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. 
<hr />
<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.

WNBA-CommishCup-Logo_-Primary_RGB_DarkBkgd-1 (1)

comissioners-cup-2026-primer

Commissioner’s Cup 2026 Primer: What to Expect

Analysis

We’re officially into the swing of this WNBA season, and there haven’t been too many surprises to start off. The Las Vegas Aces continue to look like a powerhouse, while teams like the Connecticut Sun, Seattle Storm, Portland Fire, and others keep trying to find ways to get going amid a strong overall league and tough start to the year. 
This past week, we saw a rookie milestone, an incredible buzzer-beater, a potential Finals preview, and the continued steady rise of one young team. Let’s get into those moments from these last few days in the WNBA, as we careen quickly towards the kick-off to Commissioner’s Cup play on June 1. 
<hr />
<h2>Olivia Miles’ Early Rookie of the Year campaign </h2>
<div id="attachment_260933" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260933" class="wp-image-260933 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115012.428-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Olivia Miles #5 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
Olivia Miles, the second-overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft, has been a key cog for the Minnesota Lynx’s offense so far this season. Veteran Courtney Williams said as much in a recent interview, saying of Miles that she’s the “captain of the ship.”
“For her to be a rookie and coming in and doing it the way she doing it, that girl gonna be a problem. I’ve been saying that,” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYXl0HsiVED/">continued Williams.  </a>
She’s not wrong about Miles’ leadership on the court: the rookie is averaging seven assists per game, along with 16.3 points and 3.7 rebounds. She also recently became the first player in WNBA history to record 30+ points and 15+ assists through her first two games.  
You can’t catch a Lynx game as of late without catching an unbelievably slick pass from Miles at the top of the arc to a streaking Minnesota player. She’s also a threat in transition, which makes defending her difficult: either you bite on her shot, and she takes advantage of a weaker defense with her passing, or she forces a defense to hone in on defending other Lynx shooters around Miles, opening up multiple lanes for her. 
Miles is, by a long shot, the current Rookie of the Year favorite. It’s far too early to say whether anyone else from the class will catch up to her in terms of impact, but she’s looking ready to firmly take the reins on that race. 
<hr />
<h2>Portland Fire Finally Get First W</h2>
In one of the coolest moments so far this season, the Portland Fire managed to push the New York Liberty into a tie-game situation during their May 12 contest, and Bridget Carleton was forced to chuck up a three to try and win the game for the Fire &#8211; their first for the franchise since coming back to the city. 
Carleton’s shot was off, but Sarah Ashlee Barker had a heads-up rebound after New York failed to box out, and she hit a buzzer-beating layup to secure Portland’s first win of the season at home. The crowd was raucous, and head coach Alex Sarama could only describe the electric victory &#8211; gotten off a second-chance opportunity &#8211;<a href="https://www.rosegardenreport.com/sarah-ashlee-barkers-buzzer-beater-was-portland-fire-101/"> “Portland Fire 101.”</a>
The Fire have struggled this season, and it’s not surprising: with so many new pieces added to an entirely new franchise, in addition to a new coach, they’re bound to have some serious growing pains. While the Golden State Valkyries’ success in 2025 was a great blueprint to follow for Portland and the Toronto Tempo, there’s only so much you can do to recreate that magic. 
Portland’s not too worse for wear as of late. They’re averaging 37.5 percent from three-point range between May 10 and May 17, and have upped their points per game average to 90. They’re on a good path towards improving, and this buzzer-beater should’ve injected some major confidence into them. 
<hr />
<h2>Potential Finals Preview</h2>
<div id="attachment_260935" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260935" class="wp-image-260935 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-18T115253.041-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces and Angel Reese #5 of the Atlanta Dream</div>
In the WNBA’s first game hosted by NBC, the Atlanta Dream clashed with the Aces in what you have to hope could be a Finals preview.
It was a back-and-forth affair, especially in the 4th quarter. Jordin Canada was doing everything in her power to keep the Dream in the game with timely steals and hit shots in the midrange, while Te-Hina Paopao and rookie Madina Okot were holding their own quite well against such vaunted competition. 
But the Aces simply have a gear that most other teams don’t, and while they couldn’t keep that gear going consistently for the entire second half, it helped them survive a game in which Jackie Young scored 0 points. 
Chennedy Carter and A’ja Wilson were sensational, each scoring 20 points, while Chelsea Gray did what she does best for the entire game: controlled the tempo, hit shots when necessary, and was the most clutch player on the court. It was an extremely entertaining back-and-forth between two talented teams, with plenty of hope that they could push for a Finals appearance this season. 
<hr />
<h2>Hot Offenses, Porous Defenses </h2>
Two teams have seen a lack of team defense lead to disappointing losses: the Dallas Wings and the Indiana Fever. 
Dallas attempted, in earnest, to address their defensive holes in free agency this year. They signed Alanna Smith to a deal, with the forward just coming off a co-DPOY win in 2025. Jess Shepard also has some defensive upside thanks to her size, although Smith is truly the stalwart between the two in the Wings’ frontcourt.
Outside of those signings, the Wings didn&#8217;t lean into acquiring more players known for their defensive skills. Paige Bueckers is a pest thanks to her size and active hands on defense, but Arike Ogunbowale and Odyssey Sims leave a lot to be desired in that department. There was a specific loss from this week, against the Lynx, that should’ve really left a sour taste in the Wings’ mouths. 
They were shooting well enough, but left the rookie Miles open for far too many runaway layups in the 4th quarter due to poor transition defense. Add a lack of rebounding (of which the Wings are only averaging 29 per game as a team, good for 13th in the league), and you’ve got a recipe for a lot of shootouts that end in losses for Dallas. They can’t simply score their way to good defense. A 110.2 defensive rating just isn’t going to cut it for a team that is positioning itself as a potential sleeper in this year’s postseason. 
Another squad struggling mightily to find answers on defense is the Indiana Fever. Caitlin Clark is a terrific offensive presence, a floor general that can stretch the floor, but has limitations on defensive end. Aliyah Boston can only remedy that so much from the post, while the rest of the Fever’s cast &#8211; Lexie Hull, Sophie Cunningham, Kelsey Mitchell, and Mo Billings &#8211; must step up to make teams pay for putting Clark in actions repeatedly. 
The Fever, who are 9th in the league in defensive rating (104.6), are allowing the 3rd-most fast break points in the league so far (12.8 per game), but are being saved by their rebounding ability and Boston’s presence defensively in the paint. They have a ton of room for improvement if they want to prevent further losses &#8211; especially at home. 
<hr />
<h2>Washington’s Core Still on the Rise </h2>
Anyone who saw Sonia Citron’s and Kiki Iriafen’s rookie seasons in Washington knew that, headed into 2026, we’d be in for a huge leap from both players. Citron has been a lights-out shooter for the Mystics so far this year, averaging 24.3 points per game and shooting 60.5 percent from the field. Her 1.7 steals and one block per game are making her look more and more like the 3-and-D phenom that college scouts figured she could become in the right system. 
As for Iriafen, it simply looks like the hardest task in the world, attempting to box her out. Her 19 points per game, along with 13.7 rebounds and 59 percent shooting from the field, are becoming a tenet for this Mystics team’s system. She makes life difficult for almost any big that dares cross paths with her in the post, which has helped Washington along to a 101.1 defensive rating (4th in the league) and the 2nd-most prolific rebounding team in the league (43.3 per game). 
And, while Shakira Austin isn’t one of the new faces for Washington, she’s only 25 years old and still a huge piece to this team’s identity. Her 17.7 points per game, along with 10 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.7 blocks, help to easily make her a leader for this young team on the court. Health has always been a huge, and unfortunate, barrier for Austin in her career with the Mystics, so it would be incredible to witness her build a winning squad alongside Iriafen, Citron, and the rest of the neophytes in Washington in 2026. Their 2-1 record through three games does little to speak to just how much momentum and potential they have thanks to this trio.

5-things-i-like-week-1-2026

Five Things I Like: Week One 2026

As the WNBA begins its 30th anniversary season, the league is seeing an influx of global talent on the court. 
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, as of Thursday night, 51 players born outside the United States had played in at least one game this season. That already marks a league record for a single season, surpassing the previous high of 50 set in 2001.
We’re still only a week into the season. With several players still fulfilling overseas commitments before joining their WNBA teams, that record should continue to climb in the weeks to come.
On Thursday, Alex Fowler of Australia made her WNBA debut in the New York Liberty’s 100-82 win over the Portland Fire. Fowler is the eighth international player to take the court for the Liberty this season — two shy of the single-team record of 10 set by Golden State last year.
While Australia still leads the way in international representation on WNBA rosters, France continues to emerge as a major pipeline of talent, following its push to the brink against the United States in the gold medal game at the 2024 Olympics. Through Thursday’s games, five of the league’s 32 players averaging at least 15 points per game are from France.
The Liberty and France are both well represented among these nine international players who have stood out during the season’s opening week.
<hr />
<h3>Marine Johannès, New York Liberty (France)</h3>
<div id="attachment_260680" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260680" class="wp-image-260680" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274983932-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Marine Johannes #23 of the New York Liberty</div>
The sharpshooting Liberty guard leads the league with 15 total 3-pointers made through four games, while her 3.8 made threes per game rank second behind Toronto’s Marina Mabrey. In addition to her shooting, Johannès is a playmaker, leading the Liberty (and tied for 10th in the league) with five assists per game. Her impact hasn’t been limited to offense, either, as Johannès ranks fifth in the WNBA in steals at 2.3 per game.
<hr />
<h3>Pauline Astier, New York Liberty (France)</h3>
Johannès isn’t the only French guard thriving in Liberty seafoam so far this season. Astier, a 24-year-old undrafted rookie, has been brilliant in her first four WNBA games. She is New York’s second-leading scorer behind Breanna Stewart at 16.8 points per game and has shot the lights out — 62.5% from the field and 45.5% from beyond the arc — while adding four assists, nearly four rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.
<hr />
<h3>Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm (France)</h3>
The No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft showed flashes of her immense potential as a rookie while coming off the bench in all 42 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game. Now a full-time starter, logging over 26 minutes per game in her second season, the 6-foot-6 center leads the Storm in points (16.0), rebounds (7.3), and blocks (2.0), which are tied for 20th, 11th, and 4th in the WNBA, respectively.
<hr />
<h3>Jade Melbourne, Seattle Storm (Australia)</h3>
The Liberty isn’t the only team with multiple international stars near the top of their leaderboards. Melbourne is Seattle’s second-leading scorer behind Malonga at 14 points per game on incredible efficiency — she’s shooting 61.9% from the field and 50% from 3-point range through three games. Melbourne, the Storm’s 2022 third-round pick, also leads the team in assists (5.0, tied for 10th in the WNBA) and is tied with rookie Flau’jae Johnson for the team lead with 1.7 steals per game.
<hr />
<h3>Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Sky (Brazil)</h3>
<div id="attachment_260682" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260682" class="wp-image-260682" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="598" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-300x199.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-768x510.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274856481-2048x1360.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Kamilla Cardoso #10 of the Chicago Sky</div>
In her third WNBA season, Cardoso is putting up career-best numbers through her first two games, averaging 15 points and 10.5 rebounds per game (tied for fourth in the league). She is one of only five players averaging a double-double so far this season, joining Shakira Austin, Aneesah Morrow, Kiki Iriafen, and former Sky teammate Angel Reese.
<hr />
<h3>Bridget Carleton, Portland Fire (Canada)</h3>
The top pick in this year’s expansion draft, Carleton put up a career-best 26 points and five 3-pointers to help lead the Fire to their first win Tuesday. Through three games, she is averaging 16.7 points and 3.3 triples per game (third in the league behind Johannès and Mabrey) while shooting 41.7% from deep. She is Portland’s second-leading scorer — behind our next entry — and is tied for sixth in the league in steals at two per game.
<hr />
<h3>Carle Leite, Portland Fire (France)</h3>
For the second straight season, Leite was selected in an expansion draft — chosen by the Valkyries in 2025 and by the Fire in 2026. The former top-10 draft pick had 21 points in Portland’s first win, following an 18-point effort in her Fire debut. Leite’s 19.5 points per game rank 11th in the WNBA, and she joins Indiana’s Caitlin Clark as the only players averaging at least 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists this season.
<hr />
<h3>Jovana Nogic, Phoenix Mercury (Serbia)</h3>
After playing pro ball overseas since 2019, the 28-year-old Serbian guard signed with the Mercury in April and has made an immediate impact through her first three games. Nogic ranks second in the WNBA in 3-point shooting at 66.7% (8-for-12), third on the Mercury in scoring at 12.3 points per game behind veterans Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, and first on the team in plus/minus. The Mercury have outscored opponents by 34 points during her 66 minutes on the court.
<hr />
<h3>Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries (France)</h3>
<div id="attachment_260683" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260683" class="wp-image-260683" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275905371-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Janelle Salaün #13 of the Golden State Valkyries</div>
Like Nogic, Salaun has played professionally overseas since 2019. After joining the Valkyries for their inaugural season last year, Salaun averaged 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while starting 33 of her 36 games as a WNBA rookie. Despite coming off the bench in her first three games this season, Salaun has been even better, averaging a team-high 15.7 points and 3.3 3-pointers per game on 50% shooting from beyond the arc.

global-game-international-players-rise

Global Game: WNBA Sees Rise In International Players

Tip-Off 2026

The 30th season of the WNBA tipped off with a bang, with rookies flying out of the gate with highlight performances, underdog squads testing the limits of contenders, and up-and-coming units finding their groove early on in the year. 
We’re only a few games into the season, so I won&#8217;t make any statements about how teams looked during Tip-Off weekend that sound too grandiose. But there were at least five definitive things to take away from the contests that kicked off the league’s 30th year. 
<hr />
<h2>2026 Rookie Class Shines</h2>
<div id="attachment_260410" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260410" class="wp-image-260410" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2274822522-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Jovana Nogic #29 of the Phoenix Mercury</div>
Much of this year’s draft class has already taken a swing at their first taste of WNBA, and there were some major standouts from the first weekend of action. Olivia Miles’ 21-point, eight-assist, two-block, two-steal, and three-rebound debut for the Minnesota Lynx was nearly enough to get them a win over the Atlanta Dream on opening weekend, but regardless of the outcome, it was unbelievably impressive. 
Flau’jae Johnson was on fire for the Seattle Storm in their one win from opening weekend, getting the Connecticut Sun into foul trouble and driving with purpose to the basket despite the danger of Brittney Griner lurking at the rim. She was also not afraid to <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/storms-flaujae-johnson-shines-hits-110722119.html">let Griner know</a> about her ability to get to the hoop. 
There were also a few sleeper rookies who shone this past weekend, with one being Serbian guard Jovana Nogic with the Phoenix Mercury. She’s a confident shot taker with a three-ball consistently in her bag, and the Mercury really needed someone like her injected into the roster following the loss of Satou Sabally in free agency. 
Madina Okot, the former board-eater with the South Carolina Gamecocks, quickly established herself as an apt Griner replacement for the Atlanta Dream on the glass with 11 rebounds and 14 points in her debut. 
It’ll be exciting to watch several other high-ceiling rookies like Azzi Fudd, Raven Johnson, and Awa Fam begin to hit their stride throughout this season. But it’s obvious that the All-Rookie race and the battle for Rookie of the Year are not going to be a clear-cut. 
<hr />
<h2>2. Washington Mystics and Their Young Core</h2>
Following a downtrodden 2025 season riddled with injuries, the Mystics snapped up quite a few big-name bigs in this year’s draft, adding some depth behind their key frontcourt duo in Shakira Austin and Kiki Iriafen. 
Those two, plus guard Sonia Citron, already look to be a serious problem for teams this year thanks to their defensive effort and ability to score all over the floor. Citron is averaging 21.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting from the field, while Iriafen firmly leads the league in rebounding through two contests. Austin is a bit of a unicorn for the Mystics as she has multiple ways of killing teams as a scorer, thanks to her excellent ball-handling for a forward, but her health has to remain intact for Washington to truly make some noise later in the season and in the race to the postseason. 
While it’s a small sample size, there’s more than enough to be scared about with the potential of this Mystics squad. 
<hr />
<h2>3. Fringe Contenders Impressed</h2>
While we know the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty are strong candidates for being Finals-bound, there are a few other squads that have the depth and star power to push either of those teams to the brink. The Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream, and Phoenix Mercury all proved to be that sort of potential thorn in the Aces and Liberty’s sides with their opening weekend performances. 
For Phoenix, the largest question for them this offseason was how they’d fare after losing Sabally in free agency. The answer to that question is multi-fold: they’re relying on the defensive presence provided by Alyssa Thomas, in addition to the health and three-level scoring of Kahleah Copper. And, they have the depth to have a strong run in the regular season, followed by an even stronger one in the postseason. 
You’d have to imagine Phoenix is itching to get back to the Finals following getting swept by the Aces in 2025. Well, a start to the year that features 47.8 shooting from three-point range and an emphatic victory over the Aces in their season debut surely communicates how hungry they are to get back to that peak. 
As for the Wings, there are still huge question marks about their defensive capabilities. Alanna Smith, the co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, was brought on by the Wings as an attempt to address at least one part of their defensive weakness. 
She had a tough matchup in the Wings’ first game, which was against Aliyah Boston and the Indiana Fever. Still, you have to love Dallas’ upside on offense. They posted a 120.2 offensive rating in their first game, led by Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and Odyssey Sims. 
Atlanta’s bread and butter this season may be their ability to keep teams grounded thanks to their defense. They immediately saw the benefit of adding Angel Reese to their roster this offseason via trade in their first game, against the Lynx. 
She and Allisha Gray had back-to-back blocks to seal their victory over Minnesota, showing just how valuable a piece Reese could be to Atlanta on defense while she still carves out a role on offense. That block was her third, which was a team-high, which added to her already impressive line featuring 14 boards and 11 points.
<hr />
<h2>4. New York Liberty and Golden State Valkyries Undefeated </h2>
<div id="attachment_260411" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260411" class="wp-image-260411" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/GettyImages-2275536485-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Janelle Salaun #13 of the Golden State Valkyries</div>
Again, it’s way too early in the season to frame these teams’ undefeated records following tip-off weekend as anything more than a two-game winning streak, but both teams’ methods of winning were impressive nonetheless. 
For Golden State, they’ve once again been relying on guard Veronica Burton and forward Janelle Salaun for firepower. Salaun, specifically, has been a revelation and is already building off of her All-Rookie campaign in 2025. Her 56.3 percent shooting from three-point range to start the year leads the Valkyries, and she’s taken the second-most three pointers so far this season in the league. 
 
Burton has contributed with her passing, hitting 12 assists in Golden State’s win over the Mercury, while also picking up three steals. She was a big factor in the Valkyries’ win over Phoenix, sealing their 2-0 record following the opening weekend. 
Golden State’s bench is also looking good to start the year, which is, again, a huge factor for any team seeking to become a true contender. Their second unit has averaged 42 points per game through two contests and is shooting 52 percent from deep. They’re also averaging 2.5 blocks per game, which is good for second in the league so far. Again, small sample size, but it’s clear that the Valkyries have the depth necessary to go up against other powerhouse squads early on in the year. 
Taking a look at New York, it’s hard not to point out the start that Breanna Stewart has had. She’s leading the team in shot attempts and is still shooting an efficient 47.5 percent from the field overall. With Sabrina Ionescu out to begin the year, it was important that either she, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, or newly-added guard Pauline Astier would pick up the scoring slack, and Stewart has taken that role seriously through two contests. 
New York’s bench has been a bit shakier of a foundation for them compared to that of Golden State’s, but with no Leonie Fiebich or Ionescu during tip-off weekend, that drop-off was expected. Getting Laney-Hamilton back is also a huge plus for the Liberty’s future depth, with the forward an ever-lurking threat from midrange for New York’s guards to play off of. 
Their veteran-heavy roster and ability to match up with just about anyone make them a top threat once again. 
<hr />
<h2>5. The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire’s Opening Crowds</h2>
If you caught the Toronto Tempo’s first-ever home game against the Washington Mystics, which nearly ended with a ton of drama, then you probably had to turn your television down a few times. The crowd at the Coca-Cola Coliseum was unbelievably loud, which is well-deserved after the team pushed things down to the wire against a talented Mystics squad. 
Portland’s crowd was not only loud, but they added themselves to the history books with a record-breaking 19,335 fans at their season opener. That’s the largest crowd for any inaugural team’s season opener in WNBA history, and a great representation of just how great the demand is for more WNBA basketball. 
While the Fire and Tempo lost their respective opening contests, they’re off on the right foot. They have too much talent to be struggling for long.

26WNBA_Tip-Off_CarMax_onBlkBkgd

five-things-i-like-tip-off-2026

Five Things I Like: WNBA Tip-Off 2026

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-199787" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png" alt="" width="2560" height="100" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-300x12.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1024x40.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-768x30.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1536x60.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-2048x80.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Editor&#8217;s Note: Read more WNBA coverage from the Athletic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/wnba/">here</a>. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.
***
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-260402" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Thumbnail-2026-05-12T104256.103-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
INDIANAPOLIS — The Dallas Wings were at rock bottom in 2025 when they selected Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick.
They were fresh off a nine-win season and moving on to their third coach in four seasons when Bueckers became the rope thrown to the drowning franchise. But even she can’t work miracles. At least, not in Year 1 anyway, as the Wings missed the playoffs.
But Saturday, as the Wings opened the 2026 season against the Indiana Fever with a 107-104 win in Bueckers’ sophomore season debut, a franchise that’s been adrift looked like it could finally see land.
<div>
“I’ve been saying, I feel like this is the best roster we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wings four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale said. “It’s just complete.”
Bueckers wasn’t the final missing puzzle piece, but she was the catalyst.
After her rookie season ended with 10 wins, the Wings’ second-straight without a postseason, Dallas opted to find its fourth coach in five years as it fired Chris Koclanes. The Wings then went against the coaching trend of hiring from the NBA in favor of a well-respected, winning college coach in Jose Fernandez from South Florida. When free agency finally opened following a contentious 17-month-long negotiation period for a new collective bargaining agreement, general manager Curt Miller signed players, such as forwards Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, who looked on paper like they could make the Wings legitimate playoff contenders. He followed those free agency moves by drafting Buecker’s familiar backcourt UConn running mate in sharpshooter Azzi Fudd.
The result of every move over the last 13 months was on full display Saturday, and the early grade passed with top marks. Bueckers finished with 20 points, four assists, three rebounds and just one turnover.
“She’s special,” Fernandez said. “She reads how she’s being guarded. Having coached against her and seeing her now, I mean, she sees things two, three times ahead of stuff. That’s remarkable.”
Bueckers is fresh off a busy offseason that included her first season playing with Unrivaled, the professional three-on-three league, and with Team USA’s senior national team.
Individually, she committed to bulking up in an effort to withstand the toll of a 44-game WNBA season, the results of which are apparent in her noticeably stronger frame. Bueckers said she lived in the weight room, ate better and even prioritized better sleep.
One area of Buecker’s development that can’t be visibly measured is her leadership.
“She’s one of those generational talents that not only shows up on the court, but off,” Smith said. “She leads by example. She holds herself to a certain standard, which I think is really important for people in leadership positions. You gotta walk the walk to talk the talk. That’s something she naturally does, which is really rare for a young player to do.”
Beyond Smith, Bueckers has garnered the respect of a team full of WNBA veterans, including Ogunbowale, who shouldered the weight of the Wings’ expectations for six seasons.
“We just got to have our hands up, because we know she’s going to make the right read,” Ogunbowale said. “She’s super efficient every night. … She’s just really elite.”
The Wings entered the 2026 season with lofty expectations surrounding them. At minimum, they’re widely predicted to get back to the playoffs. But at the peak of possibilities for the Wings is title contention.
Bueckers holds the keys.
“I’m not one to live in the past,” Bueckers said. “But I’m not sure how long it was until we got our first win last year, and three counting the preseason. It’s not to say get complacent, or oh, we got one win, we’re going to go 44-0. We’re so focused on winning the day, winning the practice and getting better every single day, which leads to wins in total.”
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/annie-costabile/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Annie Costabile</a> is a Senior Writer for The Athletic covering the WNBA and women&#8217;s basketball at large. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a women&#8217;s sports reporter for Front Office Sports and, prior to that, was a sports reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times for seven years, where she covered the Chicago Sky and women&#8217;s sports. Annie also served as the high school preps and recruiting editor at The Clarion-Ledger. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, based in Brooklyn.
</div>

paige-bueckers-showed-why-she-holds-keys-to-dallas-wings-season

Paige Bueckers Showed Why She Holds Keys to Dallas Wings’ Season in Win Over Indiana Fever

<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
The 30th WNBA season is finally upon us. 210 days after the Las Vegas Aces hoisted the 2025 championship trophy, the 2026 campaign opens with WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax.



Beginning Friday, May 8, seven nationally broadcast games will celebrate the start of the season, including the debuts of the league’s two newest franchises — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. The slate also features a Finals rematch, a contest featuring the four most recent No. 1 draft picks, and much more.



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:50%"><div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1440" height="1800" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-259990" style="width:600px" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1.png 1440w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1-240x300.png 240w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1-819x1024.png 819w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1-768x960.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Tip-Off-4x5-new-1-1229x1536.png 1229w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" /></figure>
</div></div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>
</div>



We’ll dive into each matchup below, so all that’s left is to get the popcorn ready for a new season of WNBA hoops.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Friday, May 8</h2>



Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)



New York opens the season as a favorite to reach the WNBA Finals for the third time in four years (and seventh time overall). According to the league’s general managers, who voted Aces vs. Liberty as the most likely Finals matchup.



The Liberty return the core of their 2024 title squad by re-signing Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu, the latter of whom will be sidelined for this season-opening matchup after suffering an ankle injury during the preseason. New York also added two-time All-Star Satou Sabally in free agency and has Betnijah Laney-Hamilton returning after missing the 2025 season with a knee injury.



The Liberty’s stacked roster will host a Connecticut squad set to open its “Sunset Season” before the franchise relocates in 2027. While much of Connecticut’s roster is young, the Sun signed former champion and 10-time All-Star Brittney Griner, who will make her Sun debut on Friday.



Washington Mystics at Toronto Tempo (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)



In the first of two expansion debuts to take place during WNBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, the Toronto Tempo will host the Washington Mystics in their inaugural game.



This game offers the first regular-season look at the Tempo roster, which was built over a whirlwind five weeks through the expansion draft, college draft, and free agency. It also introduces a new WNBA city, ready to build its own identity and traditions.



The Mystics were voted third among teams with the most promising young core by the league’s GMs. Led by last year’s pair of rookie All-Stars — Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen — the Mystics’ roster is loaded with rookies and sophomores and features only two players with at least four years of experience. This matchup in Toronto will be an early opportunity to help this young group grow together.



Golden State Valkyries at Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET, ION)



After an inaugural season like no other in league history — Golden State became the first expansion team to make the WNBA playoffs — the Valkyries open their sophomore season on the road against the new-look Seattle Storm.



Gabby Williams, Golden State’s marquee offseason addition, will make her Valkyries debut and her return to Seattle — where she played from 2022-25 — on the same night. Williams dominated the GM voting as the best perimeter defender in the league, earning 60% of the vote. She joins an already top-flight defense, making the Valkyries even more dangerous.



In Seattle, the Storm tied with Dallas for the GM vote on the most promising young core. That includes rookies Awa Fam (No. 3 overall) and Flau&#8217;jae Johnson (No. 8) as well as last year&#8217;s No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga, who tied for the most votes to have a breakout season in 2026.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Saturday, May 9</h2>



Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever (1 p.m. ET, ABC)



Saturday’s ABC doubleheader begins with a star-studded clash between the Wings and Fever, with the last four No. 1 overall picks sharing the court – Indiana’s Aliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024) vs. Dallas’ Paige Bueckers (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026).



This marks the first regular-season appearance for Clark since July 15, as her sophomore season was limited to 13 games due to injury. Clark’s return, alongside Boston and All-WNBA First Team selection Kelsey Mitchell, gives the Fever a “Big Three” that can match up with any trio in the league.



This game also features the WNBA debut of sharpshooter Fudd, who became the seventh UConn player selected with the top pick in the draft. Fudd reunites with former college teammate Bueckers, who is coming off one of the most impressive rookie seasons in WNBA history. That backcourt duo, alongside Arike Ogunbowale, plus the addition of reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith, helped Dallas earn 67% of the GM’s vote as the most improved team entering 2026.



Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)



The Las Vegas Aces open their title defense with a 2025 Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury, which ended in an Aces sweep last October.



Coming off their third title in the last four seasons, the Aces return their championship core as they look to run it back. The league GMs named the Aces the favorites to repeat as champions and superstar A’ja Wilson as the favorite to win a fifth league MVP. The Aces swept the vote for best point guard (Chelsea Gray), best shooting guard (Jackie Young), best forward (Wilson), and best center (Wilson).&nbsp;



Meanwhile, the Mercury will look to return to the Finals with the returns of Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Kahleah Copper. However, Phoenix did lose All-Star Satou Sabally in free agency. This game gives Phoenix an early test against the defending champions and a chance to snap a seven-game losing streak to Las Vegas – the four Finals games, plus the last three regular-season meetings of 2025.



Chicago Sky at Portland Fire (9 p.m. ET, NBA TV)



For the first time since Aug. 11, 2002, a regular-season WNBA game will be played in the Rose City as the Portland Fire reignites after a three-season run from 2000-02.



Nearly 24 years later, WNBA hoops officially returns to Portland as the Fire welcome the Sky for their season opener. Similar to the Tempo, this game provides the first regular-season look at the Fire’s roster and game-day atmosphere. Similar to Golden State’s “Ballhalla” nickname for their home court at Chase Center, Portland has dubbed its Moda Center home “The Fire Pit.”



The new-look Sky will be the first team to enter The Fire Pit after a busy offseason featuring the additions of Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens, Rickea Jackson, and No. 5 draft pick Gabriela Jaquez, following the departures of Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />



Sunday, May 10



Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks (6 p.m. ET, USA)



Rounding out the opening weekend’s nationally broadcast slate is a matchup of two franchises with three WNBA titles apiece — the Las Vegas Aces (2022, 2024, 2025) and Los Angeles Sparks (2001, 2002, 2016).



This is also a clash between two of only four active players to have won league MVP honors — Las Vegas’ four-time winner A’ja Wilson (2020, 2022, 2024-25) and Los Angeles’ Nneka Ogwumike (2016), who returns to the Sparks after playing the last two seasons in Seattle. L.A. also added defensive stalwart Ariel Atkins from Chicago this offseason.



While the Aces tip off their title defense on Saturday, this marks the season opener for the Sparks. It also features two former Aces — Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby — facing their former squad after going 1-3 against them last season. Can the new-look Sparks make an early statement by knocking off the defending champs?
</div>
</div>

game-previews-wnba-tip-off-2026-weekend

Game Previews: WNBA Tip-Off 2026 Weekend

<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow">
The WNBA is officially tipping off its 30th season on May 8, with the preseason already wrapped up and fans given a glimpse of what’s to come for several contenders, rookies, and big signings from a tumultuous free agency.&nbsp;



The excitement surrounding this season is reaching a fever pitch, especially with so many moving parts this offseason and with two new teams added to the league ahead of 2026. While there’s likely an infinite number of things that fans are looking forward to this season, we’ll take a look at 10 things that should be on fans’ radars ahead of tip-off weekend.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. How Dominant will the Aces Be?</h2>



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:50%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="777" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Aces.png" alt="" class="wp-image-259960" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Aces.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Aces-300x243.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Aces-768x622.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></figure>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>
</div>



The Las Vegas Aces shocked the world in 2025. Sitting at 14-13, the Aces headed into a fateful August 2nd contest against the Minnesota Lynx, where the Lynx had the biggest road victory in WNBA history &#8211; the final score was 111-58.



That loss handed Las Vegas a 14-14 record with just 16 games left in the season. Their response to being on the losing end of that WNBA record? Winning 16 games in a row, blowing by their postseason competition, and sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals to land their third championship in four seasons.&nbsp;



The team didn’t shake up their starting lineup much for 2026, and why would they? A’ja Wilson is primed for another MVP run, while their mid-season trade last year that landed NaLyssa Smith ended up paying off in dividends. They also re-signed Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Dana Evans, while also upgrading their bench with Chennedy Carter, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Brianna Turner, and Stephanie Talbot.&nbsp;



It’s hard to imagine a world where Las Vegas gets anywhere close to their lows from their 2025 season &#8211; and that&#8217;s a scary prospect for the rest of the league. This is not to say that there aren’t other contenders, but it sure does feel like the championship runs through Michelob Ultra Arena.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Tight ROTY race</h2>



Azzi Fudd went first overall to the Dallas Wings, and that pick immediately re-paired her with former championship backcourt sidekick Paige Bueckers. We’ll get into that momentarily.&nbsp;



Fudd, while an electric guard who can score at all three levels, has some stiff competition ahead for the 2026 Rookie of the Year award. Preseason was a great look into that potential race, with several neophytes proving they’re more than ready for the challenge of WNBA physicality, speed, and competition.&nbsp;



Lauren Betts, the fourth-overall pick in this year’s draft, averaged 15 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds, two assists, and one steal for the Washington Mystics in the preseason. Raven Johnson was a defensive stalwart for the Indiana Fever in preseason, contributing 2.3 steals, 4.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and six points per game in Indiana’s three preseason games. Olivia Miles, who was snagged by the Lynx right after Fudd was off the board, looks like an extremely tidy fit next to Courtney Williams in Minnesota’s backcourt already. She averaged 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and three assists in three games. 



We haven’t even mentioned Flau’jae Johnson’s preseason performances, which were capped by a 20-point performance against the Portland Fire.&nbsp;



This is going to be a ridiculously fun ROTY race.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Two New Expansion Teams</h2>



The Toronto Tempo and Fire are kicking off their inaugural seasons during the WNBA’s 30th year, with Portland “reviving” its past franchise and returning to create a neat rivalry with the Seattle Storm. For Toronto, the Tempo’s tip-off marks a major expansion into Canada, with games scheduled in Vancouver and Montreal.&nbsp;



As we saw with the Golden State Valkyries in 2025, you simply cannot write off a new team before they’ve even gotten a chance to establish their play style and identity in the regular season. The league is teeming with talent, and Portland and Toronto are offering 24 more roster spots to players who would not have gotten the opportunity to suit up or even start in 2026.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. The Impending MVP race</h2>



As mentioned, it’s expected that Wilson will continue her dominance over the MVP award in 2026. This could be the year that Napheesa Collier, also, finally, breaks through this wall and wins the award for the first time. She was considered a frontrunner alongside Wilson last year. Alyssa Thomas is also always an underrated force to be reckoned with in this race.&nbsp;



Other names to watch include Caitlin Clark, Breanna Stewart, Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray, or even Paige Bueckers. It’s difficult to imagine this award going to anyone other than a big, but these guards have a shot at making Wilson’s road to a fifth MVP honor a bit shakier.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Surprising Contenders</h2>



<div class="wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:50%">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="640" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Contenders.png" alt="" class="wp-image-259957" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Contenders.png 960w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Contenders-300x200.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/05/Contenders-768x512.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></figure>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow" style="flex-basis:25%"></div>
</div>



The preseason was a nice window into what’s to come for this year, and an even better glimpse into which teams could shock fans with great seasons. The Wings looked fantastic in their final preseason contest against the Aces, with Aziaha James leading the way with 18 points, four rebounds, two steals, two assists, and a block. Their depth could come up huge for them in 2026, especially as much of that depth was added by way of free agency. The more veterans like Alanna Smith and Jess Sheppard to help lead their young core, the better.&nbsp;



Another potential contender could be the Indiana Fever, who now have a healthy Clark back in the fold. With her, Aliyah Boston, and Kelsey Mitchell, their core is set up for a decent run at top seeding this season. Plus, their depth seems to be a strength this year. It depends on how healthy they can remain throughout the season. On paper, the Fever look primed for a return to the postseason.&nbsp;



A third team to watch for a deep postseason run is the Atlanta Dream. They aren’t necessarily a surprising team considering they’ve made the postseason each year for the last three years. But their addition of Reese this offseason changes their makeup. As a team heavily reliant on spacing, lending itself to the effectiveness of its bigs, they made quite the splash acquiring a player who lives at the rim for her offense as well as Reese does.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. The Impact of Big Free Agency Signings</h2>



Free agency was just as chaotic as the trade market this offseason. There were some notable returns, like Nneka Ogwumike heading back to the Los Angeles Sparks and Azurá Stevens landing back with the Chicago Sky. The Sky also acquired Skylar Diggins on the free agent market, adding some much-needed veteran guard play to a young roster in need of some direction. 



Other significant free-agent moves included Alanna Smith heading to the Wings after spending her last two seasons with the Lynx, Gabby Williams leaving the Storm for the Valkyries, and Brittney Griner heading to the Connecticut Sun after a brief stint with the Dream.&nbsp;



These are all hugely impactful signings, and some could even swing teams from having fringe postseason potential to being full-fledged contenders. The Wings and the Valkyries certainly qualify under that umbrella thanks to these signature signings.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Fudd and Bueckers Reunited in Dallas</h2>



With Fudd landing with Dallas, the Wings have an opportunity to witness a rookie come into the WNBA and immediately be comfortable with their backcourt company. Fudd and Bueckers finally won an NCAA championship together in 2025, before Bueckers was drafted by the Wings. Their work together as the UConn Huskies’ starting backcourt was must-watch TV, and Dallas is seemingly hoping to replicate their success in the WNBA with their Fudd pick.&nbsp;



In preseason, Fudd&#8217;s play was a mixed bag, averaging just 8 points per game and 1 assist, struggling with the league’s physicality and speed during the transition. However, her upside is obvious from her time with UConn, and the Wings have an opportunity to recreate one of the best one-two offensive punches in women’s college basketball history with her added to the fold. 



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Angel Reese in Atlanta</h2>



Reese landed with the Dream following a shocking trade with the Sky this offseason. Following yet another All-Star campaign in 2025, she lands with an Atlanta team that feels a piece or two away from making a Finals push.&nbsp;



Whether or not she is that final piece will be fun to see, especially since the Dream already roster two powerful scoring options in Gray and Rhyne Howard. Atlanta already led the league in rebounding prior to acquiring Reese, who will be aiming to add her 2025 league-leading 12.6 rebounds per game to the fold. Three-point shooting for the Dream will be key to unlocking her potential with this lineup.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. Sophomore Leaps</h2>



Anyone catching Wings, Mystics, or Sun games was probably impressed by the performances of second-year players headed into the 2026 season. For Dallas, that includes Bueckers, of course, but also Aziaha James, who averaged 17.5 points per game along with 5.5 rebounds, three steals, and 2.5 assists in the preseason. For Washington, both Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen look poised to continue to raise the ceiling of the Mystics after both nearly spoiled Bueckers’ bid for ROTY in 2025.&nbsp;



Saniya Rivers already looks like a huge leader for the Sun on the floor headed into 2026. She was excellent in Unrivaled this past offseason, and her 2nd season with the Sun looks poised to be a launching pad for her to go from an impressive rookie to a borderline star. Her defensive strengths were on display throughout the preseason, and she unlocked Connecticut’s potential on offense thanks to her quick thinking in transition and her speed.&nbsp;



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots" />



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Celebrating Season 30</h2>



Of course, in addition to all of these things, the WNBA’s players have to be excited about putting on a show for the league’s 30th year. There have been so many legends that have defined the league in such a short period of time, and we’re also witnessing legendary careers unfold before us in real time.&nbsp;



You cannot take the current talent on display this season for granted, especially the performances by players like Wilson, Clark, Collier, Thomas, and so many others. This is a major milestone for the league to have reached, and the momentum for players and fans in 2026 is only getting stronger.
</div>
</div>

10-things-to-look-forward-to-2026

10 Things to Look Forward to in Season 30

Preseason 2026

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. 
<hr />
<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. 
<hr />
<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. 
<hr />
<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.

WNBA_Preason Logo_NoPartner_CMYK_onDrkBgd

preseason-2026-rapid-reactions

Rapid Reactions: How All 15 Teams Fared in Preseason Debuts

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: March. Where superstars are made. Where shots become historic. Where teams hoist trophies. As we gear up for a month-long women’s basketball frenzy with today’s stars like UConn’s Azzi Fudd, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, and UCLA’s Lauren Betts, let’s flash back to some WNBA greats who made their mark during the Big Dance in the 1990s before they were pros. 
These players deserve their due for how they captivated audiences en route to winning a national championship. As a nod to the viral social media trend, “What were you like in the ‘90s?” let’s go down memory lane while “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls serenades in the background. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Jennifer Azzi, Stanford (1986–1990)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257751" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg" alt="" width="538" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-688x1024.jpg 688w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-202x300.jpg 202w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-768x1143.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1032x1536.jpg 1032w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-1376x2048.jpg 1376w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-314250-scaled.jpg 1720w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 538px) 100vw, 538px" />
Before Azzi was an Olympic gold medalist with the 1996 Dreamers and a member of the WNBA Top 20@20, the point guard led Stanford to its first women’s basketball National Championship in 1990. They defeated Auburn, and her future Olympic teammate and WNBA foe Ruthie Bolton, in a thrilling 88-81 victory. Stanford trailed in the first half, but rallied back thanks to Azzi’s 17 points.  
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer knew her Cardinals were going to win it all that 1990 season. She hung a sign on the locker room door: “1990 National champions. Get comfortable with it.” 
“Not winning never entered our minds,” Azzi <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/annkillion/article/In-Tara-they-trusted-Stanford-s-1990-16053720.php">said</a>.
That year, Azzi racked up the awards. She was named the Wade Trophy winner, Naismith Player of the Year, and the tournament’s most outstanding player. Azzi was drafted fifth overall in the 1999 WNBA draft by the Detroit Shock, who reached the playoffs in her first season. She then played three seasons with the San Antonio Silver Stars, leading the league in the 3-point percentage in both 1999 and 2001.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Sheryl Swoopes, Texas Tech (1991–1993)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257752" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-295331-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" />
Swoopes was on a mission in 1993. Her Texas Tech Lady Raiders entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West Regional and demolished everyone in their path to reach the National Championship game. They’d face No. 1 overall seed Ohio State, and future WNBA legend Katie Smith, for the title. 
Swoopes scored a Final Four record of 47 points (16-24 from the field and 11-11 from the free-throw line) in the upset, being named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Her 144 total tournament points (35.4 ppg) in a five-game stretch still holds 30 years later. It was her 17th 30-plus game. 
“There are no words to describe what a great player she is,” head coach Marsha Sharp <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-05-sp-19403-story.html">said of Swoopes then</a>. “I’ve never seen a player who can dominate a game like she can. She’s the greatest player of her time, and she does everything with so much class. She has a certain charisma—it’s why all our people love her so much.”
It was not only women’s basketball’s first title, but it was also the first National Championship in any sport at Texas Tech. 
The Texas native would go on to win the first four championships in WNBA history with the Houston Comets, and would finish her Hall-of-Fame career as a three-time MVP, six-time All-Star, and three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Charlotte Smith, North Carolina (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-257753" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="800" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-scaled.jpg 1712w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-201x300.jpg 201w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-685x1024.jpg 685w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-768x1149.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1027x1536.jpg 1027w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-2002807-1369x2048.jpg 1369w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 535px) 100vw, 535px" />
Trailing by two points with 0.7 seconds left, North Carolina’s coach Sylvia Hatchell burned back-to-back timeouts. The first huddle’s play was drawn for a 6-foot-5 center, Sylvia Crawley, to catch a lob and finish at the rim. But Louisiana Tech quickly caught on and clogged the paint. The next whistle, a new one was drawn up: a baseline out-of-bounds play that would go for the win. Junior forward Charlotte Smith started on the ball-side block in a box set. On the whistle, she screened diagonally. Tech’s miscommunication left Smith wide open for a weak-side 3. The hometown kid sinks it. UNC’s lone title is stamped as one of the most thrilling title finishes ever.
“When I look back at that moment, the magnitude of it is still pretty shocking because it created waves all over the world,” Smith <a href="https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2022-02-16/1994-womens-ncaa-tournament-north-carolinas-charlotte-smith-remembers-buzzer">reminisces</a>. “It put not only women’s basketball on the map and UNC women’s basketball on the map, but Charlotte Smith became a household name.”
Smith was selected 33rd overall in the 1999 draft by the Charlotte Sting, then also played for the Washington Mystics and the Indiana Fever. She’d play eight seasons in the WNBA before getting into coaching; after serving as a long-time assistant coach at UNC, she took over at Elon University and led them to their first NCAA tournament bid in history. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Rebecca Lobo, Connecticut (1991–1995)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257754" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-280422-e1774456985332.jpg" alt="" width="562" height="800" />
UConn’s first unblemished season came in 1995 with six-foot-four Lobo in the center, and it would go down as one of the most dominant seasons ever. They went a perfect 35-0, and won every regular-season game by double digits. They set the record for the highest average scoring margin at 33.2. (<a href="https://justwomenssports.com/reads/uconn-womens-basketball-undefeated-regular-season-31-0-2026/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20Huskies%20went%20on,third%2Dhighest%20in%20DI%20history.">This season’s UConn team</a> is winning by a whopping 37.8 ppg. Sheesh.) 
Lobo was crowned the Naismith Player of the Year, the Wade Trophy, and AP Player of the Year for averaging a near double-double (17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds). Soon after the confetti and the national championship celebrations concluded, Lobo was headed to join Team USA — she skipped her college graduation to attend tryouts — and won gold with the 1996 Olympic squad. 
She was one of the founding players of the WNBA with the New York Liberty, was an All-Star in 1999, and is a part of the Naismith Hall of Fame. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257755" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-395005-scaled-e1774457155924.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="800" />
Before Holdsclaw was the No. 1 WNBA draft pick in 1999 and had a historic career for the Washington Mystics, she was wreaking havoc for Pat Summitt’s Tennessee Lady Vols. She’s the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. She won three national championships (1996, 1997, and 1998), was the back-to-back MOP in 1997 and 1998, and was the back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999. 
She was also one part of the “Three Meeks”: Semeka Randall, Tamika Catchings, and Holdsclaw. Mik, Meek, and Mique. Not only did they share the same middle syllable, but they shared the same winning desire at Tennessee. “We wanted to go out there and dominate and embarrass people,” Holdsclaw would say decades later. During the 1998 season, they did. A perfect 39-0 with a fairytale national championship ending. They each knew their role: Randall was the floor general, orchestrating Summitt’s offense to a T. Catchings was the defensive wizard, picking pockets and taking names. Holdsclaw was a precisionist, slicing through the defense like she was a contestant on Iron Chef. Together, they molded into a three-headed Meekmonster, virtually impossible to contain. 
Holdsclaw was a six-time WNBA All-Star, getting her first start as a rookie, and won Olympic gold in 2000. 
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center">Stephanie White, Purdue (1995–1999)</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-257757" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/03/GettyImages-401663-scaled-e1774457260866.jpg" alt="" width="536" height="800" />
When the game clock struck zero on March 28, 1999, in San Jose, CA, Purdue’s All-American Stephanie White and her head coach Carolyn Peck were national champions. The top-ranked Boilermakers handily beat Duke, 62-45, despite White going down with a severe ankle injury with only four minutes to go in the contest. It was Peck’s last game before heading to the WNBA to be the coach and GM of the Orlando Miracle. The 17,753 fans in the San Jose Arena went wild, and chanted “One more year!” as she cut down the net.
They wish they could’ve said the same for White, who in her senior year nabbed the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, Wade Trophy, and the Honda Sports Award while averaging 20.2 points per game. She’s still the Boilermakers’ third all-time leading scorer. 
White was drafted by the Charlotte Sting in 1999, then played the rest of her six-year WNBA career with the Indiana Fever. But White took to coaching early on, even while she was still playing pro. In the WNBA, she’s made stops in Chicago and Connecticut, where she won Coach of the Year in 2023, before returning to the Fever as head coach in 2025. 
Jordan Robinson is a freelance journalist, author, host, analyst, and content creator based in Los Angeles, CA.

a-look-back-at-tournament-greats

March Icons: A Look Back at Tournament Greats

It&#8217;s 2025 WNBA Assists Week! Who had the best dime-dropping action from the 2025 season?
<hr />
<h2>Best Team: Minnesota Lynx</h2>
The Minnesota Lynx have established themselves as one of the most efficient passing teams in WNBA history. In the 2025 season, the Lynx averaged 23.3 assists per game, ranking third all-time in single-season assist averages. This follows their 2024 season where they averaged 23.0 assists per game.
With these back-to-back seasons, the Lynx now account for two of the four instances in league history where a team averaged 23+ assists per game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/minnesotalynx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@minnesotalynx</a> led the league with 746 assisted catch and shoots this szn, a masterclass in timing and touch.
See how these dimes turned into pure rhythm! 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> | Powered by GeniusIQ <a href="https://t.co/hlGHRaQeAC">pic.twitter.com/hlGHRaQeAC</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1986841337396662422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h2>Best Player: Alyssa Thomas</h2>
With a 2025 campaign highlighted by a record-breaking eight triple-double performances, Alyssa Thomas set the record for most total assists in a regular season (357) over 39 games. Her 9.15 APG led the league and marked the second-highest regular season APG average in WNBA history.
Thomas made history by becoming the first player to record three seasons with 300+ assists.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Of course we&#39;re leading the week with the season assists leader 👏
Alyssa Thomas delivered elite pace and vision all year, averaging 9.2 APG and recording her third 300+ assist season.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/VPEE5jhc7K">pic.twitter.com/VPEE5jhc7K</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1985380989950889997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h3>Best Performance: Alyssa Thomas (August 22, 2025)</h3>
On August 22, 2025, Thomas delivered one of the most memorable performances of the season, dishing out 16 assists in a single game.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The top single-game assist performances of the szn ✔️
Alyssa Thomas recorded a <a href="https://twitter.com/PhoenixMercury?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@phoenixmercury</a> franchise record against the Valkyries with 16 AST to go along with 13 PTS and 12 REB.
Thomas finished the szn as the league leader in AST!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WNBAAssistsWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WNBAAssistsWeek</a> <a href="https://t.co/jhvEemSOC5">pic.twitter.com/jhvEemSOC5</a>
&mdash; WNBA (@WNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNBA/status/1986177476674916722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<hr />
<h3>Top 10 Assists of the Year</h3>
Check out the best dimes from the 2025 season!
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Top 10 Assists of the 2025 Season" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/440-EA_0kR4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

2025-wnba-assists-week

2025 WNBA Assists Week: Best in Ball Movement

Latest

Ally-Wordmark_Offwhite

att2

CarMax+Logo-White

DEL_PRI_ALL_WHT

google-logo-transparent

Nike-Logo-PNG

Get a courtside seat. Every week. With WNBA League Pass, watch live games across the league.