2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Preseason Edition

Mon, May 5, 2025, 10:04 PM
Brian Martin

It’s been seven months since the New York Liberty hoisted the WNBA championship trophy for the first time – capping off the league’s historic 28th season, which saw records in viewership, attendance, merchandise sales, and digital content consumption.

Now it’s time to run it back. The 2025 WNBA season tips off on Friday, May 16. 

With training camps open, preseason games underway, and rosters being finalized, it’s time to drop the first of our weekly power rankings to see how the teams stack up ahead of the first-ever 44-game season.

 

1. New York Liberty

2024 Season: 32-8, Won WNBA title

The Liberty open 2025 in the same place they ended 2024 – on top. The defending champs return much of their core with Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu all back in the fold. The Liberty added Natasha Cloud – an outstanding playmaker and defender – to replace Courtney Vandersloot in the backcourt.

 

2. Minnesota Lynx

2024 Season: 30-10, Lost WNBA Finals

Last year’s Finals runner-up enters the season with its core intact and a chip planted firmly on its collective shoulder. Minnesota’s hopes of becoming the first team to win five championships were dashed in a gut-wrenching overtime loss in the winner-take-all Game 5 of the Finals. In an offseason that saw plenty of player movement and coaching changes around the W, the Lynx have continuity on their side. Plus, they have an MVP frontrunner in Napheesa Collier and plenty of motivation to fuel them in 2025.

 

3. Las Vegas Aces

2024 Season: 27-13, Lost In Semifinals

Here’s a scary thought for all WNBA teams outside of Las Vegas – A’ja Wilson may still be getting better. The three-time MVP is coming off a record-breaking season, and at 28 years old, she’s in her absolute prime. After their bid for a three-peat fell short last season, the Aces acquired Jewell Loyd from Seattle in a multi-team trade that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. Loyd is a former scoring champ, two-time WNBA champ, and Olympic gold medalist ready to make the most of a new opportunity.

 

4. Seattle Storm

2024 Season: 25-15, Lost in First Round

With the trade of Jewell Loyd, the final piece of the Bird-Stewart-Loyd championship core that won titles in 2018 and 2020 is gone. What isn’t gone is Seattle’s championship aspirations. With veterans Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins returning, having a full season with Gabby Williams and the additions of Lexie Brown (trade), Alysha Clark (free agency), and the promise of No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga, Seattle has a mix that could contend sooner rather than later.

 

5. Indiana Fever

2024 Season: 20-20, Lost in First Round

After Caitlin Clark’s historic rookie season, the Fever began making moves to improve the roster around its phenom and fellow young star Aliyah Boston. Indiana added veteran players with championship experience in DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Howard, while resigning Kelsey Mitchell and hiring Stephanie White as head coach. How quickly the new pieces and new coach mesh with the existing talent, particularly the foundational duo of Clark and Boston, will determine this team’s ceiling.

 

6. Phoenix Mercury

2024 Season: 19-21, Lost in First Round

The Mercury lost two franchise cornerstones in the offseason with the retirement of Diana Taurasi and the free agency departure of Brittney Griner to Atlanta. With two big names out, the Mercury brought two big names in: All-WNBA players Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, along with Sami Whitcomb and Kalani Brown. They join returning All-Star (and former Finals MVP) Kahleah Copper for a new-look squad brimming with talent. How quickly can all that talent mesh together as a cohesive unit? 

 

7. Atlanta Dream

2024 Season: 15-25, Lost in First Round

The Dream enter 2025 with a new coach (one of eight teams with new coaches this season) and a new frontline with the additions of free agents Brittney Griner (from Phoenix) and Brionna Jones (from Connecticut) in the offseason. With the returning backcourt of Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada, the Dream boast a balanced and formidable five as they seek their first playoff win since 2018.

 

8. Chicago Sky

2024 Season: 13-27, Missed Playoffs

What does season two have in store for Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and the Sky? In the offseason, Chicago added key veterans to bring leadership and championship experience to the squad. The Sky brought back Courtney Vandersloot, a member of Chicago’s 2021 title team who ranks second on the all-time assist list, while adding two-way standout and 2019 champion Ariel Atkins. In the first round of the 2025 WNBA Draft, the Sky selected Hailey Van Lith, who teamed with Reese for a season at LSU.

 

9. Dallas Wings

2024 Season: 9-31, Missed Playoffs

When it comes to new, Dallas hit the trifecta – new general manager (Curt Miller), new head coach (Chris Koclanes), and new No. 1 overall pick (Paige Bueckers). Miller had a busy offseason as he reshaped the roster with the additions of DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, and Tyasha Harris via trade, and Myisha Hines-Allen in free agency to start building around the backcourt of Bueckers and former scoring champ Arike Ogunbowale. This pairing should be thrilling to watch develop.

 

10. Los Angeles Sparks

2024 Season: 8-32, Missed Playoffs

The Sparks are looking to bounce back from their first single-digit win season in the franchise’s 28-year history. A key move toward accomplishing that was acquiring three-time All-Star and two-time champion Kelsey Plum via trade. Plum will reunite with former Las Vegas teammate Dearica Hamby and play alongside young stars Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink, who is expected to return in June after recovering from a torn ACL last season.

 

11. Washington Mystics

2024 Season: 14-26, Missed Playoffs

The final pieces of the 2019 championship team are gone from DC with the retirement of Elena Delle Donne and the trade of Ariel Atkins. The Mystics are in rebuild mode and had three of the top six picks in the 2025 Draft, selecting Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore to begin laying a new foundation alongside Shakira Austin and Aaliyah Edwards. Unfortunately, Amoore will be out for the season after suffering anACL injury during training camp.

 

12. Connecticut Sun

2024 Season: 28-12, Lost in Semifinals

After an eight-year run as a perennial championship contender that could never break through, the Sun broke up the core of its team via various trades and free agency signings. Marina Mabrey is the sole impact player returning from last year’s core, while Tina Charles returns to the team that drafted her first overall in 2010. he Sun had two top-ten picks in the 2025 Draft, which they used to select LSU forward Aneesah Morrow and NC State guard Saniya Rivers to add to their rebuild.

 

13. Golden State Valkyries 

The WNBA’s newest team will make its preseason debut on Tuesday, May 6, and its regular season debut on May 16. Both games will be at home against the L.A. Sparks to give us our first glimpse of Bay Area WNBA hoops. Until then, there isn’t much we can evaluate, which lands the Valkyries at the bottom of these initial rankings, with plenty of room to climb in their inaugural season.

Longtime WNBA reporter Brian Martin writes articles on WNBA.com throughout the season. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.