5 Things I Like

When the season kicked off, would you have believed me if I told you that one of the top contending teams in the WNBA would be the Golden State Valkyries?
If you’re an avid member of Balhalla, then yes, you probably knew that. If not, you might be shocked to see that Golden State &#8211; following their extremely successful debut season in 2025 &#8211; are 5-3, and coming off an emphatic victory against the Indiana Fever this past week. They’re keeping pace with the Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, and Minnesota Lynx atop the standings and are doing so with a balanced attack led by Veronica Burton. 
This exciting surge has landed them at the front of my mind ahead of this week’s list of five things I really liked from Week 3 of the WNBA. 
<hr />
<h2>Golden State Soars Behind Defense</h2>
<div id="attachment_262152" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262152" class="wp-image-262152 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144254.055-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Veronica Burton #22 of the Golden State Valkyries</div>
The Valkyries’ defense was their biggest key to winning against the Fever in their second game in the same week. After a bit of a testy game between the two franchises, the Valkyries came into this game fired up and motivated to snag a win. Veronica Burton had a rocking five blocks against the Fever in addition to six rebounds, three assists, and a team-high 25 points. 
So far this year, the Valkyries are third in the league in defensive rating (101.6), second in net rating (7.3), and second in assists to turnovers (1.74). They’re playing highly efficient basketball with an emphasis on making their opponents feel them on the defensive end, and that has everything to do with the culture that Burton and head coach Natalie Nakase are establishing in the Bay. And, home game crowds are becoming a sneaky Sixth Player of the Year candidate. 
<hr />
<h2>Kiki Rice Enters ROTY Chat</h2>
While Olivia Miles might be taking a stranglehold of the Rookie of the Year race, we can’t be too quick to write off some other big-name picks from this year’s draft. Azzi Fudd just had quite a signature moment at Barclays Center in a huge Dallas Wings win over the New York Liberty, and Rice is continuing to thrive with bigger minutes for the Toronto Tempo. 
Rice, while averaging 27 minutes per game through nine games, is now averaging 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Her three-point shooting is what’s really separating her from the pack for the Tempo, hitting 40.6 percent of her three-pointers on a decent diet of 2.4 shots per game. 
Rice’s play on the floor is not that of a rookie &#8211; and that’s a great thing for Toronto. She plays with the confidence of a veteran floor general, unafraid of contact and ready to drag defenders into the paint with her to create offense. That’s a huge load off the shoulders of Brittney Sykes, Marina Mabrey, and Nyara Sabally. If we’re speaking to the impact of rookies on their teams so far, Rice needs to firmly be in the conversation following her four steal, 17-point, and six rebound performance against the Seattle Storm in the Tempo’s latest win. 
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<h2>The Impeding Horror of the Lynx</h2>
<div id="attachment_262154" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262154" class="wp-image-262154 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-01T144614.075-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The Minnesota Lynx</div>
This is not a horror story, mind you, for fans of the Lynx. Rather, this is the sound of the horror that will soon be a fully healthy Minnesota team that’s already atop the league in the standings. Without Napheesa Collier or Dorka Juhasz playing a single minute so far in 2025. This is simply the result of a team with so much chemistry following a disappointing 2025 campaign, able to soar through the competition without their potential MVP. 
How is Minnesota achieving this success? 
A lot of it has to do with their defense. They’re averaging five blocks per game along with 8.5 steals and 37.6 rebounds, all while limiting their personal fouls committed to just 20.4 per game. With a 96.4 defensive rating, their impact is being felt. On the glass, they’re getting their work in, and that’s in major thanks to veterans Natasha Howard, Nia Coffey, and Courtney Williams. Their rebounding is preventing other teams from gaining second-chance scoring opportunities, which helps remedy their lack of size outside of Howard and Coffey in the frontcourt. 
Oh, and Miles is leading the league in defensive win shares as a rookie. 
Again, this impact is being felt without Collier in the lineup. A lot was made of the team losing both Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard in the offseason, and so far, it looks like the Lynx didn’t think much of it at all. They’re going to be unbelievably potent when fully healthy, and that’s a scary idea for the rest of the league. 
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<h2>Can Monique Akoa Makani Save Phoenix?</h2>
The Mercury, despite entering this season with a healthy Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, have looked worse for wear. They’re 2-7 headed into Commissioner’s Cup play, and they don’t have a ton of available answers to their woes. 
 
They’re middling in both defensive and offensive ratings and are allowing opponents to shoot 52.8 percent from the field. But they’re still doing a good job of forcing opponents to find their scoring outside of the paint &#8211; they’re only allowing them to score 32.7 points from there &#8211; but, that’s not really doing much to contribute to their win column. 
Phoenix’s star rookie from last season, Monique Akoa Makani, just got inserted into the starting lineup over their rookie this year, Jovana Nogic, to see if they can find any spark defensively. In two games played so far, she’s already the top Phoenix player in defensive win shares with 0.222, showing just how impactful she can be on that end of the floor as a starter. But can just one player really change the course of what has so far been a disappointing start to a potential contender’s season? Phoenix will need more than just her activity against guards to revitalize their team, although replacing Nogic in the lineup with her is a great start towards that goal. 
<hr />
<h2>Portland Megan Gustafson Says What We’re All Thinking</h2>
After a historic year for the Valkyries in 2025, it wasn’t anticipated that the next two expansion franchises on deck, the Fire and Tempo, could re-create that same magic. 
Let veteran center Megan Gustafson tell it, though, and you’d be a fool for having doubted these two teams’ ability to succeed in this league right away. 
Gustafson had an emotional press conference following the Fire’s win over the Fever on Saturday, telling reporters that she’s never felt as valued before in her eight-year WNBA career as she does with Portland. 
&#8220;I mean, we&#8217;re a bunch of overlooked players, and I think we all have a chip on our shoulder. I&#8217;ve really never been respected as a basketball player until I&#8217;ve gotten here, so I&#8217;m really thankful for this team, this organization. They really believe in me.”
Gustafson made these comments on the tail end of a historic evening from the Fire, with her 22 points contributing to the largest scoring game in their history (so far). The Moda Center was living and dying by every shot from Portland, and their excitement was probably helped along by the fact that the team looked so confident against a team like the Fever. 
These overlooked players who have made up these last three expansion teams have been written off for most of their careers. They’ve found new life and new opportunities with these new squads, to the point where even veterans like Gustafson feel like they’ve been revitalized.

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Five Things I Like: Week 3 of WNBA Action

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Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd Duo Hype Mix

Top Plays 2026

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Top Plays of the Day, 05/28/2026

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Dallas Wings Top Plays vs. Las Vegas Aces

The Golden State Valkyries’ major success in Year 1 of their franchise’s existence was considered an anomaly. They were the first expansion team to make the postseason in their very first season, and they looked like a legitimate threat to the order of things before injuries hampered them down the stretch. 
Surely no one expects the WNBA’s other two new franchises in 2026, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, to make similar noise…right?
Believe it or not, but the Tempo and Fire are crawling up the standings. Toronto, which had its heart snatched by the Washington Mystics in their home opener, has since looked like a well-oiled machine thanks to high-flying performances from Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey. The Fire also just can’t stop being clutch, with Sarah Ashlee Barker becoming a typical feature for the Fire in the 4th quarter. 
These teams’ victories over the last week, plus a surprising standings riser, a rookie arrival on a national stage, and more, all shaped up an exciting week of WNBA action. 
<hr />
<h2>Tempo and Fire Finding Their Groove</h2>
<div id="attachment_261611" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261611" class="wp-image-261611" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277903090-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Sarah Ashlee Barker #3 of the Portland Fire</div>
Neither of the expansion franchises was really expected to make noise this season, but they’ve quickly established their respective cultures, which have helped them maintain some momentum in the standings. Toronto’s victory over the Phoenix Mercury this past week was most impressive, led by Sykes and Mabrey’s 30+ point performances. Despite some thinned-out frontcourt depth, they managed to keep up defensive pressure behind rookie Kiki Rice’s two steals in that game and 27 team defensive rebounds. 
Portland’s most impressive win of the week came against the Connecticut Sun. While the Sun are struggling this year, that contest went down to the wire. And, once again, Barker was a huge piece of that victory. Her 18 points &#8211; plus a clutch bucket from Sug Sutton &#8211; propelled the Fire to a win over the Sun.
Both teams are finding ways to succeed with their brand-new coaches and teammates. It just goes to show how much talent is lurking in this league when two more expansion franchises are finding success so early in their tenures. 
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<h2>Los Angeles with a Spark</h2>
Kelsey Plum was on the road to an MVP-caliber season in 2025 prior to Los Angeles’ slippage in the standings, thanks to numerous injuries to starters. This season, with a healthy Cameron Brink in tow in addition to the return of Nneka Ogwumike to the team, they’ve begun to look like the very team that Plum was leading last season. 
Three-point shooting was an area of concern for Los Angeles last season, so their 37.1 percent shooting percentage this season &#8211; a league-best &#8211; should be cause for celebration. They’ve been moving the ball well early on this season, too, with an average of 20.8 assists per game. With Ogwumike back on the floor, their shooting percentages should reach even greater heights. The spacing created by Plum, Rae Burrell, and Ogwumike can open things up for Brink and Dearica Hamby in the front court. 
They’ve begun rising up the standings behind Plum’s lights-out shooting, and just sealed a hugely impressive win over the Las Vegas Aces this past week. Los Angeles seems to have finally found their groove behind a healthy frontcourt and with some help around Plum. 
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<h2>Most Dangerous Teams in Transition </h2>
<div id="attachment_261613" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261613" class="wp-image-261613" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277379991-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />NaLyssa Smith #3 and A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
Being able to take advantage of opposing defenses through an efficient transition offense can make or break a win. It’s no coincidence, then, that some of the top teams in the league are also some of the fastest. 
The Aces led all teams in PACE this week, which measures how many possessions a team has over 40 minutes of a game. This means they’re controlling the tempo, making teams pay for not securing boards, and using their speedier, sharper guards alongside their talented frontcourt to create a juggernaut offense. 
A surprising team sitting just behind Las Vegas in pace is Chicago (99.60). They’ve found the perfect key to unlock their own frontcourt in Skylar Diggins, who’s averaging a team-high 5.4 assists per game so far this year. Just behind her is another speedy guard in Natasha Cloud, who helps to push the Sky’s pace. We shouldn’t be shocked that they’re remaining steadily around .500 or higher this year, given this potent aspect to their offense. 
Indiana is, of course, a huge threat in this area thanks to Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell running the show. Both are great at pushing the pace in transition, but the team is only averaging 8.8 fast break points per game this season despite that top pace. Getting more efficient with those opportunities should open the door for the Fever to start winning more consistently. 
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<h2>Azzi Fudd’s Barclays takeover</h2>
Anyone who watched Fudd during her time at UConn knows that she has one of the most consistent jumpers in basketball, period. Once she finds her stroke, it’s difficult to contain the offensive explosion that could come along with that click. 
The New York Liberty just experienced that first-hand on Sunday afternoon against the Dallas Wings. Fudd entered the contest averaging just 8.4 points per game and just 2.2 three-point attempts per game. Thanks to some poor zone defense and overhelping from New York in the 3rd quarter of their game, Fudd managed to get off five made threes en route to a 17-point frame. She had a career-high 24 points and was the most confident on the floor that she’s been since joining the Wings and the league. If this is a sign of things to come for her role with Dallas, they could be set for a huge swing up the standings. 
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<h2>Atlanta Stays on Top </h2>
The Dream lost a critical matchup to the Aces at the very start of the WNBA season…and simply haven’t lost again. Atlanta is atop the standings right now with a 4-1 record, thanks to their average of 13.6 second-chance points per game and a league-leading 41.6 rebounds per game. Te-Hina Paopao and Rhyne Howard have been providing the Dream their pop from three-point range, while Jordin Canada’s health has been paramount &#8211; the guard is averaging 51.1 from the field along with 7.2 assists per game and 2.8 steals. 
To no one’s surprise, Angel Reese has begun to find her way with the Dream, leading the team in rebounding and blocks. Her impact, alongside Canada’s, has helped the team reach a 98.3 defensive rating through five contests. This team has the tools for sustainable success on both sides of the floor, although Atlanta’s two biggest flaws right now include their turnovers and Allisha Gray not having found her stroke from three-point range just yet to kick off this season. Once both of those things are cleaned up, the Dream could have a stranglehold on the standings for much of this year. 
Their wins over the Mercury, Wings, and Minnesota Lynx show that this early-year success is no fluke. If they can just find another gear on offense, they’ll become even scarier as contenders.

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Five Things I Like: Week Two 2026

Power Rankings

With every team having between five and seven games in the books two weeks into the new season, we have more information to help us analyze the field.
In addition to seeing a number of standout performances — 45 points from A’ja Wilson, 38-piece specials from Kelsey Plum and Brittney Sykes, Azzi Fudd’s six-pack of 3-pointers, and Nneka Ogwumike climbing to 5th on the all-time scoring list — a few trends have started to emerge for some teams that we’ll explore below.
Note: All stats and records are through games played on Sunday, May 24.
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<h2>1. Las Vegas Aces (4-2) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thur. at DAL, Sun. at GSV</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_261604" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261604" class="wp-image-261604" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="700" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-300x233.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-1024x797.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-768x597.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-1536x1195.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277382826-2048x1593.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
On opening night, the Aces received their 2025 championship rings — then lost by 33 to Phoenix. On Saturday, the Aces raised their 2025 championship banner — then lost to Los Angeles while allowing 38 points to former Ace Kelsey Plum. Meanwhile, Las Vegas is 4-0 when not celebrating its title. They’ll put that trend to the test this week with road games against the Wings and Valkyries.
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<h2>2. Atlanta Dream (4-1) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at MIN, Fri. at POR</li>
</ul>
Atlanta enters this week with the top record in the WNBA thanks to a late rally against Phoenix on Sunday. The comeback was powered by 21 points from Rhyne Howard, alongside double-doubles by Jordin Canada and Angel Reese (her third with the Dream). Allisha Gray added 17 points in the win as she ranks fifth in the league in scoring (21.8 ppg) over Atlanta’s first five games.
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<h2>3. Indiana Fever (4-2) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thur. at GSV, Sat. at POR</li>
</ul>
Fueled by a pair of top-four scorers in the league – Caitlin Clark (23.8 ppg) and Kelsey Mitchell (22.3 ppg) – the Fever are the highest-scoring team in the WNBA, averaging 93.7 points per game. After earning home wins over the Fire and Valkyries this past week, the Fever hit the road to face the same two teams this week in Portland and San Francisco.
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<h2>4. Golden State Valkyries (3-2) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. CON, Thur. vs. IND, Sun. vs. LVA</li>
</ul>
Through their first five games, the Valkyries have lived and died by the 3-point shot. In their three wins, they have made at least 13 3-pointers on 37% shooting or better. In their two losses, they have made seven 3-pointers in each game and shot below 32% both times. After splitting a pair of road games in New York and Indy last week, the Valkyries open a four-game homestand on Monday against the Sun.
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<h2>5. Minnesota Lynx (4-2) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. ATL, Fri. at CHI</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_261605" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261605" class="wp-image-261605" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277348547-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Olivia Miles #5 and Natasha Howard #1 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
Here’s the list of players averaging at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists so far this season — perennial MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas and Lynx rookie Olivia Miles. Miles, the No. 2 pick in the 2026 Draft, looks like a star in the making. Meanwhile, veteran Natasha Howard has thrived (17.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 66.7 FG%, which ranks fourth in the WNBA) in her first season back in Minnesota. This is buying the Lynx more time as they await the return of their own MVP candidate, Napheesa Collier.
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<h2>6. Dallas Wings (4-3) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thur. vs. LVA</li>
</ul>
We go from talking about this year’s No. 2 pick (Miles) to this year’s No. 1 pick, Azzi Fudd, who had one of the best games by a rookie in league history on Sunday. Fudd splashed six 3-pointers (tied for second most by a rookie ever) and scored 17 points in the 3rd quarter (also tied for second most by a rookie ever) on her way to a career-best 24 points in Dallas’ win over New York. After going 3-1 as the busiest team in the league in Week 2, Fudd, Paige Bueckers, and the rest of the Wings are off until Thursday when they host the Aces.
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<h2>7. New York Liberty (3-3) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. POR, Wed. vs. PHX, Fri. vs. PHX</li>
</ul>
After averaging 100 points per game over their first four contests this season, the Liberty&#8217;s offense struggled this past week, posting back-to-back double-digit losses to the Valkyries and Wings, with New York putting up just 70 and 76 points, respectively. Those were the first two games of a season-long seven-game homestand for New York. Can the Liberty course correct and take advantage of their home-heavy schedule? Having Sabrina Ionescu back on the court, following her season debut on Sunday, should certainly help that cause.
<hr />
<h2>8. Chicago Sky (3-3) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. TOR, Fri. vs. MIN</li>
</ul>
The Sky are taking the phrase “playing .500 ball” to a new level. Not only do they have a .500 win percentage at 3-3, but they have also scored exactly 500 points and given up exactly 500 points over their first six games combined. Hence, their position is smack dab in the middle of this week’s rankings. Chicago will look to get above .500 when they host Toronto on Wednesday. However, they will have to do it without leading scorer Rickea Jackson, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.
<hr />
<h2>9. Portland Fire (3-3) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at NYL, Wed. vs. CON, Fri. vs. ATL, Sat. vs. IND</li>
</ul>
Through six games, Portland’s debut season has resembled a seesaw, trading wins and losses back and forth. This week, the Fire edged out the Sun at home, fell to the Fever on the road, then rolled in the battle of expansion teams against the Tempo as Portland dominated the second half. Can the Fire put together their first consecutive wins? Their first attempt comes Monday in Brooklyn, against a Liberty squad that Portland beat at the buzzer for their first win.
<hr />
<h2>10. Los Angeles Sparks (3-3) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Fri. at WAS, Sat. at CON</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_261606" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261606" class="wp-image-261606" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="659" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-300x220.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-1024x750.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-768x562.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-1536x1125.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2277949106-2048x1500.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Kelsey Plum #10 of the Los Angeles Sparks</div>
The Sparks offense is clicking as they make a move up these rankings. After scoring 78 points in each of their first two games (both losses), the Sparks have scored at least 96 points in each of their last four games — going 3-1 in that stretch. In this week’s road wins over Phoenix and Vegas, L.A. shot 29-for-61 (47.5%) from beyond the arc, with WNBA leading scorer Kelsey Plum pacing the Sparks (26.8 ppg on 48.8 3P%) this season.
<hr />
<h2>11. Seattle Storm (3-4) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed vs. WAS, Sat. at TOR</li>
</ul>
After being the first team to suffer a defeat at the hands of the Sun, the Storm bounced back two days later with an 18-point win over Connecticut behind a career-high-tying 17 points from rookie Flau’jae Johnson. In the Storm’s three wins, the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft has averaged 16.7 ppg on 38.9% shooting. Conversely, during their four losses, her production dipped to 9.5 points on 25.6% shooting. But Johnson isn’t Seattle’s only top-10 pick from this year’s class — No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam made her Storm debut on Sunday with 10 points off the bench in a win over Washington.
<hr />
<h2>12. Toronto Tempo (3-4) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at CHI, Sat. vs. SEA</li>
</ul>
After Tuesday’s win lifted the Tempo over .500 for the first time, it was followed by back-to-back losses by 19+ points apiece to the Lynx and Fire. No team has relied more on the 3-point shot this season than the Tempo, with triples accounting for 44.9% of their total field goal attempts. Just as the three can shoot a team into a game (39.3% in three wins), it can also shoot them out (28.2% in four losses), which has been the case for Toronto.
<hr />
<h2>13. Washington Mystics (2-3) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at SEA, Fri. vs. LAS</li>
</ul>
The opening week of the season saw the young Mystics go 2-1 in three clutch games. This past week, neither of their games was close, as they suffered double-digit losses at Dallas and Seattle. As Washington looks to get back on track, keep an eye on sophomore Sonia Citron, who led the WNBA in 3-point percentage as a rookie last season (44.5%), but has only shot the longball at 25% (6-for-24) so far in 2026. Washington ranks last in the league in 3-pointers made (5.0 per game) and 3-point percentage (25.5%); both of those numbers must improve for Washington to climb.
<hr />
<h2>14. Phoenix Mercury (2-5) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at NYL, Fri. at NYL</li>
</ul>
Following the Mercury’s 33-point win over the Aces in an opening night Finals rematch, last year’s runners-up have gone just 1-5 since to drop near the bottom of the standings. Despite their 2-5 record, the Mercury’s offense is actually averaging 4.5 more points per game than they did a season ago. However, the Mercury’s defense is allowing 6.9 more points per game to opponents, which is not only negating their offensive gains but also digging them into a deeper hole to climb out of.
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<h2>15. Connecticut Sun (1-6) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at GSV, Wed. at POR, Sat. vs. LAS</li>
</ul>
Despite getting a combined 18 points from their starting lineup, the Sun scored a win over the Storm last Wednesday to earn their first victory of the season. Rookie Charlisse Leger-Walker led four Connecticut reserves in double figures off the bench, helping the unit deliver a massive 62-39 advantage over their Storm counterparts. As Connecticut seeks its second win of 2026, the Sun must visit Golden State and Portland before hosting the defending champs on Saturday.

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2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Week Two

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Dallas Wings Top Plays vs. New York Liberty

Top Performer

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Azzi Fudd with 24 Points vs. New York Liberty

Commissioner's Cup 2026

The Commissioner’s Cup, held by the WNBA since 2021, has been a sly viewing window into what the postseason field could shape up to be once we hit September and October. 
 
Several recent cup winners or runners-up in those championship games have gone on to appear in the WNBA Finals. Most recently, the Indiana Fever, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, and Minnesota Lynx have dominated the Commissioner’s Cup and have either made deep postseason runs or reached the Finals. 
It makes the in-season tournament all the more exciting, as it’s an excellent way for teams to differentiate themselves as contenders months before the postseason even kicks off. Plus, it’s for a great cause &#8211; each team dedicates a portion of their winnings after each game of the tournament to a charity of their choice. 
Players keep the rest of those earnings, with the Cup winners receiving a prize pool for the championship team&#8217;s entire active roster. 
There’s an unbelievable amount of parity in the league headed into the first games of the tournament, so the competitiveness for this year’s Cup, in its sixth year, should be off the charts. Here are just a few things fans should expect from this year’s go-around. 
<hr />
<h2>High-scoring games</h2>
With the Commissioner’s Cup, point differential matters. The old-school rule of not running it up on your opponent does not apply to these contests. This differential helps teams to escape their respective “conferences,” which are divided by the East and West. Last year, the Lynx went on an absolute tear in the Western Conference with a +77 point differential, while the New York Liberty finished with a differential of +66. 
Point differential is used as a tiebreaker, followed by the head-to-head record during the Cup itself. Despite the Liberty having the larger point differential in the Eastern Conference in 2025, the Fever had beaten them during Cup play, so they earned the opportunity to face the Lynx in the final game. 
So, points matter throughout the Cup, but winning is the primary goal for teams seeking to represent their respective conference. 
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<h2>Threats to the status quo</h2>
<div id="attachment_261323" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-261323" class="wp-image-261323" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2222400686-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />The Indiana Fever pose for a photo after wining the 2025 WNBA Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Game</div>
While it’s expected that teams like the Liberty, Fever, Dream, and Aces will be the most competitive this year during Cup play, there are a few sleepers that could give these squads trouble. The Dallas Wings are hitting their stride offensively, though their defense remains a question mark as we careen towards the kickoff of Cup games. 
The Golden State Valkyries could also present some issues in the Western Conference, as Janelle Salaun and Veronica Burton have developed into a formidable duo on both ends of the floor. The Chicago Sky, despite some offensive woes to begin the year, are one of the best defensive teams in the league so far. That could be challenging for teams looking to run up the score against Chicago during Cup play. 
The Phoenix Mercury, despite losing Satou Sabally in free agency, also looks like the kind of deep, veteran-led team that could push to clinch the Western Conference during the Cup. They’ve been one of the best offenses to begin the season, with rookie Jovana Nogic, who is hitting 66.7 percent of her threes, being a huge surprise off the bench for them. 
Just as we saw last year with the Fever’s surprising victory over the Lynx to win the Commissioner’s Cup, anything can happen over the 17-day stretch in which Cup games take place. 
<hr />
<h2>Key matchups</h2>
The Wings will kick off Cup play on June 1, when they travel to Seattle to face the Storm. Seattle’s bench has been white-hot to kick off the year (averaging 34.7 points per game through their first three games), and they could be difficult for Dallas to contain as they figure out how to plug their defensive issues. 
The Lynx will travel to Phoenix on June 1 to try to establish some dominance over the Mercury. This could mean more than just an initial stab at winning a tiebreaker for this year’s Cup, but rather, a preview of another postseason series featuring these two teams. 
Indiana will be headed to New York to try and repeat their 2025 magic on June 6. A win would go a long way towards establishing a solid footing in the Eastern Conference Cup standings and would also serve as a nice test for a healthy Fever squad against a contender like the Liberty. 
One of the last games of the Cup is an Aces-Mercury Finals rematch on June 17. Phoenix dominated in their season opener against Las Vegas, so A’ja Wilson and the Aces are likely seeking some two-fold revenge against their Western Conference foes. 
 
This could come down to how well the Mercury can stick to their guns defensively to keep the score low, as well as a battle of the benches &#8211; one led by the rookie Nogic, and the other led by guard Chennedy Carter for the Aces. As of now, the Aces have the edge with an average of 32 points coming from their second unit compared to the Mercury’s output of 18 points per game through three games. 
On June 9, we’ll also get a look at the No. 1 overall pick, Azzi Fudd, versus the No. 2 overall pick, Olivia Miles. It’s too soon to say how this year’s Rookie of the Year or All-Rookie race is shaping up, but Miles seems firmly in control of that race. Fudd, who isn’t utilized as much by Dallas because of how deep their guard room is, might not be too big a factor in this contest. But, it’ll still be a fun contest for potential bragging rights, in addition to it mattering towards Cup standings.

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Commissioner’s Cup 2026 Primer: What to Expect

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Top Plays of the Day, 5/20/26

Latest

Azzi Fudd

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
<ul>
<li>2026: Selected No. 1 overall in the 2026 WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings.</li>
</ul>
COLLEGE CAREER:
<ul>
<li>Played five seasons at the University of Connecticut (2021-2026).</li>
<li>2025 National Champion</li>
<li>2026 WBCA All-America</li>
<li>2026 AP First Team All-America</li>
<li>2026 USBWA First Team All-America</li>
<li>2026 Wooden Award All-America</li>
<li>2026 CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year</li>
<li>2026 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year</li>
<li>2026 NCAA Fort Worth Regional 1 All-Region Team</li>
<li>2026 CSC Academic All-America First Team</li>
<li>2026 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team</li>
<li>2026 All-BIG EAST First Team</li>
<li>2025 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player</li>
<li>2025 BIG EAST All-Tournament Team</li>
<li>2025 All-BIG EAST First Team</li>
<li>2022 NCAA Tournament Bridgeport All-Region Team</li>
<li>2022 BIG EAST All-Freshman Team</li>
</ul>

Azzi Fudd signed a Rookie Scale Contract with the Dallas Wings.

Azzi Fudd was drafted by the Dallas Wings.

Shines in victory over Aces

Set to start Thursday

Full stat line in victory

Adds 12 points off bench

Good to go Thursday

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