Editorial

The WNBA’s next two franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, finally have a roster. 
Both squads participated in a two-round expansion draft on April 3, 2026, picking players from each team in the WNBA except for the Chicago Sky. The Sky, prior to the draft, traded its 17th overall pick to the Fire in exchange for the 21st overall pick, and to prevent the Fire from taking anyone from its team. 
Chicago also sent its 26th overall pick to the Tempo in exchange for Toronto not selecting anyone from its roster. 
That said, every other team was fair game for poaching. Let’s take a look at some of the key players added by both franchises, set to kick off their respective seasons in Season 30.
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<h2>Toronto Tempo roster:</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258017" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="875" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1.jpg 1080w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_TORONTO_LISTv7-1-768x960.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
A huge takeaway from this initial roster is that the Tempo wanted to take shooting and guard depth seriously. Marina Mabrey’s name obviously jumps off the page on that front, although she had a slump-year (27-percent 3PT shooting) with the Connecticut Sun in 2025. However, it’s clear the Tempo value her veteran presence and competitiveness, with Tempo general manager Monica Wright Rogers <a href="https://x.com/chelsealeite/status/2040162676702126322?s=20">telling reporters</a> following the expansion draft that Mabrey “&#8230;has something you can’t coach, a fierce, competitive nature. That will resonate with this city.”
Aaliyah Nye, who won a championship in her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces last year, is another sharp-shooter that should be able to contribute immediately with head coach Sandy Brondello likely seeking to surround the teams’ bigs with as much shooting as possible. She averaged just 31.4 percent from three point range, but was coming off a season with the Alabama Crimson Tide where <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/aaliyah-nye-1.html">she shot</a> 41.8 percent from long range over four seasons. 
Other players of note from this initial roster include Nyara Sabally, a former member of Brondello’s New York Liberty team, and Julie Allemand, who had a nice bounceback season with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2025. 
Sabally has dealt with injury woes in recent years, but when she’s on the floor, she can make a huge impact on the glass. Her contributions to the Liberty’s championship run, and especially in its Finals against the Minnesota Lynx, couldn’t be ignored by Brondello or the Tempo. She averaged 5.4 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds and one block in 17 games played. 
As for Allemand, she’s a Belgian star set to gain another year with major minutes with the Tempo. Her work as a distributor for Los Angeles clearly didn’t go unnoticed by the Tempo’s scouting team, and she’s a great compliment to players like Sabally, Mabrey, and María Conde (assuming the Spanish forward comes over to the WNBA this season). With the Sparks in 2025, she averaged just 5.4 points per game but a solid five assists in 28.3 minutes per game. 
One thing that could really tie this initial roster together is the team honing in on a big in this year’s college draft. The Tempo are selecting 6th overall in this year’s draft, while the Fire select 7th since they picked first in the expansion draft. That could give them a shot at a player like Lauren Betts, who would be an unbelievably great fit with a roster chock-full of great facilitators. 
A worthwhile nugget to mention regarding this initial roster: according to the Tempo’s press release on these selections, the team has taken seven international players, which the <a href="https://tempo.wnba.com/news/toronto-tempo-select-11-players-in-2026-tempo-expansion-draft">team says</a>, “brings a blend of championship experience, international competition at the highest level, and positional versatility as the Tempo begin building their identity in the WNBA.”
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<h2>Portland Fire roster:</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-258016" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST.png" alt="" width="700" height="875" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST.png 1080w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-240x300.png 240w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-819x1024.png 819w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/04/Expansion-Draft-Results-4x5_PORTLAND_LIST-768x960.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /> 
Bridget Carleton, the former Minnesota Lynx forward, was the Fire’s first overall pick and its selection from a list of available unrestricted free agents available in this expansion draft. Each team was allowed to select one UFA, with Mabrey being the Tempo’s pick from that pool. 
Carleton, who was an integral part of Minnesota’s offense from the three point line and as a defender in the paint, could’ve been a fitting addition to Toronto’s roster considering she’s an Ontario native. But, the veteran lands with Portland, providing immediate starting power in the Fire’s frontcourt. She averaged 6.5 points per game along with 3.6 rebounds and two assists, and shot a clean 37.3 percent from three-point range. 
A somewhat surprising name on this draft list is Carla Leite. The former Golden State Valkyries guard had become a fan-favorite in her rookie season with the squad, averaging 7.2 points per game along with two assists and 1.3 rebounds, providing a pop defensively whenever she was on the floor. Her pick-and-roll proficiency made her a huge asset to the Valkyries offense, and especially their bigs. Her not being protected by Golden State could be Portland’s gain. 
With Carleton in the fold in addition to Emily Engstler and Haley Jones, Leite could emerge as one of next season’s best floor generals if utilized correctly. 
Two underrated picks for Portland are Sarah Ashlee Barker and Maya Caldwell. Caldwell, who spent last year with the Atlanta Dream, is a solid three-point shooter and a great cutter to pair with guards like Sug Sutton and Leite who are more focused on facilitating. 
Her addition to this team brings shooting and rim pressure, taking some of that load off the shoulders of the teams’ talented bigs. She averaged 5.4 points per game in addition to 3.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and almost one steal in 18.5 minutes per game. 
As for Barker, and similarly to Nye with the Tempo, she has an opportunity to show off her strengths with potentially larger minutes with the Fire. The former Sparks guard got plenty of opportunities to flex her defensive skills in 2025, and she was also a decent scorer for stretches.
However, it was always going to be tough to find her a role behind Kelsey Plum and Allemand. She averaged just 3.1 points per game along with 1.9 rebounds and almost one assist, although she only averaged 14.1 minutes per game as a rookie. 
This Fire roster is emphasizing depth at the forward position, as well as guards who can bring out the best in those front court pieces. Portland general manager Vanja Černivec told reporters following the draft that the team prioritized “great teammates who will help us recruit players in free agency.” 
 
“We want to play team-oriented basketball,” she added. 
Carleton, Leite, Caldwell, and Sutton all fit that bill right off the bat. We’ll see if Černivec’s focus on team &#8211; and fan &#8211; favorites with talent to boot works as they look ahead to the college draft and a tumultuous free agency period.

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Rapid Reactions: WNBA Expansion Draft 2026

Expansion Draft

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Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo Select 22 Players in WNBA Expansion Draft 2026

Game Preview/Recap

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Game Recap: Liberty vs. Sky (9/11/2025)

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.
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✅ 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.
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👀 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.
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🚫 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.

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2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 14

The playoff picture is beginning to come into focus. In the past week, the Lynx clinched the best record in the league, while the Aces, Dream and Mercury all punched their tickets to the playoffs.
That means we have four teams in, we have four teams out and four spots left with five teams still in the mix.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s In: Lynx (clinched No. 1 seed), Aces, Dream, Mercury</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s Out: Mystics, Sun, Sky, Wings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Who’s In The Mix: Liberty, Storm, Valkyries, Fever, Sparks</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Who’s In: Clinched Playoff Berth</h2>
<h3>1. Minnesota Lynx (31-8) ↔️</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-202817" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/GettyImages-2232324175-1.jpg" alt="Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx handles the ball" width="960" height="640" />
Last Week: 1 
This Week: Mon vs. DAL, Thur. at LVA, Sat. at GSV
Minnesota’s win over Connecticut on Saturday not only clinched the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, it also set a Lynx franchise record for wins in a season (31), surpassing the mark they set last year (30) with five games to play. One of those remaining games is a marquee matchup with the red-hot Aces on Thursday. While the game won’t affect Minnesota’s playoff position, it can impact both the scoring title and MVP races between Napheesa Collier (23.41 ppg) and A’ja Wilson (23.36) – who enter the week in a dead heat in scoring average while Minnesota leads the season series 3-0.
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<h3>2. Las Vegas Aces (26-14) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 2
This Week: Thur. vs. MIN, Sun. vs. CHI
Tiebreakers (Top 4 Race): 3-0 vs. ATL, 3-1 vs. PHX, 1-2 vs. NYL
It was another perfect week for the Aces with road wins at Chicago and Atlanta to extend their win streak to a franchise-record-tying 12 games. Wilson continues to dominate both ends of the court – averaging 26.8 points, on 50.4% FG, 45% 3P, 87.9% FT shooting splits, along with 12.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. Las Vegas will look to set a new mark in Thursday’s showdown with Minnesota.
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<h3>3. Atlanta Dream (25-14) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 3 
This Week: Mon at CON, Wed. vs. LAS, Fri. vs. LAS
Tiebreakers (Top 4 Race): 3-0 vs. PHX, 2-2 vs. NYL, 0-3 vs. LVA
At 12-5, the Dream have been the second best team since the All-Star break. However, three of those five losses have come to the Aces, who have passed the Dream in the standings and own the head-to-head tiebreaker should it be needed at season’s end. Atlanta enters the week tied with Phoenix at 25-14, but holds the No. 3 spot in the standings after sweeping the season series with the Mercury (3-0).
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<h3>4. Phoenix Mercury (25-14)</h3>
Last Week: 4 ↔️
This Week: Tue. vs. IND, Thur. at WAS, Sat. at CON
Tiebreakers Top 4 Race: 3-1 vs. NYL, 1-3 vs. LVA, 0-3 vs. ATL
The Mercury are riding a four-game win streak as they look to secure a top-four finish and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. Phoenix enters this week tied with Las Vegas and Atlanta in the loss column (14) but does not hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over either team, making a climb to No. 2 or No. 3 more challenging. However, Phoenix does hold a two-loss edge and the tiebreaker over No. 5 New York as the Mercury try to hold off the defending champs.
<hr />
<h2>Who’s In The Mix: Race For Playoffs</h2>
<h3>5. New York Liberty (24-16) ↔️</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-202818" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/GettyImages-2232368398.jpg" alt="Jonquel Jones #35 of the New York Liberty looks on during the game against the Phoenix Mercury" width="960" height="640" />
Last Week: 5 
This Week: Tue. at GSV, Fri. at SEA
Tiebreakers (Top 4 Race): 2-1 vs. LVA, 2-2 vs. ATL, 1-3 vs. PHX
Tiebreakers (Playoff Race): 3-0 vs. GSV (1 left), 3-1 vs. IND, 2-1 vs. LAS,  0-2 vs. SEA (1 left)
The Liberty enter this week in a unique position – they are the only team that is still in contention for a top-four finish while not having clinched a playoff berth. New York enters this week with a magic number of one, meaning they need one win (first chance is Tuesday at Golden State) or one Sparks loss (first chance is Monday at Seattle) to punch their fifth straight postseason ticket. After getting Natasha Cloud back on Saturday, New York hopes to get back to full health with Sabrina Ionescu (toe) and Nyara Sabally (knee) soon.
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<h3>6. Golden State Valkyries (21-18) ⬆️</h3>
Last Week: 7
This Week: Tue. vs. NYL, Thur. vs. DAL, Sat. vs. MIN
Tiebreakers (Playoff Race): 3-0 vs. IND, 3-1 vs. LAS, 2-1 vs. SEA (1 left), 0-3 vs. NYL (1 left) 
A three-game win streak has helped Golden State’s effort to become the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, but there is still work to be done. Four of the Valkyries’ final five games come against teams that have either clinched a playoff berth (two games vs. Minnesota) or remain in the playoff mix (New York and Seattle). Can Veronica Burton continue dishing dimes &#8212; she has 13+ assists in three of her last five games &#8212; and help Golden State make history?
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<h3>7. Seattle Storm (22-19) ⬇️</h3>
Last Week: 6
This Week: Mon. vs. LAS, Fri. vs. NYL
Tiebreakers (Playoff Race): 2-0 vs. NYL (1 left), 1-2 vs. GSV (1 left), 1-2 vs. LAS (1 left), 0-3 vs. IND
On Thursday in Minnesota, the Storm overcame a 21-point deficit to rally past the league-leading Lynx for a statement road win after Seattle entered the game 0-10 on the season when trailing by 16+ points. That was one of the Storm’s five wins over their last six games as they look to close the season strong and secure their playoff berth. Tonight’s game against Los Angeles is big as a loss would drop Seattle to 20 losses (even with L.A.) and give the Sparks the head-to-head tiebreaker.
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<h3>8. Indiana Fever (21-19) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 8
This Week: Tue. at PHX, Fri. vs. CHI, Sun. at WAS
Tiebreakers (Playoff Race): 3-0 vs. SEA, 1-3 vs. NYL, 1-3 vs. LAS, 0-3 vs. GSV
After opening the week with wins over Seattle and Los Angeles to climb to sixth place in the standings, the Fever lost Sunday’s game against Golden State to drop back down to eighth. While the Fever hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Seattle, they do not have tiebreakers against the Liberty, Sparks or Valkyries, which are the three teams closest to Indy in the playoff race. This week, the Fever head to Phoenix to face the playoff-bound Mercury before a pair of games against teams that have already been eliminated.
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<h3>9. Los Angeles Sparks (18-20) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 9
This Week: Mon. at SEA, Wed. at ATL, Fri. at ATL, Sun. vs. DAL
Tiebreakers (Playoff Race): 3-1 vs. IND, 2-1 vs. SEA (1 left), 1-2 vs. NYL, 1-3 vs. GSV
No team has a busier remaining schedule than the Sparks – who have played in a league-low 38 games and have six games over the season’s final 11 days, including four this week – as L.A. looks to snap a four-year playoff drought. Monday night&#8217;s game at Seattle is crucial as a win will prevent L.A. from dropping further from the pack in the loss column, while tying the season series with the Storm. It is the first of four remaining road games for the Sparks, who have been better away (10-8) than at home (8-12) this season.
<hr />
<h2>Who’s Out: Eliminated From Playoffs</h2>
<h3>10. Washington Mystics (16-25) ↔️</h3>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-202819" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/GettyImages-2232431372.jpg" alt="Sonia Citron #22 of the Washington Mystics dribbles the ball against the Seattle Storm" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/GettyImages-2232431372.jpg 4570w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/GettyImages-2232431372-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Last Week: 10
This Week: Thur. vs. PHX, Sun. vs. IND
Saturday&#8217;s loss at Golden State not only marked Washington&#8217;s largest margin of defeat (-37) since 2008, it also officially eliminated the Mystics from the playoffs. Sunday’s loss in L.A. made it seven straight for the Mystics, who will finish 10th in the standings regardless of the outcome of all remaining games – they can’t catch any team in the top nine and can’t be caught by any of the teams below them.
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<h3>11. Connecticut Sun (10-29) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 11
This Week: Mon. vs. ATL, Wed. at CHI, Sat. vs. PHX
Despite Sunday’s loss to Minnesota, the Sun have played their best ball of the season down the stretch – going 5-3 in their last eight games. During this stretch, veterans Tina Charles (17.3 ppg) and Marina Mabrey (15.1 ppg) have led the way, but they are followed in scoring by a trio of rookies &#8212; Leïla Lacan (11.6 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.6 spg), Saniya Rivers (10.0 ppg, 44.8% 3P) and Aneesah Morrow (8.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
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<h3>12. Chicago Sky (9-30) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 12
This Week: Wed. vs. CON, Fri. at IND, Sun. at LVA
Monday’s game against Las Vegas saw the Sky retire Candace Parker’s No. 3 jersey during a halftime ceremony. That game also saw Angel Reese pass Tina Charles (45) for the most double-doubles through a player’s first two seasons in WNBA history. With two more double-doubles last week, Reese is up to 48 and counting. The Sky enter this week looking to snap a four game slide as Chicago has gone just 2-17 in its last 19 games.
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<h3>13, Dallas Wings (9-31) ↔️</h3>
Last Week: 13
This Week: Mon. at MIN, Thur. at GSV, Sun. at LAS
The injuries and the losses continue to climb for Dallas, which has eight players listed on its injury report entering Monday’s game in Minnesota. That includes rookie sensation Paige Bueckers (left calf), who is on pace to finish in the top 10 in scoring (18.9 ppg), assists (5.4 apg) and steals (1.6) in her first season as a pro. The Wings have dropped seven straight and are 3-18 over their last 21 games.

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2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 13

The stage is set for a thrilling finish to the 2025 regular season with playoff spots and positioning on the line in just about every single game over the final two-plus weeks.
For this week’s rankings, we’re breaking down the field into four groups – each one representing a different race for the teams included. 
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Group 1: Race to clinch No. 1 overall seed
The smallest of these groups belongs solely to the Lynx, who have a magic number of two (Lynx wins or Dream losses) to clinch the No. 1 overall seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. How important is home-court? The Lynx are 18-1 at Target Center this season.
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1. Minnesota Lynx (30-7)
Last Week: 1 ↔️
This Week: Thur. vs. SEA, Sat. at CON
The Lynx opened the week with their first consecutive losses of the season – falling at New York and Atlanta – before bouncing back by sweeping a home-and-home with Indiana. Sunday’s game marked the return of Napheesa Collier, who dropped 32 points in her first game after missing three weeks with an ankle injury. Minnesota went 5-2 without the league’s leading scorer and MVP candidate.
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Group 2: Race for home-court advantage in First Round
Next up, we have four teams – the Aces, Dream, Mercury and Liberty – separated by just two games and all seeking a top-four finish in order to secure home-court in the opening round of the playoffs.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-202341" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-74.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-74.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-74-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
2. Las Vegas Aces (24-14)
Last Week: 3 ⬆️
This Week: Mon. at CHI, Wed. at ATL
No team in the league is hotter than the Aces, who won their 10th straight game on Saturday – marking the longest win streak of the Vegas era and the second longest in franchise history (12 by the 2012 Silver Stars). The eighth win of this streak came against the Dream as the Aces rallied back from 10 down in the fourth quarter to clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker (lead season series 2-0 with one game to play). Vegas also holds the tiebreaker over Phoenix, but not New York.
3. Atlanta Dream (24-13)
Last Week: 2 ⬇️
This Week: Wed. vs. LVA, Fri. vs. DAL
With only 13 losses on the season – second only to Minnesota – the Dream control their own destiny down the stretch. If they win out, they’ll be the No. 2 seed (assuming Minnesota doesn’t collapse). Atlanta has won nine of its last 11 games with its only loss this week coming at the hands of red-hot Las Vegas. The Dream will look to avenge that loss on Wednesday when they host the Aces in their final meeting of the regular season. While Atlanta does not have the tiebreaker with Vegas, they do hold it over Phoenix and split its season series with New York.
4. Phoenix Mercury (22-14)
Last Week: 5 ⬆️
This Week: Tue. at LAS, Thur. vs. CHI, Sat. vs. NYL
This month, Phoenix has gone 0-4 against Las Vegas and Atlanta, but 6-0 against all other teams. However, dropping two games apiece to the Aces and Dream means that the Mercury lost the head-to-head tiebreakers with both teams, which could hurt them if the race remains this tight down the stretch. Phoenix leads its season series with New York (2-1) and can clinch that tiebreaker in their final meeting on Saturday.
5. New York Liberty (22-15)
Last Week: 4 ⬇️
This Week: Mon. vs. CON, Thur. vs. WAS, Sat. at PHX
The Liberty are 2-5 in their last seven games and 5-9 since losing Breanna Stewart to a bone bruise in her knee on July 26 (I’m including that game in the record since Stewart only played three minutes). Stewart isn&#8217;t the only player the Liberty are missing. Nyara Sabally (knee) remains out for likely another week, while Sabrina Ionescu (foot), Natasha Cloud (nose) and Isabelle Harrison (concussion) are all listed as questionable for Monday&#8217;s game against the suddenly-scorching Sun. Saturday’s game at Phoenix is one to watch as NY can clinch the head-to-head tiebreaker with a win, giving the Liberty two tiebreakers (also over Vegas) in this group.
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Group 3: Race for final three playoff spots
Next up, we have five teams still in the mix for the final three playoff berths, including four teams – the Storm, Valkyries, Fever and Sparks – all with exactly 18 losses entering this week. The Mystics are still alive, but sit four losses behind this group’s lead pack.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-202342" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-75.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-75.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-75-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-75-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
6. Seattle Storm (20-18)
Last Week: 9 ⬆️
This Week: Tue. at IND, Thur. at MIN, Sat. vs. CHI
Nneka Ogwumike came through in the clutch on Sunday, knocking down a15-foot fadeaway at the buzzer to seal Seattle’s third straight win and fourth in the last five games as the Storm have bounced back from a six-game losing streak to open August. Can the Storm keep rolling with three teams right on their heels? They’ll have to since Seattle will not hold any head-to-head tiebreakers over this field – Seattle lost its season series with Indiana and must beat Golden State and L.A. in order to even those two series.
7. Golden State Valkyries (19-18)
Last Week: 6 ⬇️
This Week: Sat. vs. WAS, Sun vs. IND
There have only been eight games in WNBA history with a player racking up 24+ points and 13+ assists – Veronica Burton has two of those games in Golden State’s last three outings. Sunday’s win at Dallas snapped a three-game slide for the Valkyries, who remain in the hunt to become the first WNBA expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural season. Golden State has tiebreakers on its side, locking up the head-to-head edge over Indiana and Los Angeles and leading Seattle (2-1) with one game to play.
8. Indiana Fever (19-18)
Last Week: 7 ⬇️
This Week: Tue. vs. SEA, Fri. at LAS, Sun. at GSV
This is an important week for the Fever as they face each of the other three teams that open the season’s penultimate week with 18 losses – hosting Seattle on Tuesday before a California road trip to face the Sparks on Friday and Valkyries on Sunday. The Fever enter this crucial point of the schedule having gone just 2-6 in their last eight games following a season-best five-game win streak. As injuries continue to ravage the team – Sophie Cunningham is the latest to be lost for the season – can the Fever fight their way to a top-eight finish? When it comes to tiebreakers, Indy holds it over Seattle, but lost its season series to both L.A. and Golden State.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (17-18)
Last Week: 8 ⬇️
This Week: Tue. vs. PHX, Fri. vs. IND, Sun. vs. WAS
From July 13-Aug. 7, the Sparks went on a run of eight wins over a nine-game span, with win streaks of five and three games. Since then, they have not been able to string together back-to-back wins as they have alternated wins and losses over each of their past six games. In such a tight playoff race, a timely win streak can make all the difference. Coming off a Kelsey Plum game-winner in their only game last week, can the Sparks make it two straight when they host the Mercury on Tuesday? In terms of tiebreakers, the Sparks hold it over the Fever and lead the Storm (2-1 with one game to play), but lost to the Valkyries.
10. Washington Mystics (16-22)
Last Week: 10 ↔️
This Week: Thur. at NYL, Sat. at GSV, Sun. at LAS
Results: L vs. CON 80-69, L at CON 67-56, L vs. LVA 91-81, L vs. SEA 84-82
Notes: lost 4 straight, in danger of playoff elimination
Just like a timely win streak can boost a team during a tight playoff race, an untimely losing streak can be a damaging blow to a team’s playoff hopes. Case in point – the Mystics – who have dropped four straight games to fall four losses behind the pack in the race for the final three playoff spots. Washington has no margin for error down the stretch, including a pair of must-win road games this week at Golden State and Los Angeles.
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Group 4: Officially out of playoff contention
Three teams – the Sun, Sky and Wings – have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention with two weeks to play. With each roster featuring young talent, these final games can be useful tools for player development that can carry over to next season.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-202343" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/08/Thumbnail-76.png" alt="" width="2560" height="1440" />
11. Connecticut Sun (9-27)
Last Week: 13 ⬆️
This Week: Mon. at NYL, Wed. at DAL, Sat. vs. MIN
Results: W at WAS 80-69, W vs. WAS 67-56, W at CHI 94-84
Notes: won 3 straight, 1st win streak of season, 6-8 since ASG
The Sun enter this week riding their first win streak of the season – having strung together three straight victories over the Mystics (twice) and Sky. Leading the way during the streak has been Tina Charles (19.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg), Saniya Rivers (12.3 ppg, 1.7 spg) and Marina Mabrey (12.0 ppg, 5.0 apg). Overall, the Sun are 6-8 since All-Star compared to 3-19 prior to the break.
12. Chicago Sky (9-27)
Last Week: 12 ↔️
This Week: Mon vs. LVA, Thur. at PHX, Sat. at SEA
A pair of 20/10 games from Kamila Cardoso (22 pts, career-high 16 reb) and Angel Reese (21 pts, 10 reb) helped the Sky top the Liberty in Brooklyn to snap a five-game losing streak. The Sky open the week hosting the red-hot Aces in the first of three matchups over a 15-day span.
13. Dallas Wings (9-29)
Last Week: 11 ⬇️
This Week: Wed. vs. CON, Fri. at ATL
The Wings have dropped five straight and 10 of their last 11 games to fall to the bottom of the standings this week. Wednesday&#8217;s loss to the Sparks saw Kelsey Plum hit a game-winner to spoil Paige Bueckers’ brilliant 44-point effort – the most points scored in any WNBA game this season and the most ever scored by a rookie in league history. Things don’t get any easier as Dallas faces one of the most difficult remaining schedules, with five of their final six games coming against teams in the playoff hunt. The other? Wednesday against the suddenly-hot Connecticut Sun.

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2025 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 12

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Game Recap: Dream vs. Liberty (7/13/25)

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Game Recap: Aces vs. Liberty (7/8/25)

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Game Recap: Liberty vs. Valkyries (6/25/25)

2025 Commissioner's Cup

<div style="width: 1920px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-0-1" width="1920" height="1080" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/20250614_WNYL_WIND_RECAP.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/20250614_WNYL_WIND_RECAP.mp4">https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/20250614_WNYL_WIND_RECAP.mp4</a></video></div>

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Game Recap: Liberty vs. Fever (6/14/25)

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Nyara Sabally

2022: Selected fifth overall in the 2022 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty, becoming Oregon’s third top-five selection in three years and second by the Liberty.
COLLEGE: Posted a successful two-year campaign at Oregon after sitting out her first two seasons due to injury…Averaged 15.4 points and 7.8 rebounds, totaled nine double-doubles, and converted on 52.7% (139-264) of her field goal attempts during her redshirt junior season…Tied Oregon’s single-game NCAA Tournament scoring record with 31 points vs. Belmont, matching Sabrina Ionescu’s record in 2019…Such performance earned Sabally consecutive All-Pac-12 honors and a spot on the top-10 watchlist for the Katrina McClain Award, honoring nation&#8217;s top power forward.
INTERNATIONAL: Made her Team Germany debut at the 2015 FIBA U16 European Championship, where she averaged nine points, 13.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game&#8230;Exploded on to the scene in the summer of 2017, as she was named the MVP of the FIBA U18 Div. B European Championship after averaging 17.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game&#8230;In the semifinals against Great Britain, Sabally tallied 21 points, 18 rebounds, six steals and four blocked shots&#8230;In the championship game against Ireland, she posted another double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds&#8230;Competed in the FIBA U18 Div. A European Championships in the summer of 2018, averaging 9.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists in just 17.6 minutes per game before suffering a knee injury in the championship game against Spain.
PERSONAL: Nyara Sabally (pronounced Knee-ARE-uh SAH-buh-lee) was born on February 26, 2000…Native of Berlin, Germany…Younger sister of Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally&#8230;The two sisters were teammates in 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Oregon…Attended a sports academy in Berlin &#8211; Schul-und Leistungssportzentrum Berlin (SLZB).

Nyara Sabally was drafted in the 2027 Expansion Draft by the  Toronto Tempo.

Selected by Tempo

Will have minutes limit

Cleared from injury report

Returns to practice

Ruled out vs. Seattle

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