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A&#8217;ja Wilson scored a career-high 39 points and Liz Cambage had 12 of her 16 points in overtime to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 102-97 on Saturday night.
The Aces (7-5) took the lead for good at 95-94 on Cambage&#8217;s basket with 1:34 left in overtime. Cambage scored inside again 30 seconds later and Wilson made a pair of free throws to push the lead to five with 39 seconds to go.
The Fever (5-9) cut the deficit to 99-97, but the Aces made 3 of 4 from the foul line to secure the win.
Erica Wheeler&#8217;s baseline 3-pointer with 17.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter tied it for the Fever at 84-all and Indiana held the Aces scoreless on the final possession of regulation.
A&#8217;ja Wilson scored a career-high 39 points and Liz Cambage had 12 of her 16 points in overtime to help the Las Vegas Aces beat the Indiana Fever 102-97 on Saturday night.
The Aces (7-5) took the lead for good at 95-94 on Cambage&#8217;s basket with 1:34 left in overtime. Cambage scored inside again 30 seconds later and Wilson made a pair of free throws to push the lead to five with 39 seconds to go.
The Fever (5-9) cut the deficit to 99-97, but the Aces made 3 of 4 from the foul line to secure the win.
Erica Wheeler&#8217;s baseline 3-pointer with 17.2 seconds left in the fourth quarter tied it for the Fever at 84-all and Indiana held the Aces scoreless on the final possession of regulation.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm today announced the team has acquired 2025 All-Star Brittney Sykes in a trade with the Washington Mystics. In exchange, the Mystics will receive 3x WNBA Champion Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke and one of Seattle’s 2026 first round draft picks.  
Sykes has averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 31.8% from beyond the arc. This season, she received her first All-Star selection, and has four WNBA All-Defensive Team selections, twice to the First Team (2021, 2023) and twice to the Second Team (2020, 2022). In 2021 and 2022, Sykes was the WNBA leader in steals, and in 2017, she received a selection to the WNBA All-Rookie team after averaging 13.9 points and shooting 40.8% from the field.  
Over the course of her two stints in Seattle (2012-2020, 2025), Clark played 300 games, the fifth most in franchise history. She also played a pivotal role in helping the Storm win two WNBA championships (2018, 2020). This season, Clark has averaged 3.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game. While in Seattle, Clark was just as impactful in the community as she was on the court. She was instrumental in starting the organization’s annual toy drive benefiting Seattle Children’s Hospital.    
Cooke has averaged just over 10 minutes of play per game in 2025 and has been shooting a career-high 38.2% from the three. Cooke was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2023 draft selected by the Los Angeles Sparks. There, she spent two seasons playing a total of 68 games, averaging 11.9 minutes, 4.3 points and shot 30% from the field. Cooke, a former South Carolina Gamecock, won a national championship with the team in 2022 and was a Third-Team All-American in 2023.

seattle-storm-acquire-brittney-sykes

Seattle Storm Acquire Brittney Sykes

With the WNBA trade deadline on Thursday, August 7 at 3 p.m. ET, now is the time for contending teams to bolster their rosters for the stretch run.
The deadline coincides with the season reaching 70% completion, meaning there will be less than a third of the schedule remaining for teams to secure their playoff position and ready their playoff rotations.
The league-leading Lynx were the first team to make a move on Sunday, acquiring guard/forward DiJonai Carrington – the 2024 Most Improved Player and All-Defensive First Team selection – from Dallas for former No. 2 overall pick Diamond Miller, an injured Karlie Samuelson and a 2027 second-round pick.
The Lynx already own the league’s top defense in terms of opponent points allowed (75.4 ppg), defensive rating (95.1) and opponent effective field goal percentage (46.8%). Now, they add a strong on-ball defender to the mix as they eye the top seed in the playoffs (they currently hold a 5.5-game lead) and pursue a record fifth WNBA title.
With Minnesota setting the tone, how will fellow contenders respond before Thursday’s deadline? We’ll dive into that next week. For now, here’s how the field stacks up this week.
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<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (24-5) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 1 
This Week: Tue. at SEA, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at NYL
While the Lynx are coming off a historic 111-58 win in Las Vegas on Saturday – the 53-point margin of victory is the largest for any road team, the second-largest for any game in WNBA history, a franchise record 17 triples, including eight in the 1st half from Kayla McBride – all eyes are focused on the right ankle of Napheesa Collier. The league’s leading scorer and MVP frontrunner suffered the injury late in the 3rd quarter against the Aces and did not return. No timetable has been set for her return.
&nbsp;
<h2>2. Atlanta Dream (18-11) ⬆️</h2>
Last Week: 3 
This Week: Thur. at CHI, Sun. at PHX
After falling to Golden State in the closing seconds on Tuesday, the Dream won three straight to close the week and have won five of their last six games overall. Allisha Gray leads the WNBA in 3-pointers made (73) and ranks 12th in 3-point percentage (40.8%) for the season. Over the past six games, she’s been on fire, hitting 50% of her triples (17-of-34), while leading five Dream players averaging 12+ points with 19.2 ppg.
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<h2>3. New York Liberty (18-10) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 2 
This Week: Tue. vs. DAL, Fri. at DAL, Sun. vs. MIN
Sunday’s win over Connecticut helped the Liberty snap a four-game losing streak – New York’s longest skid since July 2022. With Breanna Stewart diagnosed with a right knee bone bruise and no timetable for a return, the Liberty added another former Finals MVP to their frontline with 2019 winner Emma Meesseman joining Jonquel Jones (2024) and Stewart (2018, 2020). The defending champs open the week with a home-and-home set with Dallas before hosting the Lynx in the second of four 2024 Finals rematches in the span of three weeks (July 30-Aug. 19).
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<h2>4. Indiana Fever (17-12) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201377" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-scaled.jpg" alt="Aari McDonald #2 of the Indiana Fever " width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227107833-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 6 
This Week: Tue. at LAS, Thur. at PHX, Sat. vs. CHI
The title of “hottest team in the league” entering this week belongs to the Fever, who have won five straight games and eight of their last 10. Tomorrow in L.A., the Fever will look to match their longest win streak in a decade as they visit the Sparks seeking a sixth straight W. This streak has come while Caitlin Clark remains sidelined (groin) as Indiana is now 9-7 without the reigning Rookie of the Year this season.
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<h2>5. Phoenix Mercury (17-11) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 4 
This Week: Tue. vs. CON, Thur. vs. IND, Sun. vs. ATL
Behind 25 points from Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas’ league-record 13th career regular season triple-double (10 pts, 10 reb, 10 ast), the Mercury defeated the Sky on Sunday to avoid an 0-3 week. However, Phoenix is just 2-5 of its last seven games following a 9-2 run that had the Mercury in second place in the league at 15-6 in mid-July. Phoenix opens a four-game homestand on Tuesday, looking to build on a 9-4 home record this season compared to 8-7 on the road.
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<h2>6. Seattle Storm (16-13) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 5 
This Week: Tue. vs. MIN, Fri. at LVA, Sun. at LAS
The Storm are just 2-4 since the All-Star break and are coming off back-to-back close losses – a two-point loss to L.A. in a double-overtime thriller despite a season-high 37 points from Nneka Ogwumike, and a four-point loss to red-hot Indiana. Seattle sits in the middle of a crowded pack from No. 2 New York to No. 10 Los Angeles in the standings – the No. 6 Storm are 2.5 games back of the Liberty and 3.0 games up on the Sparks.
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<h2>7. Las Vegas Aces (15-14) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 7 ↔️
This Week: Wed. at GSV, Fri. vs. SEA, Sun. vs. CON
The Aces had a rollercoaster week. They began with a 15-point win over L.A., snapping the Sparks’ five-game win streak behind Jackie Young’s first triple-double and A’ja Wilson’s 34 points. They followed that with the second-largest loss in league history (-53) to Minnesota. Then, they rebounded with a 24-point win over Golden State to close the week 2-1 despite a minus-14 point differential. Despite the up-and-down week, they maintain their hold on the No. 7 spot in the power rankings.
&nbsp;
<h2>8. Golden State Valkyries (14-14) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201375" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-scaled.jpg" alt="Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Golden State Valkyries" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227474424-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 10 
This Week: Wed. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. LAS
Sunday’s loss to the Aces snapped a three-game win streak for the Valkyries and was the only thing that kept them from leaping Las Vegas in these rankings. After a 3-1 week, the Valkyries are 14-14 on the season – putting them in contention for the best inaugural season by a WNBA expansion team ever. Only three teams have won more than 14 games – the 1999 Lynx and Miracle each went 15-17, while the 1998 Shock went 17-13. That Shock team is the only expansion team to finish above .500, which is in play for the Valkyries.
&nbsp;
<h2>9. Los Angeles Sparks (12-15) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 8 
This Week: Tue. vs. IND, Thur. vs. CON, Sat. at GSV, Sun. vs. SEA
The Sparks had their five-game win streak snapped by Las Vegas, but bounced back with a double-overtime win over the Storm in one of the top games of the season. Dearica Hamby hit the game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds left, but it was L.A.’s balance with four 20+ point scorers that shined in the win. Leading the way with 27 points was Rickea Jackson, who has had four 20+ point games during L.A.’s current hot streak. After going 6-14 in their first 20 games, the Sparks are 6-1 in their last seven.
&nbsp;
<h2>10. Washington Mystics (13-15) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 9 
This Week: Tue. at CHI, Fri. at MIN, Sun. at DAL
After a 6-2 stretch lifted the Mystics over .500 prior to All-Star, Washington has gone 2-5 in its last seven games and – at No. 9 in the standings – is currently the first team on the outside looking in on the playoff picture. Something to watch down the stretch is how the Mystics fare in close games. They have played in a league-high seven games decided by three points or less, and are 3-4 in those games so far.
&nbsp;
<h2>11. Dallas Wings (8-21) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-201378" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-scaled.jpg" alt="Paige Bueckers #5 of the Dallas Wings" width="960" height="595" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-300x186.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-768x476.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-1536x952.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/GettyImages-2227938248-2048x1270.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 12 
This Week: Tue. at NYL, Fri. vs. NYL, Sun. vs. WAS
The Wings have the frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race in No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers – who not only leads all rookies but ranks in the top 10 in the entire league in points (18.5 ppg, 7th), assists (5.5 apg, 9th) and steals (1.8 spg, 3rd). Now, they add another lottery pick to the roster in 2023 No. 2 pick Diamond Miller from Minnesota in the trade for DiJonai Carrington. Will an expanded role in Dallas help Miller showcase her full potential?
&nbsp;
<h2>12. Chicago Sky (7-21) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 11 
This Week: Tue. vs. WAS, Thur. vs. ATL, Sat. at IND
The Sky have dropped eight straight games – their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight in 2012. Angel Reese (back) has missed five of Chicago’s last seven games as the Sky are now 0-5 without her on the season and 1-10 without her for her career. Chicago will look to end the slide this week with home games against the Mystics and Dream before heading to Indiana on Saturday to face the Fever.
&nbsp;
<h2>13. Connecticut Sun (5-22) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 13 
This Week: Tue. at PHX, Thur. at LAS, Sun. at LVA
Since Marina Mabrey returned to the lineup following the All-Star break, the Sun have gone 2-3 with home wins over the Valkyries and Liberty. Now, the Sun hit the road for four straight games and will look to improve on their 1-11 mark away from Mohegan Sun this season.
&nbsp;
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.

2025-power-rankings-week-9

2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 9

Arlington, TX (Aug. 3, 2025) – The Dallas Wings have traded DiJonai Carrington to the Minnesota Lynx, the teams announced today. The Wings receive third-year forward Diamond Miller, seventh-year guard Karlie Samuelson and Minnesota’s 2027 WNBA Draft Second Round pick. In order to complete the trade, the Wings waived Teaira McCowan.
Miller was the No. 2 overall pick by the Lynx in the 2023 WNBA Draft. The 6-3 forward garnered WNBA All-Rookie Team honors after finishing second in scoring (12.1 ppg), fifth in rebounding (3.5 rpg) and second in assists (2.5 apg) among all newcomers. In 2025, Miller leads all forwards in three-point shooting, making 53.8-percent of her attempts from deep. She has appeared in 25 games this season, averaging 4.1 points while shooting .476 overall.
A 2023 WBCA All-American while at the University of Maryland, Miller was a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honoree while leading the Terrapins with 19.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during her senior season. Her 19.7 scoring average was the most by a Terrapin since Brionna Jones averaged 19.9 in 2016-17. The three-time All-Big Ten honoree scored in double figures in 33 of 34 games played in 2022-23.
Samuelson has been limited to 16 games this year following an injury and subsequent surgery on her left foot. The Stanford grad was traded to Minnesota from the Washington Mystics this past April. Over 121 career games, the 6-0 guard has averaged 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting .411 from the field and .392 from three.
Carrington was acquired by the Wings in a four-team trade this past February. She has appeared in 20 games in 2025, making 13 starts, averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals.
The Wings acquired McCowan in 2022 from the Indiana Fever. She has averaged double-figure scoring and at least 7.0 rebounds per game in six of her first seven seasons in the WNBA. She has finished in the top 13 in rebounding and top eight in field goal percentage in each of her first six seasons heading into 2025. The 6-7 center from Mississippi State has appeared in 17 games in 2025, averaging 5.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting .537 from the field. She was the No. 3 overall pick by the Indiana Fever in the 2019 WNBA Draft. McCowan’s career .570 field goal percentage while in a Wings uniform is a franchise career record. Her 896 Dallas rebounds rank sixth in franchise history, while her 103 blocks list seventh.
Transactions:
Dallas Wings Receive: Diamond Miller, Karlie Samuelson, Minnesota’s 2027 Second Round pick
Dallas Wings Waive: Teaira McCowan
Minnesota Lynx Receive: DiJonai Carrington

dallas-wings-trade-dijonai-carrington

Dallas Wings Trade DiJonai Carrington To Minnesota Lynx

We’re officially two-thirds of the way through the 2025 WNBA season, and the storylines are stacking up. The Sparks have rattled off five straight wins, putting themselves back in the playoff mix, and they just got Cameron Brink back in the lineup. Out East, the Liberty have hit a skid, dropping three in a row, including a high-stakes Finals rematch with the Lynx. And no, I haven’t forgotten about Paige Bueckers. The rookie’s been steady as ever, averaging 18 points and nearly six assists a night over her last four.
Let’s take a look at the latest <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for Finals Winner, give a weekend preview, and I’ll share my WNBA best bets for Friday and Saturday’s slates of games on DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also find more WNBA previews, picks, and daily content on <a href="https://dknetwork.com/?source=WNBAArticlebyMeghan">DraftKings Network.</a>
<hr />
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Winner</a>
The Favorite: MIN Lynx (+180)
Normally I’d start with the MVP board on DraftKings Sportsbook before moving to Finals odds, but let’s be real: Napheesa Collier (-900) is running away with it. Alyssa Thomas is the closest name at +700, but no one’s touching the reigning Defensive Player of the Year right now. The title race, though? That’s where it gets interesting. The Minnesota Lynx now lead the pack at +180, just ahead of the New York Liberty at +190. These two have owned the top of the standings all season, but Minnesota taking over as the favorite is a new shift. Back on July 11, New York held the edge at +190 with the Lynx behind at +220. So, what changed?
Minnesota’s now 23–5, riding the league’s best record with a five-game cushion over the Liberty. New York’s gone 6–4 in their last ten, but Minnesota? They lead the league in offensive rating (109.1) and defensive rating (95.9). It’s not just Collier — though she did drop 30 in a recent 100–93 win over New York. Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams keep pouring in points, while Collier and Alanna Smith hold it down on defense (Smith’s averaging 2.1 blocks a night). This team isn’t just good — they’re for real.
<hr />
WNBA Best Bets and Weekend Preview
LA Sparks at Seattle Storm — Friday, August 1, 10:00 PM ET
Los Angeles finally got Cameron Brink back after she missed nearly a full year recovering from a torn ACL just a month into her rookie season. The 6&#8217;4&#8243; forward out of Stanford played 14 minutes in her return, easing in with five points and three rebounds. On Friday, she and the Sparks face a Seattle Storm team creeping up the standings after winning six of their last 10. Nneka Ogwumike isn’t showing her age — at 35, she’s putting up 17.4 points, 7.1 boards, and just dropped 26 in Seattle’s blowout win over the Sun.
Seattle’s still just 9th in offensive rating (101.7), but defensively they’re elite — second in the league with a 97.7 rating and allowing only 77.6 points per game. LA, meanwhile, saw its five-game win streak snapped by a 34-point barrage from A’ja Wilson on Tuesday and now has to dig in for another tough matchup. Offensively, the Sparks rank 8th, but they’ve struggled to take care of the ball, posting a TOV% of 19.5% —second-worst in the league. Look, I’m thrilled Brink is back. She’s essential to what LA wants to do defensively, but there’s no shot Lynne Roberts unleashes her for heavy minutes just yet. And against a disciplined, defensive-minded Seattle team? Yeah, I’m taking the Storm.
Lean: SEA -5.5
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Nneka Ogwumike Over 16.5 Points (-125)</a>
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Minnesota Lynx at Las Vegas Aces — Saturday, August 2, 3:00 PM ET
What’s better than a showdown between the reigning MVP and the current MVP frontrunner? Maybe a Finals rematch… but we already got that. So next up? Lynx vs. Aces. A’ja Wilson is coming off a monster 34-point, double-double performance in a win over the red-hot Sparks. She was also one of our two Queens of the Court during DraftKings Sportsbook’s July 22 promo <a href="https://dknetwork.draftkings.com/2025/07/22/draftkings-queen-of-the-court-wnba-picks-for-july-22/">(you saw that, right?).</a> Jackie Young has been quietly leveling up too, dropping her first career triple-double in that same win and averaging 17.0 PPG — the second-best mark of her career.
The Aces are riding real momentum heading into Saturday, but this isn’t just any opponent — they’re running into the MVP favorite and the Finals favorite. Minnesota’s defense is no joke, allowing just 76 points per game, anchored by Alanna Smith’s rim protection and Napheesa Collier’s perimeter lockdown work. So here’s the question: can the Lynx contain A’ja Wilson? Because if they can’t, Vegas might just flip the script on the top seed.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/event/min-lynx-%40-lv-aces/32593377?category=odds&amp;subcategory=game-lines">PICK: MIN LYNX -6 (-110)</a>
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<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o%2Fu">PICK: Paige Bueckers Over 17.5 Points (+100)</a>
After digging into this weekend’s slate, there’s one more pick I’ve got to lock in, and it’s all about Ms. Buckets. Paige Bueckers has been everything the Wings could’ve hoped for in her rookie season: averaging 18.3 points, 5.5 assists, and logging ten 20+ point games already. She became just the 10th rookie to ever start a WNBA All-Star Game, and she’s doing it all efficiently — shooting 45.2% from the field, 34.6% from three, and keeping her turnovers low at just 2.1 per game.
She’s been steady, smart, and adapted well. With that in mind, I’ve got no hesitation backing her to hit over 17.5 points against the Fever on Friday. Give Paige her flowers!
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All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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wnba-best-bets-for-august-1

WNBA Best Bets for August 1: Weekend Preview and Finals Winner Odds

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-199787" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png" alt="" width="2560" height="100" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-300x12.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1024x40.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-768x30.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1536x60.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-2048x80.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Editor&#8217;s Note: Read more WNBA coverage from the Athletic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/wnba/">here</a>. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.
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<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-201242" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/07/Thumbnail-32-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Tiffany Hayes breathes harder now.
So hard, she can hear herself. Sometimes, she’ll just be sitting, fully relaxed. But her breathing would sound as if she were running. Like she’s mid-workout. Like it’s a struggle.
It’s been some two months since Hayes took a blow to the nostrils on a post-up by Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin. The injury leaves her nasal passage still restricted. The wheeze lives with her for now, until she can address it comprehensively in the offseason. A black protective mask covers her face during games. Multiple hits to the face since then remind her of its necessity.
“The mask is staying for now,” said Hayes, affectionately dubbed “Tip” by most. “It’s chippy out here. People just do a little too much sometimes. So, yeah, it’s definitely going to stay. I like the mask. ‘Masked Tip’ be hooping.”
The irony, though, is that Hayes is breathing easier than she ever has.
Because what she’s inhaling now isn’t the stale, recycled air of others’ expectations. The pressurized toxicity of outside validation no longer fills her lungs. That was another life. Another version of Tip. The Hayes who did what others thought was best. Who quietly pursued affirmation in praise and accolades, who found value in their attainment.
This Hayes, the one who came out of retirement and won Sixth Woman of the Year in 2024, the one who assumed the leadership role of the expansion Golden State Valkyries, has found something rare in pro sports.
Peace.
“I used to do things that were best for other people, and I regret it,” she says now. “So I just try to do what’s best for me. And it’s been working out great.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Perfect tip to Tip 🎯
Kayla Thornton finds Tiffany Hayes for three!
PHX-GSV | League Pass <a href="https://t.co/Aoavmk8xMv">pic.twitter.com/Aoavmk8xMv</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1944960882087182531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The signing of Hayes, infusing her into the building blocks of this infant franchise, has been one of the best moves in this surprising season.
It took Hayes a long time to reach this enlightenment. She’ll be 36 in September. She’s in her 13th season. But she looks and plays 10 years younger thanks to the fresh air she’s found above the fray. Her value, she’s convinced, is independent of accolades. Her game, her character, her contributions to whatever team she’s on — they’re valuable no matter who sees them.
The peace she owns made jumping into the expansion life an easy call for Hayes. It explains why she seems to be loving it, why she embraces being in the center of this patchwork huddle.
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She came to the Bay without fanfare. No billboard. Just a lowkey deal between a veteran who’d seen it all and a franchise just opening its eyes. Golden State needed credibility. Someone who wouldn’t flinch at what was to come. Hayes needed freedom to be herself, play her game. A place where she could be Tip.
They found each other at the perfect time.
“To be a pioneer is hard,” Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said. “This was an opportunity to co-create an experience that would be beneficial for both. She has a beautiful entrepreneurial spirit. And what I pretty much told her was that this is a class in entrepreneurship — 101 to 501 in one year. To really put an idea to paper. To give us a precious year of her career to help build what we thought would be something amazing. … And she took a chance.”
Expansion teams can be a mess. Overwhelmed to the point of disorganization. A locker room lacking cohesion from its hurried collaboration, loaded with misfit pieces and fringe players hoping to carve out relevance.
But the Valkyries? They’ve been shockingly cohesive. Professional. Even joyful at times. They hit a rough patch before the All-Star break, losing five of six. But they’re still in the playoff hunt.
Somehow, Golden State has made it work. In part because of Hayes.
Hayes starred at UConn — from the 90 straight wins era — and spent 10 years with the Atlanta Dream. She made her lone WNBA All-Star appearance in 2017. Should have been more than one, if you ask her. Hayes is now on her third team in three seasons. She retired and came back. She’s started and come off the bench. She excelled at scoring and played defense. She’s played for Team USA and the Azerbaijan women’s national team. Her wealth of experiences made her ideal for this inaugural season. She came in equipped to deal with just about whatever would come.
Including the warmth she’s found. The camaraderie of being on a team furnished with overcomers.
“I still believe that I was an underdog in most of my career,” Hayes said, “and kind of unseen for most of my career. I’ve been having my head down and being a good professional and playing my hardest every single season I’ve been in the league. So to be on a team full of people like that, and a team full of people who want everybody to the left and right to succeed, it’s super dope to be part of. So I’m grateful.”
Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase predicted this. She told Nyanin to go and get Hayes. Nyanin didn’t know Hayes. She knew she’d never heard a bad word about her, and remembers appreciating her reasoning for opting out of the WNBA bubble in 2020.
But Nakase was with Hayes last season in Las Vegas. Nakase was an assistant coach as Hayes came out of retirement to average 9.5 points in 21 minutes off the bench — shooting 50 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from 3.
According to Nyanin, Nakase was certain Hayes would be ideal for the locker room. Nakase knew she’d need a true vet. She also knew Hayes deserved an opportunity like this, to be liberated as a player and leader.
Nakase was proven right immediately. One illustrative moment came after she sustained a nose injury. Hayes missed the next three games. Upon her return, coaches were considering lineup combinations — including Hayes coming off the bench. An early chance to create tension in this new relationship.
But Hayes was clear. She told coaches she didn’t come to the Valkyries to start. She came to win. Whatever it takes.
“And to hear that from your ultimate vet, the person who took a chance on this new franchise,” Nyanin explained. “There’s been a ton of growth (in Hayes), and I’m just grateful to be a part of it.”
Her teammates call her auntie. Auntie Tip.
Auntie is a term of endearment, a reference to the mom-aged woman young people like being around. Aunties are cool, with their cocoa butter and classic music. They don’t call her Auntie Tip just because she’s the eldest on the squad and eight years above the league average. It’s an appreciation of her sophistication and polish. Recognition of the swag that comes with her experience.
“I don’t mind it though,” Hayes said. “It’s whatever. I don’t look like your auntie. I probably look younger than you. But go off.”
Hayes embodies the Valkyrie’s personality. The urgency. The rebellious energy. The aggressiveness. It’s the character of the roster and the foundation of the new franchise. The freedom to compete, to be uninhibited in pursuit of victory.
One play in Minnesota earlier this month, she lost her shoe during a possession and tossed it aside. She ended the same possession by draining a 30-footer. The type of moment to laugh about in film sessions. The type of moment that’s memorable because it meant more than it looked. It was gritty. Unorthodox. Unbothered. Just like this team.
Hayes sets the whatever-it-takes tone. Whether being glued to Caitlin Clark — which is why she’s 7 of 26 from the field against the Valkyries this season, including 2 of 12 from 3 — or lighting up Seattle like she did at Chase Center in June. Hayes’ energy, which still seems endless, feeds the team.
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TUFF BUCKET TIFFANY HAYES!
Tip is up to 14 PTS and counting for the <a href="https://twitter.com/valkyries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@valkyries</a> 
NYL-GSV | League Pass <a href="https://t.co/Iz8xT2a2R9">pic.twitter.com/Iz8xT2a2R9</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1938066307871584733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Mask on, motor humming, cutting through defenders like it’s 2015 again. There’s still fire in her game. She still boasts the first-step quickness that made her a menace in Atlanta. But what Hayes has now is a calm spirit to match.
Hayes worked for this peace. Earned it. Built it brick by brick out of heartbreak, hard lessons, and a whole lot of self-reflection. Emotionally. Mentally. She’s never been clearer.
She meditates. She prays. She enjoys uplifting music. She savors good food. She consumes fashion. And that’s not to say she likes nice clothes. She can rock gigantic fur pants, or shorts with a blazer, or incorporate 10 ties into her outfit — and make it all look fly.
It’s all part of her bent to stimulate her mind and body.
“I don’t even like to be associated with negativity,” Hayes continued. “Nowadays it’s just like people feed off that, especially in the W. People, the fans, feed off of negativity, and it just seems like that’s growing a little too much for me. And I don’t really like that. So I try to stay out of it. I try to duck the smoke, like the kids say, whatever that is.”
It’s easier to breathe that way.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/marcus-thompson-ii/">Marcus Thompson II</a> is a lead columnist at The Athletic. He is a prominent voice in the Bay Area sports scene after 18 years with Bay Area News Group, including 10 seasons covering the Warriors and four as a columnist. Marcus is also the author of the best-selling biography &#8220;GOLDEN: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry.&#8221;
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How Masked Veteran Tiffany Hayes Has Breathed Life into the Valkyries’ Inaugural Season

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REGARDING THE MAKING OF THE WNBA SCHEDULE
Why are there multiple games on at the same time? Unless a specific game time is required for an allotted national broadcast/streaming window, each WNBA team selects the start time for their home games, taking into account the optimal start times for fans in their market. The WNBA is similar to other sports leagues that have a lot of regular season games start at the same time to accommodate fans who attend games (such as NFL Sundays, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc.). 
 
Who is responsible for scheduling? The league office works with the teams and arenas, who submit to the league a list of dates on which the venues are available. The league then creates the schedule while factoring in additional elements such as, game density, travel, available windows provided by the broadcast networks and streaming partners, key matchups creating compelling national broadcast content, etc. 
 
Why do some teams play games on consecutive days? While WNBA teams infrequently play games on back-to-back dates, “back-to-backs” do occur in the WNBA as teams play more games than those on the college level.  In scheduling games, the WNBA, teams, and our broadcast and streaming partners take into account such variables as arena availability, the maximization of weekend games, travel efficiency, etc. and work to minimize the number of back-to-backs or where possible, schedule them so that the team having the back-to-back has two home games in a row.
Why are there some dates with no games? Dates on which there are no games are a product of a variety of factors including the potential lack of arena availability, an effort to reduce back-to-back games for a team(s), scheduling for reasonable travel by teams, fan demand in attending games on weekends versus weeknights particularly during the school year, filling predetermined broadcast windows (such as scheduling a minimum of two games on Fridays for the standard ION doubleheader the next night, having teams available for predetermined CBS and/or ABC windows on Saturdays, etc.).
Why aren&#8217;t games being televised? There are no other sports televised today, and all these games are on League Pass. Not all games are intended to be nationally televised (similar to other sports with a number of games at or above that of the WNBA). The WNBA has a set number of national TV games as agreed upon with our broadcast and streaming partners, some games are purposely reserved for local/regional broadcast partners, and all non- nationally broadcast or streamed games are available on WNBA League Pass.

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