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SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 1, 2016) – 
The San Antonio Stars today announced that forward Dearica Hamby will miss the remainder of the 2016 season.  Hamby is pregnant and expecting her first child.  She averaged 9.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 25 starts with the Stars this season.
“Dearica is a wonderful woman and she has our full support during this exciting time,” said head coach Dan Hughes. “We are thrilled for Dearica and Alonzo as they focus on preparing for the addition to their family.”

Playoffs

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2025-wnba-postseason-faq

2025 WNBA Postseason: FAQ and Things to Know

Betting + Odds

The Minnesota Lynx enter the 2025 WNBA playoffs as the clear betting favorites to win the championship.
Minnesota is a +105 favorite at the BetMGM <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports">online sportsbook</a>, meaning it has an implied probability of 48.78% to win the title. At these odds, a $10 bet would net a $10.50 profit if the Lynx won the WNBA Finals.
The Lynx, who suffered a 3-2 series loss to the New York Liberty in last year’s WNBA Finals, started the season with the fourth-best odds of winning it all. They were +400 in mid-May, trailing the Liberty (+225), Las Vegas Aces (+275), and Indiana Fever (+300).
Minnesota has been the best team in the league all year, getting off to a 9-0 start before eventually claiming the No. 1 overall seed by a comfortable margin. However, the Lynx didn’t pass the Liberty as <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-championship-odds-bm23/">WNBA championship odds</a> favorites until August.
At their current odds, the Lynx will begin the postseason as bigger championship favorites than the Liberty were at this time last year. New York started Round 1 with a +120 price tag of winning the title. Las Vegas, meanwhile, was -145 to win the championship at the start of the 2023 playoffs.
The Liberty and Aces begin as the biggest threats to the Lynx’s first championship since 2017. Both teams are trading at +350, giving them an implied probability of 22.22%. 
As the No. 5 seed, New York would have to face Minnesota in the semifinals. The Aces wouldn’t have to face the Lynx until the WNBA Finals, as they are on opposite sides of the bracket.
New York won its first title in franchise history last year, but has dealt with multiple injuries in its encore season. The Aces, who won the championship in 2022 and 2023, are the hottest team in the league ahead of the playoffs after making a change to their starting lineup.
The Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury have been the biggest risers in the championship market after both teams started with a 40/1 value in the preseason. Atlanta is +800, while Phoenix comes in at +1600.
Rounding out the playoff picture, the Seattle Storm (+4000), Golden State Valkyries (+12500), and Indiana Fever (+20000) are all considered long shots to win it all.
This year’s postseason will begin on Sunday, with Game 1 of all four Round 1 matchups slated to take place.
&nbsp;
WNBA Championship Odds 2025
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Lynx +105</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Liberty +350</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Aces +350</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Dream +800</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Mercury +1600</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Storm +4000</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Valkyries +12500</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Fever +20000</li>
</ul>
Visit the BetMGM sportsbook throughout the season for updated WNBA futures, including <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports/basketball-7/betting/usa-9/wnba-402">WNBA Finals odds</a>. You can also view updated <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/latest-sports-betting-promotions-offers-betmgm-2/">sportsbook promos</a>, including a First Bet Offer for eligible new customers.

2025-wnba-playoffs-favorites

Lynx Enter Postseason as Championship Favorites

Awards

NEW YORK, September 10, 2025 – The WNBA today announced Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles has been named the recipient of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award, recognizing her extraordinary commitment to service, social justice, and creating lasting impact in the communities she serves.
Named for WNBA legend and Hall of Famer Dawn Staley, the award honors a current WNBA player who best exemplifies the characteristics of a leader in the community where they work or live. The award’s recipient embodies Staley’s spirit, leadership, charitable efforts, love for the game, and inspirational presence in their community.
This marks the second time Charles has earned the award – first in 2012 as a rising star, and now as a veteran leader whose impact and dedication have only deepened over time.
This year, Charles will reach a powerful milestone in her community work, placing the 500th Automated External Defibrillator (AED) through her Hopey’s Heart Foundation. What began as a personal mission has grown into a life-saving legacy, fueled by her determination to ensure schools, recreation centers, and communities across the country have access to critical resources. Charles founded the Hopey’s Heart Foundation in 2013 in honor of her late aunt, Maureen “Hopey” Vaz, to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and provide AEDs to organizations in need.
Hopey’s Heart remains a family-run foundation, with Charles and her loved ones dedicating countless hours to outreach, research, education, and fundraising. This year, Yale New Haven Health pledged $20,000 to support AED distribution, enabling the foundation to reach the 500-device milestone.
Charles has also engaged fans through team-based initiatives, including a rebounding challenge that allowed supporters to pledge donations tied to her on-court performance. Beyond fundraising, she has been a visible ambassador for heart health, speaking at community events, health fairs, and awareness campaigns such as the American Heart Health Month.
“In every aspect of her game and character, Tina stands as a representation of the ideals and spirit of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Throughout her remarkable career, Tina has consistently used her platform to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. Her dedication to service, advocacy, and giving back to the community reflects the values that define our league. Tina continues to build a legacy that will inspire generations to come.”
Charles’ impact extends beyond Hopey’s Heart. In 2012, she personally funded the construction of a school in Mali, opening educational opportunities for hundreds of children. In New York City, Charles launched Hopey’s Week, a series of sports safety clinics focused on concussion prevention and injury awareness. She has also been a vocal advocate for racial and social justice, using her platform to elevate community voices and push for systemic change.
“Tina Charles exemplifies what it means to be a leader both on and off the court. We are thrilled to recognize her tireless efforts beyond the game over the course of her career, creating a profound and permanent impact within the entire sports community,” said Dawn Staley. “This award signifies the lasting legacy that leadership leaves behind. Tina embodies the values and hard work that continue to inspire her teammates, fellow athletes, fans, and members of her community.”
“Through my mother at a young age, I learned the importance of being a servant unto others, and receiving the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award is truly special for me — especially for Hopey’s Heart Foundation to receive this honor through its work in raising awareness for sudden cardiac arrest,” said Tina Charles. “I started the foundation in April of 2013 and never thought its impact would cast as wide as it has. I’m thankful to everyone who has supported the foundation along the way. Thank you.”
A designated committee selected Charles as the winner of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. The WNBA will make a $10,000 donation to Charles’ charitable foundation, Hopey’s Heart Foundation.
###

2025-dawn-staley-community-leadership-award

Connecticut Sun's Tina Charles Earns Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award

Power Rankings

With only four days remaining in the regular season, this is our final power rankings of the 2025 campaign.
Over the past week, the playoff picture has continued to come into focus, with seven of the eight spots secured. However, the final 11 games on the regular-season schedule will be important to deciding seeding as well as the final playoff berth.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s In: Lynx, Aces, Dream, Mercury, Liberty, Valkyries, Fever</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s Out: Mystics, Sun, Sky, Wings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s In The Mix: Storm, Sparks</li>
</ul>
As the regular season wraps and the playoffs draw near, we take a look at each team’s season as a whole and how we got to this final snapshot of the league rankings.
<hr />
✅ Who’s In: Clinched Playoff Berth
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203367" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-86.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-86.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-86-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-86-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-86-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
1. Minnesota Lynx (33-9)
Last Week: 1 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. at IND, Thur. vs. GSV
The Lynx are 33-9 with two games to play, meaning they are guaranteed to finish with a win percentage of at least .750 (33-11). Why is that significant? All six times the Lynx have finished the regular season with a win percentage of .750 or better they have gone on to make the WNBA Finals (2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2024). Can Napheesa Collier and Co. make it seven-for-seven as they enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed?
2. Las Vegas Aces (28-14)
Last Week: 2 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. vs. CHI, Thur. at LAS
A search for the phrase “peaking at the right time” should show A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces as the top results. The Aces enter their final two games of the regular season looking to extend a franchise-record 14-game win streak that has vaulted them to No. 2 in the standings – via a tiebreaker over the Atlanta (3-0 season series lead) – and looking as dangerous as any team entering the postseason.
3. Atlanta Dream (28-14)
Last Week: 3 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Mon. vs. CON, Wed. at CON
Riding a four-game win streak, Atlanta closes the regular season with a home-and-home with Connecticut. Sweeping those two games would see the Dream finish 30-14, cementing the best regular season (.681 win percentage) in franchise history – surpassing the 23-11 (.676) by the 2018 squad and doubling last season’s win total (15-25). The next challenge is the postseason, where Atlanta looks to win a series for the first time since 2016.
4. Phoenix Mercury (27-15)
Last Week: 4 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. vs. LAS, Thur. at DAL
The Mercury completely overhauled their roster last offseason – returning only two players from the 2024 squad. The culmination of those moves is a squad that has locked up home-court advantage in the opening round (PHX holds tiebreaker over NY) and is two wins away from matching the franchise record for wins in a season (29 in 2014) with two games to play. Prior to this season, Phoenix has won 23 or more games three times in a season – they won the Finals all three times.
5. New York Liberty (25-17)
Last Week: 5 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. vs. WAS, Thur. at CHI
The Liberty will open their title defense on the road as they are locked into the 5-seed – New York does not have tiebreaker over only team they can catch (1-3 vs. Phoenix), but does hold the tiebreaker over the only team that can match them (3-1 vs. Golden State). But a key question entering their championship defense is health. Breanna Stewart has averaged a team-high 17.6 ppg, 6.4 reb and 1.4 bpg in five games since returning from a knee injury. However, Sabrina Ionescu has missed the past four games (toe) and Nyara Sabally has not played since mid-July (knee). 
6. Golden State Valkyries (23-19)
Last Week: 6 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. at SEA, Thur. at MIN
The Valkyries made history with Thursday’s win over Dallas, becoming the first expansion team to clinch a playoff berth in their inaugural season. Although a loss to the Lynx on Saturday snapped a five-game win streak, Golden State is guaranteed a winning record in its debut season – setting a foundation to build upon in the years to come as well as the present in the Valkyries’s first postseason.
7. Indiana Fever (23-20)
Last Week: 8 ⬆️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. vs. MIN
On Thursday, Caitlin Clark announced that she would miss the remainder of the season after being limited to 13 games in her sophomore season. However, three days later, the Fever defeated the Mystics to clinch a playoff berth for the second straight year following a seven-season playoff drought. Indiana has overcome multiple injuries – particularly in their backcourt –to not only stay in the playoff hunt, but lock up a top-seven finish.
<hr />
👀 In The Hunt: Two Teams Competing For One Spot
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203368" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-87.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-87.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-87-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-87-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
8. Seattle Storm (22-21)
Last Week: 7 ⬇️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. vs. GSV
The Storm have a magic number of one with one game remaining in the regular season, meaning one Storm win or one Sparks loss will clinch a playoff berth for Seattle. With a veteran-laden roster led by Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins, this team has been built to make a playoff run now, but may need to do so from the 8-seed. At the All-Star break, the Storm (14-9) were in fourth place, but an 8-12 run post All-Star has dropped them into a battle for the final playoff spot.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (20-22)
Last Week: 9 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. at PHX, Thur. vs. LVA
L.A. must win its final two games (at Phoenix, vs. red-hot Vegas) and have Seattle lose its regular-season finale (vs. Golden State) in order to secure the final playoff spot. While the Sparks may fall short of reaching the postseason for the first time since 2020, they have already made a 12-win improvement over last season when they won a franchise-low eight games. That’s the season’s second-highest wins leap behind only Atlanta’s 13-win jump from 2024 to 2025.
<hr />
🚫 Who’s Out: Eliminated From Playoffs
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203369" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-88.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-88.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-88-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-88-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
10. Washington Mystics (16-27)
Last Week: 10 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. at NYL
After an offseason of change – Elena Delle Donne retired, Ariel Atkins traded, new head coach and general manager and three top-six picks in the 2025 Draft – the Mystics exceeded projections early in the season, entering the All-Star break in seventh place at .500 (11-11) – sending Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen to Indy as the league’s first All-Star rookie teammates since 1999. However, after trading leading scorer Brittney Sykes to Seattle at the deadline for more future assets, the Mystics have gone 5-16 since the break to fall out of the playoff picture.
11. Connecticut Sun (11-31)
Last Week: 11 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Mon. at ATL, Wed. vs. ATL
The Sun knocked on the championship door for eight straight seasons from 2017-2024 – racking up a league-high 181 regular-season wins during that span, but never breaking through to win the franchise’s first championship. The core of that team was broken up in the offseason as the Sun began a rebuild. With a new-look roster featuring five rookies, the Sun struggled early, entering the All-Star break at 3-19. However, they have gone 8-12 since the break thanks to key contributions from veterans Marina Mabrey and Tina Charles and the development of their young talent.
12. Chicago Sky (10-32)
Last Week: 12 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Tue. at LVA, Thur. vs. NYL
The Sky will cap off a challenging season with a challenging final two games, facing two teams that won the past three WNBA titles – Las Vegas (2022 &amp; 2023 champs) and New York (2024 champs) to conclude the 2025 campaign. Chicago struggled with consistency (they won consecutive games only two times all year) and offensive production (currently last at 75.9 points per game). Key injuries to Courtney Vandersloot (torn ACL after seven games) and Angel Reese (Sky went 1-9 in her 10 games missed with a back injury) played a key role as Chicago has its fewest wins since its inaugural season in 2006.
13. Dallas Wings (9-34)
Last Week: 13 ↔️
Remaining Schedule: Thur. vs. PHX
The Wings close out their season on Thursday against the Mercury looking to snap a 10-game losing streak and earn their 10th win of the season. Dallas’ season has featured a mix of highs and lows. No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers has shined, ranked in the top eight in the league in scoring (5th, 19.1), assists (8th, 5.3), steals (5th, 1.6) and minutes (4th, 33.4). However, the team struggled on defense (last in points allowed at 88.3 per game) and through injuries (only three players have appeared in 30+ games). Outside of a seven-game stretch from June 17-July 3 when the Wings went 5-2 with wins over three playoff teams, Dallas has gone 4-32 while enduring five losing streaks of 4+ games.

2025-wnba-power-rankings-week-14

2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 14

Team News

<div>
		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
	</div>

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Photo Gallery: 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The 2025 WNBA regular season has officially entered its final week, with the playoff picture still simmering. Only Minnesota has locked in their spot at the top, while the race for the remaining seven remains wide open.
The postseason tips off on September 14, and two teams are heating up at exactly the right time: the Las Vegas Aces have surged to clinch a playoff berth behind an incredible 13-game winning streak, while the Phoenix Mercury are keeping pace, riding momentum into the postseason.
Let’s take a look at the latest <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA odds</a> for the WNBA Finals, give a weekend preview, and I’ll share my best bets for Friday and Saturday&#8217;s 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 />
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=team-futures&amp;subcategory=champion">2025 WNBA Finals Odds</a>
The Favorite: MIN Lynx (+120)
<hr />
There hasn’t been much shake-up in the WNBA Finals market. Minnesota holds steady as the favorite at +120, leading the league at 32–9 with a comfortable cushion in the standings. Backed by the league’s top offensive and defensive ratings, the Lynx secured the No. 1 seed with authority and continue to prove their dominance by winning seven of their last 10 contests.
With Napheesa Collier anchoring their attack, a defense capable of shutting down any opponent, and the depth to wear teams down, Minnesota stands as the undeniable frontrunner to capture the championship.
WNBA Best Bets and Weekend Preview
Los Angeles Sparks at Atlanta Dream — Friday, September 5th, 7:30 PM ET
With the Atlanta Dream already locked into the postseason, all the pressure shifts to the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday. The Sparks have dropped five of their last 10 — including an 86–75 loss to Atlanta in their last matchup — and find themselves scrambling on the playoff bubble. In that game, Dearica Hamby dropped 21 points and nine boards while Kelsey Plum added 18 points and seven assists, but the Sparks couldn’t match the Dream’s depth. Rhyne Howard poured in 19, Brionna Jones notched her 12th double-double, and five Atlanta players finished in double figures.
Atlanta brings the league’s second-best offensive rating into a matchup with Los Angeles’ shaky defense, ranked fourth-worst overall and prone to giving up clean looks from deep. Unless the Sparks find defensive consistency in a hurry, the Dream are poised to make it two straight, and I&#8217;m liking Howard to lead the charge from beyond the arc.
Lean: ATL -6.5
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-threes&amp;subcategory=threes-o-u">PICK: Rhyne Howard Over 3.5 Three-Pointers Made (+135)</a>
New York Liberty at Seattle Storm — Friday, September 5th, 10:00 PM ET
It’s been anything but smooth sailing for the Liberty this season, with injuries derailing the reigning champions and stars missing extended stretches — the latest setback being Sabrina Ionescu’s absence. Without her steady scoring presence, New York has dropped two straight, including a rough 66–58 loss to the Golden State Valkyries. While they&#8217;ve still officially clinched a playoff spot, the Liberty have their work cut out for them as the playoffs near.
Up next is Seattle, a team that’s been wildly inconsistent down the stretch, beating Finals favorite Minnesota 93–79 one night, then coughing up a 17-point lead to fall 91–85 against Los Angeles two games later. If the Storm can close the season with back-to-back wins, they’ll hit the postseason at .500 and with momentum. However, to knock off New York, they’ll need a locked-in defensive effort and big outings from Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike to overcome the Liberty’s still-lethal attack, which ranks third in the league in offensive rating (105.6).
Lean: NY +2
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=player-points&amp;subcategory=points-o-u">PICK: Nneka Ogwumike Over 17.5 Points (-120)</a>
Phoenix Mercury at Connecticut Sun — Saturday, September 6th, 1:00 PM
The Mercury are scorching right now. Winners of six straight, Phoenix finally has its big three, Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, and Alyssa Thomas, all healthy and rolling at the same time. Thomas has been nothing short of electric, racking up a league-record seven triple-doubles while stuffing the stat sheet on a nightly basis, and the Mercury’s surge has pushed them into the top three in the standings. Fresh off a 75–69 win over the Mystics, they head into Saturday with a prime chance to keep the streak alive against a fading Connecticut team. 
The Sun are already out of the playoff picture, stuck near the bottom of the standings with the league’s worst offensive rating (96.2) and third-worst defensive rating (108.8). This is exactly the kind of matchup Phoenix should dominate, and with a playoff spot already locked up, I expect the Mercury to treat the rest of the season as chemistry and momentum building reps.
<a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba?category=game-lines&amp;subcategory=game">PICK: PHO -10.5 (-110)</a>
<hr />
All season long, I’ll be tracking the <a href="https://sportsbook.draftkings.com/leagues/basketball/wnba">WNBA Odds</a> for MVP, Finals Winner and more right here!
<hr />
All odds and lines provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and are subject to change.
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Dearica Hamby Will Miss Remainder Of 2016 Season

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