Jay Wood

On Thursday morning, @WNBA had a backstage pass to watch one of the league&#8217;s best at work.
Reigning MVP Elena Delle Donne clearly isn&#8217;t resting on her laurels. After putting together <a href="http://www.wnba.com/elena-delle-donne-mvp-hub/" target="_blank">one of the league&#8217;s all-time great seasons</a>, EDD has been back in the gym during the offseason honing her skills.
See for yourself:
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Count on <a href="https://twitter.com/De11eDonne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@De11eDonne</a> to start early and finish late. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/jCZodwJk3J">pic.twitter.com/jCZodwJk3J</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/710453828873789440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Getting in some reps w/ reigning MVP <a href="https://twitter.com/De11eDonne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@De11eDonne</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WatchMeWork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WatchMeWork</a> <a href="https://t.co/T0mPJG6tOr">https://t.co/T0mPJG6tOr</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/710511381540429826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Uncategorized

It&#8217;s 2025 WNBA Assists Week! Who had the best dime-dropping action from the 2025 season?
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<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.
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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>
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<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.
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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>
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<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.
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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>
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<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>

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2025 WNBA Assists Week: Best in Ball Movement

Draft

– Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky 
to Take Part in WNBA Draft Lottery 2026 –
NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2025 – The WNBA Draft Lottery 2026 will be broadcast on Sunday, Nov. 23, on ESPN, the WNBA announced today.
ESPN will air the 30-minute, WNBA Draft Lottery Special at 6:30 p.m. ET with WNBA Head of League Operations Bethany Donaphin revealing the results of the Lottery during ESPN’s coverage.  This marks the 14th consecutive year that ESPN networks will present the WNBA Draft Lottery.
The Dallas Wings, Minnesota Lynx, Seattle Storm, Washington Mystics, and Chicago Sky will take part in the 25th annual WNBA Draft Lottery. The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 13, 2026.
Lottery odds are based on the two-year (2024 and 2025) cumulative records of the five teams that did not make the playoffs in the most recent season. With a cumulative record of 19-65, the Wings will have the most assigned combinations (420 out of 1,000) and are guaranteed at least the third pick.
As the result of a prior trade between Minnesota and Chicago (23-61), the Lynx possess the Sky’s first round pick and will have 261 chances out of 1,000 to win the top pick. Seattle, which owns the Los Angeles Sparks’ (29-55) first round pick by virtue of a January 2024 trade, has the third-most chances (167).
Washington, 30-54 over the past two seasons, has 97 chances out of 1,000 to win the top pick, and Chicago, which owns the Connecticut Sun’s (39-45) first round selection, has the fifth most chances (55).
In the drawing, 14 balls numbered 1-14 will be placed in a lottery machine and mixed.  Four balls will be drawn to determine a four-digit combination.  The team assigned that four-ball combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The four balls will then be placed back into the machine and the process will be repeated to determine the second pick.  Of the three teams not selected in the drawings, the team with the worst cumulative two-year record shall select third; the team with the next worst record will select fourth; and the remaining team shall select fifth.
A representative from the league’s independent accounting firm Ernst &amp; Young will be in attendance to oversee the Draft Lottery process.
Below are the number of chances for teams to land the top pick in WNBA Draft Lottery 2026.
<table style="width: 94.5191%" width="705">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Team</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">Combined 2024-2025 Record</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">Chances (out of 1,000)</td>
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<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Dallas Wings</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">19-65</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">420</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Minnesota Lynx from Chicago Sky</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">23-61*</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">261</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Seattle Storm from Los Angeles Sparks</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">29-55^</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">167</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Washington Mystics</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">30-54</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 46.077%" width="333">Chicago Sky from Connecticut Sun</td>
<td style="width: 29.8146%" width="212">39-45+</td>
<td style="width: 39.4339%" width="160">55</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
* Chicago and Minnesota have extinguished Minnesota’s right to swap its own first round pick for Chicago’s own first round pick and Chicago has traded its own first round pick to Minnesota (Sika Koné, Nikolina Milić, 4/14/24), (Draft picks, 4/13/25)
^ Los Angeles has traded its own first round pick to Seattle (Kia Nurse, 1/31/24)
+ Phoenix has traded its own first round pick to Chicago (Kahleah Copper, Morgan Bertsch, Michaela Onyenwere, Brianna Turner, 2/6/24) and Chicago has swapped Phoenix’s first round pick for Connecticut’s own first round pick (Marina Mabrey, Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, 7/17/24)
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WNBA Draft Lottery 2026 To Take Place Sunday, Nov. 23 on ESPN

Press Release

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-205477" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/HOF-1.png" alt="" width="2032" height="240" />
The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame (WBHOF), the sole institution dedicated to women’s basketball, has officially announced its Class of 2026. This organization honors both national and international contributors to the women’s game.
“We are honored to pay tribute to eight distinguished legends of this exceptional sport,” said WBHOF President Dana Hart. “They exemplify the highest standards in women’s basketball and have made substantial contributions to the sport, along with shaping the game’s historical trajectory.”
The class includes four players: Delaware and Chicago Sky legend, <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Elena%20Delle%20Donne%20Bio.pdf">Elena Delle Donne</a>; University of Tennessee and WNBA great, <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Candace%20Parker%20Bio.pdf">Candace Parker</a>; international players, <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Isabelle%20Fijalkowski%20Bio.pdf">Isabelle Fijalkowski</a> and <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Amaya%20Valdemoro%20Bio.pdf">Amaya Valdemoro</a>. 
Longtime WNBA and Team USA coach, <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Cheryl%20Reeve%20Bio.pdf">Cheryl Reeve</a>; 36-year Kirkwood Community College head coach and NJCAA Hall of Famer, <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Kim%20Muhl%20Bio.pdf">Kim Muhl</a>.
The class is completed with <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Doris%20Burke%20Bio%20Updated.pdf">Doris Burke</a>, a contributor for her work at ESPN as an analyst for women’s basketball and a multi-year First-team All-ACC recipient, and <a href="Class%20of%202026%20Bios/Barbara%20Kennedy-Dixon%20Bio.pdf">Barbara Kennedy-Dixon</a>, a posthumous Veteran honoree. 
The Tennessee Theatre will host the induction ceremony on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Each Inductee is awarded the Berenson Trophy, sponsored by Smith College, and named in honor of notable Smith College coach Senda Berenson, who is recognized as the “Mother of Women’s Basketball.”  Each Inductee will also be presented with a WBHOF Ring, presented by Baron Championship Rings.
The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame’s mission is to honor the sport’s history, celebrate current achievements, and promote future advancements in the game of women’s basketball.

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Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Announces the 2026 Inductees

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-205459" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2025 – Golden State Valkyries president Jess Smith has been named the inaugural recipient of the WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award presented by Deloitte, the WNBA announced today.
The new award recognizes a WNBA team president, nominated by their organization, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving meaningful business transformation.
Teams submitted their business case for how the leader, and their team, excelled across four key business transformation categories including people and culture, revenue generation, stakeholder engagement, and innovation. All submissions were reviewed and voted upon by a committee of league leadership, led by Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison.
In Golden State’s inaugural season, Smith assembled a full-time front office staff of more than 60 employees dedicated to elevating women’s sports while fostering growth and retention opportunities across the organization. On March 26, 2025, the Valkyries eclipsed the 10,000-season ticket mark for season ticket holders of the team&#8217;s inaugural 2025 season, becoming the first WNBA team on record to hit this milestone. The Valkyries closed their first season by setting all-time WNBA records for both average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408), selling out all 22 of their home regular-season games at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Smith also helped establish a robust roster of founding partners, including CarMax, JP Morgan Chase, Kaiser Permanente, OLLY, PG&amp;E, Sephora, United Airlines, Rakuten and Waymo. Additionally, the Valkyries sold merchandise in all 50 states and 70 countries.
Under Smith’s leadership, the Valkyries launched impactful community engagement initiatives. including an innovative partnership with Kaiser Permanente that generated a $25 [matching] donation to the Golden State Community Foundation for every jersey purchased. This program will donate the funds to Bay Area youth and has transformed merchandise revenue into a vehicle for social impact, funding research-based initiatives and coaching workshops designed to keeping young girls active.
Smith also oversaw the team’s local broadcast partnership, which introduced creative programming and community engagement activations, that gave fans unprecedented access throughout the season. The partnership extended the Valkyries’ reach to more than four million fans across Northern California.
Capping off a historic inaugural season, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion franchise to earn a playoff berth and the winningest expansion team in league history with 23 wins.
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Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith Wins Inaugural WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award Presented by Deloitte

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		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
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Photo Gallery: Las Vegas Aces 2025 WNBA Championship Parade

&#8211;League’s Midseason Showcase Heads Back to the Windy City with Full Slate of Fan and Community Events&#8211;
NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2025 – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced today that the City of Chicago has been selected to host the 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, marking the second time the Windy City will welcome the league’s premier midseason event.
The 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will take place on Saturday, July 25 at United Center.
“The WNBA is thrilled to bring AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star back to Chicago, which will undoubtedly deliver unforgettable competition and community outreach,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “Together with the Chicago Sky, we look forward to celebrating the game’s brightest stars, engaging WNBA fans around the world, and showcasing the energy of one of basketball’s most iconic cities.”
&#8220;The Chicago Sky are thrilled to welcome the 2026 WNBA All-Star game back to Chicago.  We can’t wait to build on the success of the previous All-Star game and celebrate the explosive growth of the league by showcasing the WNBA’s biggest stars on a world-class stage,” Chicago Sky Chief Executive Officer and President Adam Fox said. “We are so excited to welcome fans from around the globe to the WNBA All-Star game in our beautiful city with its storied basketball legacy. We are appreciative of everyone who worked with us to make this event happen.”
In addition to the game, fans will enjoy a multi-day lineup of events and activations across the city, including:
<ul>
<li>The 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge, which will take place on Friday, July 24 at Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky.</li>
<li>WNBA Live, the league’s interactive fan festival featuring player appearances, performances, and celebrating the WNBA’s intersection with fashion, music and culture, will take place at McCormick Place.</li>
<li>Community impact events highlighting the WNBA’s commitment to youth engagement around Chicago and at the Sky’s brand-new practice facility in Bedford Park.</li>
</ul>
Further details, including ticket information and the complete schedule of events, will be announced in the coming months. Tickets for all events for AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star will go on sale in 2026.
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Behind the Scenes at an Elena Delle Donne Workout

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