Preseason 2026

The countdown is on. The 30th WNBA season tips off on Friday, May 8.
After a whirlwind month that saw the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/expansion-draft-2026">expansion draft</a> for the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo ahead of their inaugural seasons, the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/draft/2026">college draft</a> headlined by Azzi Fudd at No. 1 and a record six UCLA Bruins selected, a <a href="https://www.wnba.com/freeagency26">free agency storm</a> that saw some marquee players find new homes, while others decided to run it back, 15 training camps, and <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/preseason-2026-rapid-reactions">18 preseason games</a>, the third decade of WNBA hoops is upon us.
Before rosters are finalized on Thursday (May 7 at 5 p.m. ET) and the regular season opens on May 8 with a triple-header on ION, here’s a look at how the teams stack up against one another entering the season.
<hr />
<h2>1. Las Vegas Aces</h2>
<div id="attachment_259864" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259864" class="wp-image-259864" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272815523-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1</li>
</ul>
Since our <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/2026-power-rankings-offseason-moves">offseason rankings</a> on April 15, the defending champion Aces made it official and re-signed the league’s only four-time MVP A’ja Wilson to a multi-year deal. With the core of their championship squad intact, plus some additional depth with the additions of Chennedy Carter, Stephanie Talbot and Brianna Turner, the Aces open at the top of these rankings until a team knocks them off on the court.
<hr />
<h2>2. New York Liberty</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1</li>
</ul>
Three key events went down with the Liberty since our last rankings: (1) they officially re-signed the trio of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones; (2) they added three-time All-Star Satou Sabally to the roster; (3) Ionescu went down during the Liberty’s preseason finale on Sunday and is set for an MRI on Monday. Assuming this is not a long-term injury that sidelines Ionescu for significant time, the Liberty’s talent and depth keep them at No. 2.
<hr />
<h2>3. Indiana Fever</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 2-1 </li>
</ul>
While we can’t glean too much from preseason games, the fact that Caitlin Clark appeared in all three of the Fever’s tune-ups is a welcome sight for Indiana fans after the 2024 Rookie of the Year was limited to just 13 games last season. With a healthy Clark playing alongside fellow All-Stars Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, Indy will look to build on last season’s playoff run and emerge as a title contender.
<hr />
<h2>4. Atlanta Dream</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1 </li>
</ul>
Shortly after our offseason rankings, which touted Atlanta having four 2025 All-Stars, one of those stars, Brionna Jones, underwent knee surgery, which will delay the start of her 2026 season, with no concrete timetable announced for her return. The Dream still have loads of talent on the roster, particularly with the addition of Angel Reese, but will miss Jones’ inside presence on both ends of the court as they open the 2026 campaign.
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<h2>5. Dallas Wings</h2>
<div id="attachment_259863" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259863" class="wp-image-259863" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="548" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-300x205.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-1024x701.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-768x526.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-1536x1052.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273896987-2048x1403.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Azzi Fudd #35 of the Dallas Wings</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 2-0</li>
</ul>
Before the Wings visit the Fever to open their 2026 season Saturday on ABC, Dallas picked up preseason wins over both Indiana and Las Vegas this past week. Paige Bueckers looked incredibly sharp in her limited minutes, averaging 15.5 points and six assists while shooting 5-for-7 from 3-point range. However, Azzi Fudd, this year’s No. 1 overall pick, got off to a slower start, averaging eight points while shooting 1-for-7 from deep. Meanwhile, the Wings recently got Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard back from overseas commitments as the season draws near.
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<h2>6. Phoenix Mercury</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 2-0</li>
</ul>
Unlike last season, the Mercury will open their 2026 campaign with a healthy Kahleah Cooper, who averaged 18 points in 18.7 minutes per game in two preseason contests. Meanwhile, Alyssa Thomas is already filling box scores in the preseason as she gets set to start her second season in Phoenix, still chasing that elusive first WNBA title after her third Finals appearance last season.
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<h2>7. Los Angeles Sparks</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 2-0 </li>
</ul>
Last season, the Sparks allowed more points than any team, with opponents averaging a league-high 88.2 points per game. In their two preseason games (against the expansion Tempo and the Nigerian National Team), the Sparks allowed a league-low 69.0 points per game. Of course, this is simply two preseason games, but with a healthy Cameron Brink, the addition of Ariel Atkins, and the return of Nneka Ogwumike, the Sparks defense should be improved this season.
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<h2>8. Minnesota Lynx</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 3-0</li>
</ul>
Among last year’s title contenders, no team saw more roster turnover this offseason than the Lynx. Three key players return in Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Napheesa Collier, who signed a one-year deal to return to Minnesota after last year’s MVP runner-up finish. However, Collier’s debut will be delayed as she continues to recover from offseason surgery on both ankles. How long she is out, and how well the new pieces fit early, will be key to determining Minnesota’s success.
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<h2>9. Golden State Valkyries</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-0</li>
</ul>
Can the Valkyries pick up where last season’s record-breaking inaugural campaign left off? Reigning Most Improved Player Veronica Burton looks ready to make that happen, dropping 14 points with four 3-pointers in Golden State’s lone preseason game — a win over Seattle on April 25. One former Storm player, Gabby Williams, did not appear in that game as the Valkyries’ top free agent addition is listed as day-to-day. Golden State visits Seattle opening night, giving Williams a chance to debut with her new team against her former squad. 
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<h2>10. Chicago Sky</h2>
<div id="attachment_259865" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259865" class="wp-image-259865" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272535102-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Rickea Jackson #5 of the Chicago Sky</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 0-2</li>
</ul>
The Sky acquired a number of new players over the offseason via trades, free agency, and the draft. However, in the preseason, we only saw Skylar Diggins (for 14 minutes), Rickea Jackson, and first-round pick Gabriela Jaquez on the floor. Meanwhile, DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens, Elizabeth Williams, and Courtney Vandersloot all remain sidelined. How long will it take before this new-look roster comes together and allows the players to build some on-court chemistry this season?
<hr />
<h2>11. Seattle Storm</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1</li>
</ul>
On draft night, the Storm selected center Awa Fam with the No. 3 overall pick to join Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga in forming a formidable frontline. Then, they acquired No. 8 pick Flau’jae Johnson from Golden State to add an athletic two-way wing to the mix. Johnson thrived in her preseason debut, scoring 20 points in just 19 minutes, giving Storm fans a glimpse of what could come this season. While Seattle added some veterans to help fill the void left by three departing All-Stars, the development of young talent will be key to a successful season. 
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<h2>12. Washington Mystics</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1</li>
</ul>
A look at Washington’s roster shows only two players with more than a year of WNBA experience — Michaela Onyenwere (five seasons) and Shakira Austin (four seasons). The rest of the squad is packed with rookies and sophomores as the Mystics’ rebuild with young talent continues. A year ago, their two lottery picks — Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen — earned All-Star honors as rookies. Can this year’s lottery pick, No. 4 Lauren Betts, repeat that feat? And how competitive can this young roster be as the season gets underway?
<hr />
<h2>13. Connecticut Sun</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 1-1</li>
</ul>
The Sun open the 2026 campaign in an odd spot. While this will be the team’s final season in Connecticut, the Sun feature a roster loaded with young players built toward a future in Houston. However, with the additions of Brittney Griner, Diamond Miller, and Kennedy Burke, the Sun look to improve on last season’s 11-33 campaign and go out on a high note.
<hr />
<h2>14. Toronto Tempo</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 0-2</li>
</ul>
A season ago, the Golden State Valkyries set a new standard for expansion success. Can the Tempo find similar success in their inaugural season? With two-time WNBA champion coach Sandy Brondello at the helm and a number of veterans for her to lean on – including Marina Mabrey, Brittney Sykes, and Kia Nurse – the Tempo could be competitive early this season. But for now, the expansion teams will begin at the bottom of the rankings and work their way up – similar to what Golden State did last season.
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<h2>15. Portland Fire</h2>
<div id="attachment_259862" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259862" class="wp-image-259862" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273878644-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Nyadiew Puoch #13 of the Portland Fire</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Previous Ranking: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Preseason Record: 0-2</li>
</ul>
Similar to the Tempo, the Portland Fire are a bit of a mystery as the season gets set to open. Following their first two preseason games, the Fire are the only team ranked in the bottom five in both points scored and points allowed, as they were hampered by slow starts. Can they change that on Saturday, when they welcome the Sky to the Fire Pit for the first WNBA game in Portland since 2002?

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The WNBA preseason is an excellent time for all 15 teams to figure out what’s working for their rosters, and what’s not. With significant turnover in free agency and a whirlwind draft season, all teams are experiencing some growing pains. Preseason ball helps iron out those pains. 
With each team having already played one game in preseason so far, we’re going to take a look at some key moments that stood out from each team’s debut. 
<hr />
<h2>Atlanta Dream</h2>
<div id="attachment_259715" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259715" class="wp-image-259715" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273777985-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream</div>
The concept of positionless basketball was taken to an extreme in Atlanta’s first preseason game. Head coach Karl Smesko told reporters after the game that he hadn’t called any plays throughout the contest, specifically to see how well newly acquired forward Angel Reese would fare on the floor with her new teammates. 
The results? Pretty great, all things considered. Reese finished up with eight points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists in her first game against her former team. 
The Dream have one of the most versatile rosters in the league, with Rhyne Howard and Allisha Grey always a threat on all three levels, and now with Reese in the fold as a defensive threat in the paint. We got a nice glimpse into how she’ll fit into the mix in Smesko’s three-point-heavy offense, and it’s clear that Reese and Smesko have some room to grow in their partnership headed into the regular season. 
<hr />
<h2>Chicago Sky</h2>
The Sky had some major turnover this offseason, trading Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream and adding veteran leadership in free agency. Skylar Diggins, Dijonai Carrington, and Azurá Stevens highlight that group. 
 
However, it was the Sky’s top pick from the 2024 draft, Kamilla Cardoso, who really shined in Chicago’s first game. 
It was clear from tip-off that Chicago’s intention on offense this preseason, and potentially for their regular season, is to get Cardoso involved in plenty of actions alongside Skylar Diggins, Rickea Jackson, and basically any other ball handler equipped to feed Cardoso in the post. 
She’s become the nucleus for the Sky’s offense with Reese now gone, and Chicago’s offense looked a lot more open than in 2025 with Diggins and Cardoso working in the pick and roll together. With improved shooting around Cardoso, Chicago already looks like a sleeping giant ahead of the 2026 regular season. 
<hr />
<h2>Connecticut Sun</h2>
Connecticut had a quietly great offseason, acquiring Brittney Griner in free agency in addition to trading for Diamond Miller, who has bounced around the league since getting drafted second overall in 2023. Miller, specifically, looked very solid in her limited time on the court. Her eight points and three assists came thanks to her rim running, which could work very well alongside new acquisition Kennedy Burke &#8211; kick-outs to Burke for three pointers could become a staple in this offense. 
Speaking of, Burke was another standout from the Sun’s preseason debut. The former New York Liberty sharpshooter and 2026 EuroCup Finals MVP had 13 points on 60 percent shooting from three-point range and 62.5 percent shooting from the field overall. Connecticut has a plethora of players who can make you pay in the paint &#8211; Griner, Miller, Saniya Rivers, and Aneesah Morrow, to name a few. So, it was huge for them to add a legitimate three-point shooting threat like Burke to their roster. So far, that signing looks great. 
<hr />
<h2>Dallas Wings</h2>
The Wings’ first preseason game came against the Fever, so it was an impromptu battle between No. 1 overall picks Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, Caitlin Clark, and Kelsey Mitchell. The victor was anyone watching the battle between Clark and Bueckers throughout the game. 
Bueckers, especially, brought life to the Wings throughout the entire game. She finished up with 20 points on 8-12 shooting, as well as three assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Bueckers is looking ready for a huge sophomore leap. 
And, for all the hype around the Wings’ acquisitions this offseason, two members of their 2025 roster were players that stood out around Bueckers &#8211; Maddy Siegrist and Aziaha James. Both were confident with their shot-taking and were helpful in pushing the pace for Dallas and Bueckers. They’re suddenly looking like a huge part of the young core growing around Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. 
<hr />
<h2>Golden State Valkyries</h2>
Golden State seems ready to build off an impressive 2025 campaign, all thanks to a ridiculous preseason debut from Veronica Burton. The 2025 Most Improved Player looks ready to leap right into All-WNBA conversations this season, especially if she can maintain her level of play from this first contest. Finishing up with 14 points on 4-7 three-point shooting, Burton looked like the leader for this Valkyries starting lineup. 
The rest of the squad also looked on point defensively, another piece of their 2025 success they’re surely looking to carry over into this year. Seattle shot just 39.1 percent from the field in this game, much thanks to the off-ball activity of Golden State’s defense. 
<hr />
<h2>Indiana Fever</h2>
<div id="attachment_259716" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259716" class="wp-image-259716" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2272549289-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Raven Johnson #3 of the Indiana Fever</div>
The Fever are entering 2026 after dealing with a ridiculous amount of injuries to their starting lineup last year. Now fully healthy, it seems like Indiana is looking to capitalize on their biggest strength: a point guard who can push the ball in transition effectively. Caitlin Clark was looking to distribute a bit more in their opening contest against the New York Liberty, which helped players like Sophie Cunningham and Makayla Timpson get comfortable on offense. 
Defensively, though, one player stood out: rookie Raven Johnson. She was fighting over screens, acting as a rim protector on Liberty cuts, and overall being a pest in the halfcourt. That’s the kind of defensive impact that Indiana was missing last year, and it’s something that’ll greatly impact their bench, assuming she sticks on the roster. She finished up her debut with six points, eight assists, three rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. 
<hr />
<h2>Las Vegas Aces</h2>
Would this be a proper first game evaluation for the Las Vegas Aces without mentioning the play of Chennedy Carter? Probably not. 
Carter was sensational in her Aces debut, scoring 18 points in 19 minutes. She also had five rebounds, two assists, and a block. Her effectiveness in transition could be huge for an Aces bench that took half a season to gel in 2025. Las Vegas was one of the very few contenders to retool effectively in free agency, and Carter’s a huge piece of that retooling. Having her as a backup point guard is quite the luxury. 
<hr />
<h2>Los Angeles Sparks 
</h2>
After a 2025 season that left much to be desired defensively, the Sparks are coming into 2026 with a healthy Cameron Brink. That’s already a huge plus for their rim protection, as seen by her two blocks in 18 minutes on the floor. Another key contributor to their defense was Ariel Atkins, who was just acquired by Los Angeles in a player-for-player swap involving Rickea Jackson. 
 
Atkins had three steals and six defensive rebounds for the Sparks in her debut, immediately bringing the sort of pressure Los Angeles had been missing defensively all of 2025. Between that and her solid shooting, the Sparks might’ve found the perfect solution to their porous defense in Atkins. 
<hr />
<h2>Minnesota Lynx</h2>
We got a taste of the Lynx’s potential starting backcourt in Courtney Williams and Olivia Miles in their first preseason game. Miles’ speed and finishing were immediately on display in the 1st quarter of the Lynx’s win over the Mystics, and her work with the Lynx’s bigs gave viewers a small preview of how she and Napheesa Collier will work on the floor together. 
Another new acquisition for the Lynx, Nia Coffey, also looked great in limited action. The forward had five points, three blocks, and four rebounds in nearly 13 minutes played. With the departures of Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton in the offseason, Minnesota needs some help from a depleted forward room &#8211; and Coffey seems more than ready to provide that help and fill that gap. 
<hr />
<h2>New York Liberty</h2>
New York is one of those veteran-heavy teams that you just assume will figure things out by the time the regular season rolls around. Their opening lineup of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Sabrina Ionescu, and Rebekah Gardner didn’t look very sharp in the first quarter, but settled in once they found some scoring behind Stewart and Jones. The team was without Satou Sabally in this first preseason contest, so it’s hard to say how they’ll look once their season tips off on May 8. 
However, their bench feels a little more set than their starting lineup, and two players that stood out for their impact on the floor in this game were Anneli Maley and Han Xu. Xu was not afraid to shoot, providing some decent backup minutes to Jones (although her work defensively doesn’t compare to Jones’ impact). As for Maley, she was just all over the place. Rebounding and distributing were her biggest positives in this game, as she finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in 29 minutes. 
Deep teams go far in the postseason, so if the Liberty found key bench members in Xu and Maley, that’s already a great sign ahead of a highly anticipated season. 
<hr />
<h2>Phoenix Mercury</h2>
In Phoenix’s first preseason game, one thing stood out: Kahleah Copper’s green light. 
Copper had 16 points in seven minutes in the first half, and she was far and away the Mercury’s biggest threat on all three levels. With Satou Sabally having left for the New York Liberty in free agency, Phoenix is back to relying a ton on Copper’s midrange and three-point shooting to generate offense in a pinch. She showed in this first preseason bout that she is more than capable of maintaining her hot shooting from last postseason. 
In addition to Copper, Natasha Mack and Alyssa Thomas both looked ready to go for Phoenix. All three were getting to the basket without hesitation, while Thomas looked comfortable in her rightful spot as floor general for the Mercury. She finished up with a team-high eight assists. Phoenix’s chemistry will be one of their strongest qualities in 2026, with those three players from their 2025 Finals squad serving as hubs for the team.  
<hr />
<h2>Portland Fire</h2>
The Fire got some incredible contributions from their international players, with Luisa Geiselsöder, Carla Leite, and Nyadiew Puoch all impressing in their minutes for Portland. Geiselsöder was especially electric, hitting 50 percent of her three-point attempts and shooting 60 percent from the field overall. 
Puoch and Leite took a bit longer to get going, but both finished up with stuffed stat sheets. Puoch’s defense was on immediate display in the Fire’s preseason debut, adding three rebounds, two steals, and a block. Leite, who endeared herself to Golden State Valkyries fans last season thanks to her relentless style of play, finished up with 12 points, five assists, and two rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the field. 
These players’ efforts, in addition to the solid team defense from the entire Fire squad, have definitely helped to show that the Fire aren’t going to be an easy out in any game this season. 
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<h2>Seattle Storm</h2>
<div id="attachment_259717" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-259717" class="wp-image-259717" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2273794102-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Flau&#8217;jae Johnson #4 of the Seattle Storm</div>
The Storm boast a frontcourt that should terrify the entire WNBA. Dominique Malonga, Ezi Magbegor, and now Awa Fam Thiam will all be a part of Seattle’s rebuild, and what incredible players to have leading that effort. 
However, it wasn’t Seattle’s frontcourt that stood out in their preseason debut &#8211; it was their guard room. Rookie Flau’jae Johnson, probably the surprise of no one who’s followed her career at LSU, didn’t look scared of the moment in her own debut. She had 20 points in 19 minutes on 5-12 shooting from the field, coupled with three rebounds and an assist. Lexie Brown contributed significant minutes for the Storm, with her three steals and six rebounds providing strong defensive pressure for Seattle. Zia Cooke, following an excellent season with Athletes Unlimited’s basketball league, contributed 19 points in 18 minutes. 
The Storm might be in a rebuild on paper, but their current roster &#8211; stacked with veteran guard talent and ascending stars &#8211; seems to say otherwise. 
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<h2>Toronto Tempo</h2>
The Tempo’s home debut did not disappoint. Their first preseason game came with a loss, but there were plenty of highlight-worthy moments to build off of from that contest. Lexi Held, who was taken by the Tempo during the expansion draft, had the biggest performance of the night &#8211; 21 points on 62.5 percent shooting from three-point range, in addition to two steals, two assists, and a block. She clearly hasn’t missed a step since her breakout season with the Phoenix Mercury in 2025. 
Sharpshooting across the board doesn’t seem like it’ll be an issue for Toronto this season. Held, Aaliyah Nye, Kiki Rice, and soon, Marina Mabrey, will all be threats from long range for head coach Sandy Brondello’s offense. That should go a long way towards getting bigs like Temi Fagbenle and Nyara Sabally comfortable with the team. 
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<h2>Washington Mystics</h2>
The Mystics turned heads in this year’s draft, taking an exorbitant amount of bigs rather than focusing on a position of need, guard. After trading Jacy Sheldon to the Chicago Sky this offseason, it felt like a no-brainer that they’d focus on a fairly good guard class in this draft. Instead, they took three standout bigs in the first round: Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, and Cotie McMahon.
There might’ve been some concern about how these pieces would fit into the Mystics’ roster prior to their first preseason game, but after, it’s very clear that they hit on all three selections. Betts was a defensive force in the paint, picking up a block, steal, and three defensive rebounds in 23 minutes on the floor. McMahon was the exact tweener guard-forward that Washington’s been missing from their depth chart, providing rim pressure in transition and picking up two steals. 
The Mystics are still missing some pop from three-point range, but they likely hope to get that from McMahon and Dugalić once they settle into their roles in the WNBA.

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