The WNBA players add a fierce touch to summer-style classics with cut-off sleeves and graphic t-shirts. 

As the league enters August, the WNBA players are getting closer to achieving their goals before the regular season ends. There’s an overarching theme of legacy, both in terms of legacies ending with Sue Bird’s last game at the Seattle Storm’s home court and new legacies being foreshadowed with Sabrina Ionescu’s impressive cover story with Boardroom, Kevin Durant’s media platform. Reflecting on players’ outfits, everyone is taking a serious approach to the last week of pre-game style. 

The twelfth edition of “The W in Designer: Flyest Fits of the Week” highlights players who best combined the hot weather styling with classic basketball pieces. To add a tough edge to casual summer looks, the WNBA players have frequently been wearing t-shirts with cut-off sleeves in both male and female styles. When they’re not wearing their uniform shorts, the players opt for streetwear-centric shorts brands or sweat shorts cut in a similar length. Overall, the summer has introduced more colors to player outfits and hints at even bolder fashion choices for the playoffs and beyond. 

Elena Delle Donne 

Building suspense for her stellar on-court performance, Elena Delle Donne sticks to a simple formula of graphic t-shirts and shorts for her pre-game outfits. Wearing a bleached yellow vintage-looking Monster Jam t-shirt, she perfectly captures the vibes of the summer season. To match her t-shirt, the Washington Mystics player opted for light denim ripped shorts and a thin yellow beaded bracelet. Anticipating the release of her Nike Air Deldon sneakers in September, she reps Nike with a pair of Union LA x Nike Cortez SP “Smoke Grey” sneakers with grey striped athletic socks.

Sue Bird 

Arriving at her final home game with the Seattle Storm, Sue Bird chooses a serious, business-ready pre-game outfit. Working with stylist Courtney Mays, Bird wears a blush and black colored jacket from SECOND/LAYER with an eye-catching embroidery that says “Visions of You” on the back. Bird has consistently worn structured jackets and strong colors this season, but her final outfit has been upgraded with a pair of black pants from Homme Plissé Issey Miyake. Instead of rocking a pair of rare sneakers from her collection, Bird wears a pair of Common Projects Original Achilles Low Sneakers in White for this historic game. 

Natasha Cloud  

Natasha Cloud brings ultra-tough energy with a Metallica One Muscle Tee from Urban Outfitters. Wearing a pair of round sunglasses, the cut-off sleeves on the white graphic t-shirt provide a great summer option without losing any of her stylish edge. Cloud coordinates the graphic’s letters with red laces on her rare Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low “Reverse Mocha” sneakers. Although Cloud did a PE with Converse last year, she looks amazing in the classic Jordan silhouette. To keep things simple, she also wears a bandana-printed pair of Summer Games Cargo Pants from Fashion Nova Men’s and a unique Burberry wash bag.

Sophie Cunningham 

Phoenix Mercury Wing Sophie Cunningham is enjoying a breakout campaign this season and is channeling her fierce on-court energy into sharp, focused pre-game outfits. While Cunningham usually wears sports bras as tops, this week, she wears a Harley Davidson motorcycle-inspired top that’s cut to show off her sculpted shoulders. She pairs her top with a pair of leather shorts in a sporty cut to combat summer heat with an all-black outfit. As an Adidas athlete, she also wears a pair of unidentified sneakers, which look like a pair of Adidas 90 NY Stripes sneakers. Cunningham’s signature style accessories include a silver pendant with an “S” printed on the front. 

Dearica Hamby  

This pre-game outfit from Dearica Hamby hits all the classic notes of WNBA player style. Steady repping her Jumpman family, she builds a color-coordinated outfit around a pair of Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Visionaire” sneakers. Then, Hamby wears an interesting pair of longer Nike sweat shorts with athletic style lettering across the front and a loose black long sleeve t-shirt that’s been tied up for a cropped effect. Matching her black Nike socks, she also accessorizes with a Rive Gauche Cabas Canvas Tote Bag from Saint Laurent and a simple pendant necklace representing the Las Vegas Aces. 

Tiffany Mitchell 

Adding to the colorful outfits that she’s been wearing this summer, Tiffany Mitchell brings strong basketball and streetwear vibes with this pre-game outfit. Matching the colors of the Indiana Fever, Mitchell wears a red pair of Eric Emanuel shorts and a simple white sports bra. The straightforward outfit focuses on the iced-out “25” pendant that Mitchell has pulled from her jewelry rotation. To finish her warm weather outfit, she wears a pair of Converse x Comme des Garçons PLAY Low Top Canvas sneakers, which have been extremely popular this season. 

Courtney Williams 

Apart from being one of the most consistently stylish players in the W, Courtney Williams stands out for this pre-game outfit that combines summer and all-weather pieces. She wears a black and white printed cut-off t-shirt with a melting smiley face, which Williams has previously worn. To switch up the summer vibe, she rocks a pair of leather pants, and Chuck Taylor All-Star Lugged 2.0 sneakers in a black colorway. The Connecticut Sun Guard always keeps a stack of jewelry on her: two strands of pearls, her signature “10” iced-out pendant, some beaded bracelets on the wrist, and mismatched earrings. Whether it’s on the hardwood with her buttery smooth mid-range or off of it with her vibrant style, Courtney has a level of flair in her swag that is uniquely special and appreciated.   

WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.