Powered by GeniusIQ <a href="https://t.co/hlGHRaQeAC">pic.twitter.com/hlGHRaQeAC</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1986841337396662422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h2>Best Player: Alyssa Thomas</h2>
With a 2025 campaign highlighted by a record-breaking eight triple-double performances, Alyssa Thomas set the record for most total assists in a regular season (357) over 39 games. Her 9.15 APG led the league and marked the second-highest regular season APG average in WNBA history.
Thomas made history by becoming the first player to record three seasons with 300+ assists.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Of course we&#39;re leading the week with the season assists leader 👏
Alyssa Thomas delivered elite pace and vision all year, averaging 9.2 APG and recording her third 300+ assist season.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/VPEE5jhc7K">pic.twitter.com/VPEE5jhc7K</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1985380989950889997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h3>Best Performance: Alyssa Thomas (August 22, 2025)</h3>
On August 22, 2025, Thomas delivered one of the most memorable performances of the season, dishing out 16 assists in a single game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The top single-game assist performances of the szn ✔️
Alyssa Thomas recorded a <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixMercury?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@phoenixmercury</a> franchise record against the Valkyries with 16 AST to go along with 13 PTS and 12 REB.
Thomas finished the szn as the league leader in AST!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/jhvEemSOC5">pic.twitter.com/jhvEemSOC5</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1986177476674916722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h3>Top 10 Assists of the Year</h3>
Check out the best dimes from the 2025 season!
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Top 10 Assists of the 2025 Season" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/440-EA_0kR4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

2025-wnba-assists-week

2025 WNBA Assists Week: Best in Ball Movement

Awards

– Wilson and Collier Joined on First Team by Alyssa Thomas, Allisha Gray and Kelsey Mitchell – 
– Eight-Time All-WNBA Team Selection Nneka Ogwumike Leads Second Team, Which Also Features 
Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Aliyah Boston and Paige Bueckers – 
– Gray, Mitchell, Boston and Bueckers Make Their All-WNBA Team Debuts –
NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2025 – Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson, the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player and Kia WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier have been unanimously selected to the 2025 All-WNBA First Team, the WNBA announced today.
Wilson and Collier, the runner-up for the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, were named to the All-WNBA First Team on all 72 ballots in voting by a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Wilson earned a spot on the First Team for the fourth consecutive season and is an All-WNBA pick for the sifth time overall. Collier, a four-time All-WNBA Team selection, was voted to the First Team for the third straight season.
Joining Wilson and Collier (360 points each) on the 2025 All-WNBA First Team are Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (358), Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (341) and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (320).
This is the fourth All-WNBA Team selection for Thomas, who makes her third consecutive appearance on the First Team. Gray and Mitchell are All-WNBA Team selections for the first time.
The 2025 All-WNBA Second Team consists of Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (185 points), Aces guard Jackie Young (148), Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (125), Fever center Aliyah Boston (112) and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (112).
Ogwumike is an All-WNBA Team choice for the eighth time, Ionescu for the fourth time and Young for the second time. Boston makes her debut on the All-WNBA Team. Bueckers’ selection marks the second straight season a rookie was selected to the All-WNBA Team (Indiana’s Caitlin Clark was a First Team choice in 2024).
Voting for the All-WNBA Team was conducted at the conclusion of the regular season. Players were selected without regard to position and received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.
2025 All-WNBA First Team 
A’ja Wilson, Aces: In her eighth WNBA season, Wilson earned a record fourth Kia WNBA MVP Award – her second consecutive MVP honor – and was a co-winner of the Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award along with Minnesota’s Alanna Smith. The 6-4 Wilson averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocked shots and 1.6 steals – all the second-best per-game marks of her career. She led the league in points per game for the second straight season and in blocks per game for the fifth time. Wilson also scored the most points (937) and had the highest efficiency rating (29.2) in the WNBA.
Napheesa Collier, Lynx: Collier, the runner-up to Wilson as the Kia WNBA MVP in 2024 and 2025, was the Kia WNBA Western Conference Player of the Month for May, June and July. She was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the fourth time. The 6-1 forward ranked second in the league in scoring with a career-high 22.9 points per game. In addition, Collier ranked 11th in rebounds per game (7.3) and third in steals per game (1.6). Behind Collier, the Lynx finished the regular season with the league’s best record (34-10).
Alyssa Thomas, Mercury: The 6-2 Thomas finished third in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award after setting a WNBA regular-season record with eight triple-doubles, extending her WNBA career-leading mark to 19. In addition, Thomas led the league in assists per game (9.2) and recorded a league record for total assists (357). She also finished third in the league in rebounds per game (8.8). Thomas was selected to the WNBA All-Defensive Team for the seventh time.
Allisha Gray, Dream: In her ninth WNBA season, Gray earned her third straight All-Star selection and was an All-Star starter for the first time. The 6-0 guard was named the Kia WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for May, June and August and finished fourth in voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award. Gray ranked seventh in the league in scoring with a career-high 18.4 points per game. She also set career highs in rebounds (5.3) and assists per game (3.5) and ranked sixth in the WNBA in three-point field goals made (98).
Kelsey Mitchell, Fever: Mitchell ranked third in the WNBA in scoring with a career-high 20.2 points per game and made a league-leading 111 three-point field goals. In her eighth WNBA season, Mitchell was an All-Star selection for the third consecutive season and finished fifth in the voting for the Kia WNBA MVP Award. The 6-0 guard also contributed 3.4 assists per game.
2025 All-WNBA Second Team 
Nneka Ogwumike, Storm: In her 14th WNBA season, Ogwumike started all 44 regular season games and earned her 10th All-Star selection. The 6-2 forward ranked ninth in the WNBA in points per game (18.3), 13th in rebounds per game (7.0) and 11th in field goal percentage (51.9). Ogwumike also became the sixth player in league history to reach 7,000 career points and the only one to do so while shooting at least 50 percent from the field.
Jackie Young, Aces: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm and a two-time WNBA champion with Las Vegas, Young was an All-Star selection for the fourth season in a row. The 6-0 guard finished 12th in the league in scoring (16.5 points per game) and 11th in assists (5.1 apg), ranking second among Aces players in both categories while posting the second-best figure of her career in each.
Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty: The 5-11 guard ranked 10th in the WNBA in points per game (18.2) and sixth in assists per game (5.7). She also led the league in free throw percentage (93.3) and finished ninth in three-point field goals made (81). In addition, she contributed 4.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.3 steals per game. In her sixth WNBA season, Ionescu was selected as an All-Star for the fourth consecutive season.
Aliyah Boston, Fever: The unanimous 2023 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year and an All-Star in all of her three WNBA seasons, Boston helped lead the Fever to a spot in the WNBA Semifinals and was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team. The 6-5 center-forward averaged career highs of 15.0 points and 3.7 assists per game. She finished sixth among WNBA players in rebounds per game (8.2), fourth in total rebounds (361) and fifth in field goal percentage (53.8).
Paige Bueckers, Wings: The 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year led all rookies in total points (692), points per game (19.2), total assists (194) and assists per game (5.4). Among all players, Bueckers ranked fifth in scoring average, sixth in steals per game (1.6) and ninth in assists per game. The 6-0 guard, who was voted as a starter for the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, set a WNBA single-game scoring record for rookies with 44 points at the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 20.
In honor of their accomplishments, each member of the All-WNBA First Team will receive $10,300 and each member of the Second Team will receive $5,150.
Below are the voting results for the 2025 All-WNBA Team.
2025 ALL-WNBA FIRST TEAM 
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Player, Team 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
1st Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
2nd Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">
Total Points 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">72</td>
<td style="width: 25%">0</td>
<td style="width: 25%">360</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">72</td>
<td style="width: 25%">0</td>
<td style="width: 25%">360</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">71</td>
<td style="width: 25%">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%">358</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">67</td>
<td style="width: 25%">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%">341</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 25%">
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
</td>
<td style="width: 25%">58</td>
<td style="width: 25%">10</td>
<td style="width: 25%">320</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
2025 ALL-WNBA SECOND TEAM
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 176px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 56px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">
Player, Team
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">1st Team Votes</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">
2nd Team Votes 
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 56px">Total Points</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">60</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">185</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">5</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">41</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">148</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">1</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">40</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">125</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">34</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">112</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">2</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">34</td>
<td style="width: 25%;height: 24px">
112
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Players were selected without regard for position. Players received five points for each First Team vote and three points for each Second Team vote.
# # #

2025-all-wnba-teams

A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier Unanimously Selected to 2025 All-WNBA First Team

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2025 – Atlanta Dream General Manager Dan Padover has been named the 2025 WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year, the WNBA announced today.
This marks a record third WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award for Padover and the first since he earned the honor in 2020 and 2021 with the Las Vegas Aces. Padover becomes the first three-time WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year, breaking a tie with two-time winner Cheryl Reeve (2019 and 2024).
The voting panel to determine the WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year was composed of the general manager from each of the league’s 13 active teams, plus the general manager of the Toronto Tempo, which will begin play in 2026. Each voter submitted a ballot with a first-place vote, second-place vote and third-place vote, and they could not vote for themselves. The executives received three points for each first-place vote, two points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.
Padover was named on the most ballots (12, including eight first-place votes). The Golden State Valkyries’ Ohemaa Nyanin (10 ballots) finished in second place and the Phoenix Mercury’s Nick U’ren (nine ballots) placed third. The Washington Mystics’ Jamila Wideman (three ballots) was fourth.
With Padover in his fourth year as general manager, Atlanta finished tied for the second-best record in the WNBA (30-14) in the regular season, doubling its win total from 2024. The Dream earned the No. 3 seed in the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google.
Leading into the 2025 season, Padover first hired Karl Smesko as Atlanta’s new head coach, bringing the longtime Florida Gulf Coast University coach to the WNBA for the first time after a decorated career in which he recorded the third-highest winning percentage (.843) among active head coaches in NCAA Division women’s basketball.
Padover then signed veteran free agent forward Brionna Jones and veteran free agent center Brittney Griner, adding the multi-time All-Stars to a roster that already included All-Star guards Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. Padover had previously selected Howard with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm and acquired Gray from the Dallas Wings in a January 2023 trade. In April, Padover selected guard Te-Hina Paopao with the 18th pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm.
In guiding the Dream to a franchise-record 30 wins, Smesko finished with the most victories ever by a first-year WNBA head coach and helped Atlanta improve in key statistical categories. The Dream’s year-over-year improvement included moving from 12th to second in offensive rating (108.2), sixth to second in defensive rating (98.9) and 12th to third in assists per game (21.4).
Gray was a three-time Kia WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month (May, June and August), finished fourth in the voting for the Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and was selected as an All-Star starter for the first time in her career. She ranked seventh in the WNBA in scoring, averaging a career-high 18.4 points per game.
Howard, who was named an All-Star for the third time, led all WNBA players in made three-point shots per game (3.1) and became the first player in league history to record multiple games of nine made threes in a career (June 13 vs. the Chicago Sky and Sept. 5 vs. the Los Angeles Sparks).
Jones led the WNBA in total offensive rebounds (136) and ranked second in offensive boards per game (3.1). She also was named to her fourth AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game.
In addition, Naz Hillmon, a 2022 draft pick by Padover, was named the 2025 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year after recording career-high averages in scoring (8.6 ppg), rebounding (6.2 rpg) and assists (2.1 apg). Paopao ranked fifth among 2025 rookies with 2.4 assists per game.
Below is the list of recipients of the WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award since its inception in 2017.
&nbsp;
WNBA BASKETBALL EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 216px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Dan Padover</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Atlanta Dream</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2025</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Cheryl Reeve</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Minnesota Lynx</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2024</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Jonathan Kolb</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">New York Liberty</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2023</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">James Wade</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Chicago Sky</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2022</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Dan Padover</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Las Vegas Aces</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2021</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Dan Padover</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Las Vegas Aces</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2020</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Cheryl Reeve</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Minnesota Lynx</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2019</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Chris Sienko</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Atlanta Dream</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2018</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Curt Miller</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Connecticut Sun</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2017</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

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Atlanta Dream's Dan Padover Wins Record Third WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award

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Top 10 Plays of the Week

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-204309" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Picture1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="187" />
NEW YORK, Sept. 20, 2025 – Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon has been named the 2025 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She has earned the honor as the league’s top reserve for the first time and become the first player to win the award with the Dream.
Hillmon received 44 of 72 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman (22 votes) and forward Jessica Shepard (four votes) finished in second and third place, respectively. Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga and Phoenix Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb each received one vote.  To be eligible for the award, a player had to play more games as a reserve than as a starter.
In her fourth WNBA season, Hillmon averaged career highs of 8.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 25.5 minutes in 44 games (17 starts). She helped the Dream (30-14) set a franchise record with 30 wins, doubling its total from last season. Atlanta secured the No. 3 seed in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google after finishing as the eighth seed in 2024.
Hillmon provided a spark off the bench throughout the season, recording eight games with at least 10 points and five rebounds as a reserve – the second-most such games in the league (Malonga, 12). The Dream went 5-0 in games when she scored 15 or more points.
Hillmon made 53 three-pointers this season after entering 2025 with one career three-pointer. On July 30 against the Dallas Wings, she scored a career-high 21 points and connected on five three-pointers, including a tiebreaking three with 2.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Durability has been a hallmark of Hillmon’s career since she joined the Dream as the 15th overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm out of the University of Michigan, where she was a four-time All-Big Ten First Team selection. She has played in a franchise-record 151 consecutive regular-season games for Atlanta, including all 124 games over the last three seasons.
In honor of being named the Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year, Hillmon will receive $5,150 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.
Below are the voting results for the 2025 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Award and the list of recipients since the award’s inception in 2007.
 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" width="623">
2025 KIA WNBA SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Player</td>
<td width="208">Team</td>
<td width="208">Votes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Naz Hillmon</td>
<td width="208">Atlanta Dream</td>
<td width="208">44</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Natisha Hiedeman</td>
<td width="208">Minnesota Lynx</td>
<td width="208">22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Jessica Shepard</td>
<td width="208">Minnesota Lynx</td>
<td width="208">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Dominique Malonga</td>
<td width="208">Seattle Storm</td>
<td width="208">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="208">Sami Whitcomb</td>
<td width="208">Phoenix Mercury</td>
<td width="208">1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
 
<table style="width: 77.6027%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 133.464%;text-align: center" colspan="3" width="487">KIA WNBA SIXTH PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">Year</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Player</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Team</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2025</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Naz Hillmon</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Atlanta Dream</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%">2024</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%">Tiffany Hayes</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%">Las Vegas Aces</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2023</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Alysha Clark</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Las Vegas Aces</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2022</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Brionna Jones</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Connecticut Sun</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2021</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Kelsey Plum</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Las Vegas Aces</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2020</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Dearica Hamby</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Las Vegas Aces</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2019</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Dearica Hamby</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Las Vegas Aces</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2018</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Jonquel Jones</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Connecticut Sun</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2017</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Sugar Rodgers</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">New York Liberty</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2016</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Jantel Lavender</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Los Angeles Sparks</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2015</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Allie Quigley</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Chicago Sky</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2014</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Allie Quigley</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Chicago Sky</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2013</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Riquna Williams</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Tulsa Shock</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2012</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Renee Montgomery</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Connecticut Sun</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2011</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">DeWanna Bonner</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Phoenix Mercury</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2010</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">DeWanna Bonner</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Phoenix Mercury</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2009</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">DeWanna Bonner</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Phoenix Mercury</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2008</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Candice Wiggins</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Minnesota Lynx</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 22.8963%" width="112">2007</td>
<td style="width: 36.5949%" width="182">Plenette Pierson</td>
<td style="width: 73.9726%" width="192">Detroit Shock</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
About Kia America
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World&#8217;s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024. Kia serves as the &#8220;Official Automotive Partner&#8221; of the WNBA and NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*. 
For media information, including photography, visit <a href="http://www.kiamedia.com">www.kiamedia.com</a>. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert__;!!PMETyfE!LQ_AWgu_xS8m2ZdpIVOeFIM6CjzB7GXan16p-xQBBSMFDqSqBaxovepbT109Px9yCDy8QlykRUjGqeA$">www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert</a> 
* Select trims of the 2025 all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

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Atlanta Dream's Naz Hillmon Named 2025 Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year

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