WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Mystics announced today that they have acquired a 2026 first-round pick (Minnesota’s own) from the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for guard Karlie Samuelson.
Samuelson (6-0) joined Washington as a free agent prior to the 2024 season. She averaged 8.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 29 games with the Mystics.
Washington is slated to pick 3rd, 4th, 6th, 23rd, and 32nd in tonight’s WNBA Draft. The team’s three first-round picks mark the most in franchise history.

The 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Championship will take center stage when the Minnesota Lynx welcome the Indiana Fever at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the Target Center on Amazon Prime Video.
There will be more than bragging rights on the line when these two teams face off as the only game of the night. The winner of Tuesday’s showdown will earn a $500,000 prize pool.
According to the betting odds at the BetMGM <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports">online sportsbook</a>, Minnesota enters the matchup as a 5.5-point favorite over Indiana. The total is listed at 166.5.
Fever vs. Lynx betting odds at BetMGM:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Spread: Lynx -5.5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Total: 166.5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Moneyline: Fever +185/Lynx -225</li>
</ul>
It’s worth noting that these odds could move depending on Caitlin Clark’s status. She remains uncertain for the game, having been sidelined for the last two contests with a groin injury. This comes after Clark missed five games with a quad injury earlier in the year.
If Clark can play, the Commissioner&#8217;s Cup final could be a signature game for the 2025 season. This game has been a WNBA Finals preview the last two years. 
The Lynx earned the Commissioner&#8217;s Cup with a 94-89 win over the New York Liberty last year, but ultimately lost the rematch in the WNBA Finals. In 2023, the Liberty secured an 82-63 victory over the Las Vegas Aces before ultimately losing in the WNBA Finals.
Minnesota has certainly looked like a team capable of returning to the WNBA Finals. The Lynx have the best record (14-2) and net rating in the league. Their net rating is 4.2 points better than anyone else.
Napheesa Collier, one of the captains of the All-Star Game along with Clark, has been the clear <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-mvp-odds-prediction-bm23/">WNBA MVP odds</a> favorite for much of the year. She’s averaging 24.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per contest.
Indiana’s season has been more up-and-down, going 8-8 to begin the season. The Fever have yet to win more than two games in a row this season. They are fourth in the league with a net rating of +5.5.
The Commissioner’s Cup final could help Indiana jump-start its season. It could also be another chance for Minnesota to prove it&#8217;s the best team in the league.
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.

lynx-favored-against-fever-in-the-commissioners-cup-championship

Lynx Favored Against Fever in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-200221" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/WNBA_Pride_horiz_rgb.png" alt="" width="600" height="284" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/WNBA_Pride_horiz_rgb.png 977w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/WNBA_Pride_horiz_rgb-300x142.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/WNBA_Pride_horiz_rgb-768x363.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
Living under the spotlight for most of my adult life has been a journey, one filled with waves of excitement, novelty, and joy. But as time went on, I realized that being seen all the time comes with a cost. Every move, every word, someone always has something to say. Things get twisted, taken out of context, and suddenly, you&#8217;re not just living, you’re performing. It felt like I was at work 24/7.
I’ve made mistakes. Who hasn’t? But being in the public eye doesn’t make me any less human. People often forget that. They put us on pedestals and expect us to be perfect. But the truth is, nobody is perfect. We all stumble. We all grow.
Over time, I’ve learned the power of picking and choosing when to be vulnerable. Not every moment is meant to be shared. Some things are sacred. Some things are just for me. And that’s how I protect my peace. Vulnerability is powerful… but only when it’s real, intentional, and safe. But I’ve also learned the hard way that growth doesn’t come from comfort, so I challenge myself. I look at things from new angles. I ask, “What can I do better?” And slowly, I’ve started getting it right more often than not.
I don’t live my life trying to be a role model. I just live. But if someone sees something in me that inspires them, I’m honored. That means the world. But I’ve found that the best way to inspire others is to be unapologetically myself. Not perfect. Not polished. Just real. Just me.
To anyone out there who’s afraid to live openly, to love loudly, to be fully themselves, I see you. I’ve been you. I know what it’s like to try to fit into a mold that was never meant for you. To go home every night feeling like you left pieces of yourself behind just to make others comfortable. But here’s the truth: they’re not thinking about you the way you think they are. So why give them that power?
Be you. Whatever that looks like: coming out, embracing your truth, it’s all a process. But it’s worth it. You only get one life. Don’t waste it trying to be someone else.
Brittney Griner

pride-in-me-brittney-griner

Pride in Me: 'Flaws and All' by Brittney Griner

– Ogwumike Joins Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi  as Only Players With at Least 10 WNBA All-Star Selections –
– 2025 No. 1 Overall Draft Pick Paige Bueckers of Dallas Wings Earns Starting Spot – 
– All-Star Captains Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier Will Draft Their Respective Rosters 
From Pool of Starters and Reserves on Tuesday, July 8 on ESPN (7 p.m. ET) –
NEW YORK, June 30, 2025 – After the WNBA’s announcement on Sunday that the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier will serve as captains for the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, the league today announced the remaining eight All-Star starters, led by forward Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm. Now in her 14th season, Ogwumike earns her 10th All-Star selection, tying her for the third most in WNBA history with Tamika Catchings and Brittney Griner, behind only Sue Bird (13) and Diana Taurasi (11).
Also headlining the remaining starters are forward Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty and center A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, each of whom is an All-Star for the seventh time.
The 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Fever, on Saturday, July 19 on ABC, Disney+ and ESPN+ (8:30 p.m. ET). The game broadcast will be preceded by a half-hour edition of WNBA Countdown presented by Google on ABC (8 p.m. ET).
Clark, who earned the role of captain by virtue of being the All-Star starter who received the most fan votes (a record 1,293,526), will be joined in the backcourt by rookie No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings, three-time All-Star Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream and four-time All-Star Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty.
Collier, who earned her captaincy for being the All-Star starter who received the second-most fan votes (1,176,020), Ogwumike, Stewart and Wilson will be joined as starters in the frontcourt by three-time All-Star Aliyah Boston of the Fever and three-time All-Star Satou Sabally of the Phoenix Mercury.
Voting will now begin for the 12 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game reserves, who will be selected by the league’s head coaches. The head coaches will vote for three guards, five frontcourt players and four players at either position regardless of conference. They may not vote for their own players. The 12 reserves will be announced across WNBA social and digital platforms on Sunday, July 6 at noon ET.
The two All-Star captains will then draft their respective rosters by selecting first from the remaining eight players in the pool of starters and then from the pool of 12 reserves. ESPN will broadcast the results of the roster draft for the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game during an hourlong edition of WNBA Countdown on Tuesday, July 8 (7 p.m. ET).
If a player is unable to play in the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, a replacement will be named by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Starters
<ul>
<li>Aliyah Boston, Fever (3rd All-Star selection): The 6-5 center-forward has been voted to the All-Star Game in each of her three WNBA seasons. Boston’s first All-Star selection came in 2023, when the No. 1 overall draft pick became the eighth rookie selected to start in the All-Star Game. Last year, she was selected to the Team WNBA squad that defeated the USA Women’s National Team 117-109. Boston is averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game, ranks sixth in the WNBA in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and leads the league in field goal percentage (59.7) this season.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Paige Bueckers, Wings (1st All-Star selection): The No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm, Bueckers ranks 11th in the league in scoring (18.4 ppg) and sixth in assists (5.8 apg), pacing all rookies in both categories. The 6-0 guard recorded career highs of 35 points at Phoenix on June 11 and 10 assists at Minnesota on May 21. She has six games of at least 20 points, including four in her last five outings. Bueckers also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 200 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists (11 games).</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Caitlin Clark, Fever (2nd All-Star selection): The reigning Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year and 2024 All-WNBA First Team selection is an All-Star for the second straight year and a first-time All-Star captain. The 6-0 guard is averaging 18.2 points and a career-high 8.9 assists per game. Clark opened the 2025 season with a triple-double against Chicago Sky on May 16, recording 20 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds. She went on to become the fastest WNBA player to reach at least 750 points, 250 rebounds and 250 assists in a career.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Napheesa Collier, Lynx (5th All-Star selection): The 6-1 forward has been named to five of the six most recent All-Star Games, missing only the 2022 contest when returning from the birth of her daughter. The WNBA’s Kia Western Conference Player of the Month in May, Collier leads the league in scoring (a career-high 24.4 ppg) and is third in rebounding (8.5 rpg) this season while guiding the Lynx to a league-best 14-2 record. In 2024, she was the Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and Kia WNBA MVP runner-up.</li>
</ul>
 
<ul>
<li>Allisha Gray, Dream (3rd All-Star selection): An All-Star for the third consecutive year, Gray ranks fifth in the league in scoring (a career-high 19.5 ppg). The 6-0 guard, who was the Kia WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month in May, is posting career highs in rebounds (5.4 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and three-point field goal percentage (42.4). Gray made history at WNBA All-Star 2024, when she became the first player to win both the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest and the Kia WNBA Skills Challenge in the same year.</li>
</ul>
 
<ul>
<li>Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty (4th All-Star selection): Ionescu, who last season helped New York win the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV for the first time in franchise history, became the Liberty’s all-time leader in made three-point shots (417) earlier this month. She ranks 10th in the WNBA in scoring (a career-high 18.6 ppg) and ninth in assists (5.1 apg) this season. In the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest at WNBA All-Star 2023, she set the NBA and WNBA single-round record with 37 points in the final round.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Nneka Ogwumike, Storm (10thAll-Star selection): Ogwumike ranks 13th in the WNBA in scoring (17.0 ppg) and ninth in rebounding (7.9 rpg) this season. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2012, Ogwumike has been named to the All-WNBA Team seven times, including a spot on the Second Team each of the past three seasons. A 6-2 forward, Ogwumike ranks ninth in league history for career points (6,791) and total rebounds (3,093).</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Satou Sabally, Mercury (3rd All-Star selection): An All-WNBA First Team selection and the Kia WNBA Most Improved Player in 2023, Sabally is an All-Star in her first season with Phoenix. The 6-4 forward ranks sixth in the WNBA in scoring (a career-high 19.1 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (8.0 rpg) while helping the Mercury to a 12-5 record, the second-best mark in the league. She has scored at least 20 points in nine of 17 games.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Breanna Stewart, Liberty (7th All-Star selection): Stewart, a two-time Kia WNBA MVP who helped New York win the WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV last season, is an All-Star for the fifth straight season. The 6-4 forward, who ranks third in the WNBA in scoring (20.8 ppg), also is a three-time WNBA champion, two-time WNBA Finals MVP and six-time All-WNBA First Team selection. Twice voted as an All-Star captain, she led Team Stewart against Team Wilson in consecutive All-Star Games in 2022 and 2023, winning the latter 143-127.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>A’ja Wilson, Aces (7thAll-Star selection): The 6-4 center is a three-time Kia WNBA MVP, two-time Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-WNBA First Team selection. The two-time WNBA champion and MVP of the 2023 WNBA Finals presented by YouTube TV also is a three-time All-Star captain. In that role, she twice led Team Wilson to victories, defeating Team Delle Donne 129-126 in 2019 and topping Team Stewart 134-112 in 2022. This season, Wilson ranks second in the WNBA in scoring (21.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.9 rpg) and leads the league in blocks (2.6 bpg).</li>
</ul>
2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Voting Results
Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the starters for the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, while current WNBA players and a media panel accounted for 25 percent each. Clark finished with a WNBA-high 1,293,526 votes from fans and Collier received 1,176,020. For more results from fan voting, <a href="http://pr.nba.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2025/06/2025-WNBA-All-Star-Game-Fan-Voting-Results.pdf">click here.</a>
After all votes were tallied, players were ranked by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups – fan votes, player votes and media votes. Each player’s score was calculated by averaging the weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes. The four guards and six frontcourt players with the best score were named as starters for the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game. Fan voting served as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score.
Below are the overall scores – based on results from all three voting groups – for the top 10 finishers at each position.  Each player’s score was weighted based on 50 percent for fan votes, 25 percent for player votes and 25 percent for media panel votes.
<table style="width: 94.9457%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 105.25%" colspan="6" width="758">
GUARDS
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">#</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Player</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Fan Rank</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Media Rank</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Player Rank</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">Weighted Score</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">1</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Paige Bueckers (Dallas)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">5</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">3.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">2</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Caitlin Clark (Indiana)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">3.5^</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">3</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Sabrina Ionescu (New York)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">5</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">3.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">4</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Allisha Gray (Atlanta)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">7</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">5</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">11</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">5.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">6</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Skylar Diggins (Seattle)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">6.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">7</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">16</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">8.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">8</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Brittney Sykes (Washington)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">12</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">7</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">9.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">9</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Natasha Cloud (New York)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">14</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">8</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">10</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Jackie Young (Las Vegas)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">10</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">12</td>
<td style="width: 23.75%" width="126">10.25</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="width: 95.7186%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 106.125%" colspan="6" width="758">
FRONTCOURT
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">#</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Player</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Fan Rank</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Media Rank</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">Player Rank</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">Weighted Score</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">1</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Napheesa Collier (Minnesota)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">1.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">2</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">1</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">3</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Breanna Stewart (New York)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">4</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">3.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">4</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Aliyah Boston (Indiana)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">2</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">4.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">5</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">9</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">3</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">6.25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">6</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">*Satou Sabally (Phoenix)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">8</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">5</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">5</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">6.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">7</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Angel Reese (Chicago)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">5</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">12</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">12</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">7.75^</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">8</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Kiki Iriafen (Washington)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">8</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">8</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">7.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">9</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Gabby Williams (Seattle)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">10</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">7</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">7</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">8.75</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 4.25%" width="30">10</td>
<td style="width: 28.5%" width="223">Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix)</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">13</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">7</td>
<td style="width: 16.25%" width="126">6</td>
<td style="width: 24.625%" width="126">9.75</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* Voted as a starter
^ Tiebreaker is number of fan votes received
The head coaches for the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will be the head coaches of the two teams with the best records through games of Friday, July 4 regardless of conference. The head coach with the best record as of that date will coach the team whose captain earned the most fan votes.
The 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will be the centerpiece of three full days packed with WNBA activities, including the WNBA STARRY® 3-Point Contest, Kia WNBA Skills Challenge and WNBA Live presented by Panini. The WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge will both air on ESPN on Friday, July 18 beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

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2025-att-wnba-all-star-game-starters

Nneka Ogwumike, Breanna Stewart, and A’ja Wilson Highlight Remaining 2025 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game Starters

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

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Photos From League Expansion Announcement

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Arlington, TX (June 30, 2025) – The Dallas Wings have traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces. In exchange for Smith, the Wings receive the Aces’ 2027 WNBA Draft First Round pick. In order to complete the trade, Dallas was also required to release Kaila Charles, who signed a hardship contract on June 17.
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Over 18 games with the Wings this season, Smith has averaged 6.7 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting .425 from the field. She spent her first three WNBA seasons with the Indiana Fever, who selected her No. 2 overall in the 20222 WNBA Draft. Smith was acquired by Dallas via a four-team trade this past February.
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Charles has averaged 5.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 17 games with the Wings this season. She was waived by Dallas on June 14, before being signed to a hardship contract with the Wings on June 17 following the departures of Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder to Eurobasket. Both McCowan and Geiselsöder, whose contracts were temporarily suspended, have been reinstated and are expected to play Thursday against the Phoenix Mercury.
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Dallas Wings Trade NaLyssa Smith To The Las Vegas Aces

Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier are about to have a busy few weeks.
On Sunday, Clark (1,293,526 votes) and Collier (1,176,020) were <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/2025-att-wnba-all-star-game-team-captains">named captains</a> for the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game by receiving the most fan votes among the All-Star starters.
On Monday, they’ll learn who the remaining starters in the All-Star player pool as the eight remaining starters – compiled by fan vote, media vote and player vote – are unveiled (7 ET, ESPN) 
On Tuesday, Clark and Collier will lead their respective teams – the Fever and Lynx – into the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/commissioners-cup/2025">Commissioner&#8217;s Cup</a> championship game (8 ET, Amazon Prime Video). 
Clark, who has missed Indiana’s past two games (groin) practiced on Sunday and is listed as day-to-day. Meanwhile, Collier returned from a two-game absence (back) and hasn&#8217;t missed a beat – averaging 24.5 pts, 8.0 reb, 4.0 ast, 1.5 stl, 1.5 blk in her first two games back. 
The Lynx (four games) and Fever (three games) have the two busiest schedules in the league this week – including the Commissioner’s Cup championship game.
On Sunday, July 6, the 12 reserves will be revealed across WNBA social and digital platforms (12 ET) – giving Collier and Clark two days to decide how they want to shape their All-Star teams.
On Tuesday, July 8, the captains will select their teams – beginning with the eight remaining starters, then the 12 reserves – with the results broadcast on ESPN’s WNBA Countdown (7 ET).
After marking your calendars with all of that info, dive into this week’s power rankings.
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<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (14-2) ↔️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-200182" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/MIN6.png" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/MIN6.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/MIN6-300x200.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/MIN6-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 1 
This Week: Tue. vs. IND (Cup), Thur. vs. WAS, Sat. vs. GSV, Sun. vs. CHI
The Lynx opened the week with a loss at Washington – their last game before Collier returned – before closing with wins over Atlanta and Connecticut to improve to a league-best 14-2 and a 2.5 games lead on any other team.
The wins boosted Minnesota’s point differential to +11.2 for the season – a mark that puts the Lynx on track to join some elite company. Only six teams in WNBA history have posted a double-digit point differential – and all six went on to win the title that season.
<ul>
<li>2000 Comets: 12.8</li>
<li>1998 Comets: 12.7</li>
<li>2023 Aces: 12.6</li>
<li>2019 Mystics: 12.0</li>
<li>2020 Storm: 11.5</li>
<li>2017 Lynx: 11.1</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2>2. Phoenix Mercury (12-5) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 2 
This Week: Thur. at DAL
Phoenix opened the week in record setting fashion. After hitting 17 3-pointers in their win over Chicago on June 21, the Mercury splashed 18 triples in their win over New York on Friday. Their 35 combined 3s are the most ever in a two-game span in WNBA history.
However, the Mercury saw their six-game win streak snapped on Sunday against Las Vegas in a back-and-forth contest – 17 lead changes, 10 ties – that Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts called a “playoff basketball game” after the three-point loss.
&nbsp;
<h2>3. Atlanta Dream (11-6) ⬆️</h2>
Last Week: 4 
This Week: Thur. vs. SEA
After suffering their first back-to-back losses of the season &#8212; a road loss in Dallas, an overtime loss to Minnesota – the Dream avoided a three-game slide with a 90-81 win over New York on Sunday.
However, the Dream lost Rhyne Howard – second-leading scorer (16.8 ppg) and top playmaker (4.7 apg) – in the third quarter with an upper body injury that had her in a sling when she returned to the bench for the remainder of the game. No further details have been announced about her status.
&nbsp;
<h2>4. New York Liberty (11-5) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 3 
This Week: Thur. vs. LAS.  Sun. vs. SEA
The Liberty have dropped four of their last five games – a run that began with their first home loss of the season on June 19, the same game that New York lost Jonquel Jones to an ankle injury that is expected to keep the reigning Finals MVP out 4-6 weeks.
While Jones remains out, the Liberty should get another starter back soon as Leonie Fiebich returns from representing Germany in Eurobasket. Having wrapped up play on Sunday, will she be ready for NY’s next game on Thursday against Los Angeles?
&nbsp;
<h2>5. Golden State Valkyries (9-7) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-200181" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1.png" alt="" width="2160" height="2160" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1.png 2160w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-300x300.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-150x150.png 150w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-768x768.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-1536x1536.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/wnba-expansion-win-pct-1080x1080-1-2048x2048.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2160px) 100vw, 2160px" />
Last Week: 6
This Week: Sat. at MIN
After opening the week with a rare home loss (Golden State is 7-3 at Ballhalla) to New York in a tight game down the stretch, the Valkyries bounced back with wins over the Sun and Storm to close out the week at two games above .500.
With their nine victories so far, the Valkyries have passed or tied every expansion team from this century in total wins in their inaugural season. Their .563 win percentage is on pace to challenge for the best debut season by an expansion team in league history.
&nbsp;
<h2>6. Seattle Storm (10-7) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 5
This Week: Thur. at ATL, Sun. at NYL
The Storm came into Sunday’s game at Golden State as the league’s top shooting team (47.0%). They left ranked fourth (45.7%) after shooting a season-low 27% as a team for their second loss in the past three games. 
For the season, Seattle is shooting league-high 49.3 at home and just 41.6% on the road. That 7.7 percentage point difference is the largest in the league and nearly twice that of any other team. With their next three games on the road, the Storm will need to find their shot to avoid a further drop.
&nbsp;
<h2>7. Las Vegas Aces (8-8) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 7 
This Week: Thur at IND, Sun. at CON
Here’s the list of players that have had at least 26 points, 18 rebounds and 7 assists in a WNBA game: A’ja Wilson on Sunday at Phoenix. End of list.
The three-time MVP hit the go-ahead bucket with 22 seconds left to help Las Vegas finish off a 2-1 week and get back to .500 on the season. 
That was the first game of a season-long five game road trip that sees stops this week in Indiana and Connecticut – two teams the Aces just beat at home during their current run of three wins in four games.
&nbsp;
<h2>8. Indiana Fever (8-8) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 8 ↔️
This Week: Tue. at MIN (Cup), Thur. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. LAS
A pair of eight-point wins – both with the exact same score of 94-86 – helped the Fever improve to 8-8 on the season. Indy is now 3-4 without Clark this season, with the All-Star captain working her way back for a potential return for Tuesday’s Commissioner’s Cup championship.
Kelsey Mitchell dropped a season-high 32 points in Indy’s win over Dallas on Friday for her fourth-straight game with 20+ points – which is second only to A’ja Wilson (5) for the longest active streak in the league.
&nbsp;
<h2>9. Washington Mystics (8-9) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 9 
This Week: Thur. at MIN
Washington opened the week by handing Minnesota only its second loss of the season before snapping a five-game losing streak to Las Vegas. However, the Mystics were unable to complete the perfect week as they fell to Dallas on Saturday.
In what looked to be a clash of the top three rookie scorers – Dallas’ Paige Bueckers and Washington’s Sofia Citron and Kiki Iriafen – it was Dallas’ other two rookies (JJ Quinerly and Aziaha James) that shined in Bueckers’ absence. 
Next up, the Mystics will run it back with the Lynx – with a healthy Collier this time around – in Washington’s only game of the week.
&nbsp;
<h2>10. Dallas Wings (5-13) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-200183" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/DAL6.png" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/DAL6.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/DAL6-300x200.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/DAL6-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 11
This Week: Thur. vs. PHX
After a 1-11 start to the season, the Wings have won four of their last six games, including wins over Golden State (9-7), Atlanta (11-6) and Washington (8-9) &#8212; teams with a combined .560 win percentage.
Dallas defeated the Mystics on Saturday despite being without rookie sensation Paige Bueckers (knee). The Wings are off until Thursday when they host the Mercury and try to knock off another .500+ team.
&nbsp;
<h2>11. Chicago Sky (5-11) ⬆️</h2>
Last Week: 12
This Week: Sun. at MIN
In addition to becoming the first player in WNBA history with four consecutive games with 15+ rebounds, Angel Reese dropped a season-high 24 points in Sunday’s win over the Sparks in L.A. on Candace Parker jersey retirement night.
It was fitting that Parker and former teammate Lisa Leslie were in the building as they are two of the five players in league history with 25+ double-doubles in their first 50 career games. 
The list: Leslie (25), Parker (26), Natalie Williams (27), Tina Charles (32) and Reese, who posted her 36th double-double in her 50th career game on Sunday.
&nbsp;
<h2>12. Los Angeles Sparks (5-12) ⬇️</h2>
Last Week: 10
This Week: Thur. at NYL, Sat. at IND
Despite the loss to the Sky on Sunday, it was a day of celebration in L.A. as the Sparks retired Candace Parker’s No. 3 jersey – joining Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler in the Crypto.com Arena rafters alongside the Sparks’ three championship banners (2001, 2002, 2016), the latter of which Parker helped deliver.
Sunday’s loss was the fifth in the last six games for the Sparks, who visit the Liberty and Fever this week to try to get their season back on track.
&nbsp;
<h2>13. Connecticut Sun (2-15) ↔️</h2>
Last Week: 13
This Week: Sun. vs. LVA
Facing three tough opponents – Las Vegas (8-8), Seattle (10-7) and Minnesota (14-2) – with a combined .653 (32-17) win percentage, the Sun went 0-3 for the week for their ninth consecutive loss – the longest streak in franchise history.
The Sun have a week between games as they host the Aces again on Sunday, but remain without leading scorer Marina Mabrey. The Sun announced on June 24 that she will be out 2-4 weeks with a knee injury.
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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.
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