5 Things I Like

It feels unfathomable, but the player to monitor for a near-nightly triple-double is not Alyssa Thomas &#8211; it’s Jessica Shepard. 
The sixth-year veteran forward is hitting her stride in a major way with the Dallas Wings this season, posting three triple-doubles so far this season. That’s good for the most in the league so far this year, outdoing even Thomas, who’s known for easily hitting that benchmark thanks to her playmaking and rebounding abilities. 
Shepard’s been a key cog to the Wings’ dominance in year two of the Paige Bueckers era, and it’s in major thanks to her that Dallas is on a five-game winning streak as we head towards the All-Star break. 
This, and five other things, really caught my eye from week eight of WNBA action. 
<hr />
<h2>Commissioner’s Cup Hangover</h2>
After the New York Liberty took out the Las Vegas Aces for another Commissioner’s Cup title, it felt like perhaps they’d start to hit their stride ahead of the All-Star break. A nice streak could set them up for a comfortable spot atop the league standings and keep them afloat despite a very slow start from the team and their stars. 
Instead, New York has once again become inconsistent on offense and is struggling to get stops when it matters. They’re right in the middle of the league in three-point percentage (34.5) despite having shooters like Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Marine Johannès in tow, and are averaging just 87.8 points per game. That’s close to the output from teams like the Connecticut Sun, Portland Fire, and Chicago Sky. 
That, coupled with very little rim protection, average rebounding, and a third-lowest 6.3 steals per game, New York is lacking pop on either side of the ball. 
Since beating the Aces, the Liberty have lost three of their last four games. It feels like they have some identity issues to once again work out with a new head coach in tow, and with another new-look bench that doesn’t seem prepared to back up the starting unit. 
<hr />
<h2>Indiana Fever Surging</h2>
<div id="attachment_266146" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-266146" class="wp-image-266146" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="720" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-300x240.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2282658317-2048x1638.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />The Indiana Fever huddle during the game against the Phoenix Mercury</div>
The Fever had two key contests this past week: road games against the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces present the largest challenge on paper to the Fever, with A’ja Wilson being a thorn in the side of any team that doesn’t have an experienced big ready to challenge her in the paint. 
Of course, Indiana did not have to worry too much about that, with Kelsey Mitchell simply putting the team on her back in both games. The star guard averaged 28.3 points per game over Indiana’s games this past week, along with shooting ridiculously efficiently from behind the arc. Despite a slower start to the year for the Fever, it seems like they’re beginning to pick things up thanks to Mitchell, the return of Caitlin Clark more consistently to the floor following a back injury, and star center Aliyah Boston honing in on her defensive stalwart-ness this past week. They’re sitting in 5th place now, just behind the Wings, and are proving they can make even the sharpest teams look silly with their core of Mitchell, Boston, and Clark. Consistency will be key for them. 
<hr />
<h2>Tempo Trip to Montreal</h2>
I had the pleasure of venturing across the border to go watch the Tempo’s two games hosted at the Bell Center over the weekend as part of their Cross Canada series, and they gave fans two exhilarating games against the Wings and Liberty. While they went 1-1 on the “road” trip, you couldn’t really tell that was the case. Fans were unbelievably supportive of the squad during both games, and, of course, Marina Mabrey put on a show against Dallas and New York. 
Mabrey, a first-time All-Star this year, averaged 32 points over the weekend, in addition to shooting 9-17 from three across both games. Her step backs in both games just always seemed like they were going to find the net, and more often than not, that was the case. 
Some underrated performances from the Tempo’s Maria Conde and Laura Juskaite deserve flowers, as well. Both played as excellent co-stars to Mabrey’s offensive explosion over this past weekend. Conde was confidently letting it fly from three, while Juskaite seemed to keep finding all of the Liberty’s pain points on her drives. 
Toronto did a great job of feeding off the energy from the Montreal crowd. 
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<h2>Valkyries Continue to be a Brick Wall</h2>
<div id="attachment_266147" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-266147" class="wp-image-266147" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="646" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-300x215.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-1024x735.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-768x551.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-1536x1103.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2284687221-1-2048x1470.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Veronica Burton #22 of the Golden State Valkyries</div>
The Valkyries scored 62 points against the Washington Mystics on July 6. That’s 20 points lower than their season average of 82, and typically the kind of offensive output you’d see from the losing team. 
Of course, they held the Mystics to just 49 points to secure the win, anyway. 
Golden State has been the best overall defensive unit in the WNBA this year, and that’s a huge testament to the work of Veronica Burton as one of the league’s best two-way guards. She’s the head of a snake that is neck and neck with the Minnesota Lynx in defensive rating (100.4), and while also allowing the least amount of points in the paint per game in the league (31.8 per game). 
Burton is also one of the league leaders in defensive win shares, which measures how much an individual player impacts their team’s wins on the defensive end of the floor only. 
Despite not being the flashiest team when it comes to their defense &#8211; they aren’t hauling down rebounds or getting blocks at a huge clip &#8211; their collective effort on the floor to make life miserable for opponents on defense is what’s helping land Golden State right in the conversation for contention ahead of the All-Star break. 
<hr />
<h2>Juhasz’s Return Comes with Huge Reeve Milestone</h2>
Dorka Juhasz had been out all season with a foot sprain suffered overseas, keeping her out of the Lynx’s lineups until July 6. The forward, while missed, wasn’t necessarily returning to a downtrodden team. Minnesota’s been one of the best stories of the season so far, with rookie Olivia Miles helping lead the Napheesa Collier-less team to a first-place record and a stronghold on the standings. So, Juhasz’s return was a welcome addition to Minnesota&#8217;s frontcourt depth, but the team has been managing just fine in her absence. 
Still, her contributions as a stretch 4 who can rebound efficiently and operate in the pick and roll with Miles are great for the Lynx, and even without Miles on July 9, Juhasz flashed all of that ability in the Lynx’s win over the Sun. That win carried head coach Cheryl Reeve over the hump to get the league record for most regular-season wins by a coach in history. 
It was also a clutch three from Juhasz that sealed the victory for Minnesota, on a night where the team was unbelievably shorthanded thanks to Miles’ calf injury and the ramp-up for Collier still ongoing. 
As if the Lynx needed to get any scarier, Juhasz&#8217;s ability to keep up this level of play off the bench could end up being huge for Minnesota as they seek to gain 100% health by the second half of the season. Minnesota’s bench play could use some work &#8211;  their second unit is averaging a league-low 15.7 points per game, along with just 8.7 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists, two steals, but is holding the best net rating (4.7). 
Juhasz can, at a minimum, be the remedy for their rebounding and bench shooting.

five-things-i-like-week-eight-2026

Five Things I Like: Week Eight 2026

The 10 starters for the 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game were unveiled on Thursday — a group that features a mix of award-winning veterans and rising young stars building out their trophy cases.
Let’s take a closer look at the first 10 players who have punched their tickets to Chicago for All-Star weekend (July 24-25).
Note: The All-Stars are presented in alphabetical order, with all stats through games played on Sunday, July 5.
<hr />
<h2>Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (4th All-Star selection)</h2>
<div id="attachment_265428" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-265428" class="wp-image-265428 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131255.768-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Aliyah Boston #7 of the Indiana Fever</div>
In her fourth WNBA season, Boston earns her fourth All-Star selection as the Fever’s center-forward has been an All-Star staple since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 Draft. This season, Boston is averaging a career-best 17.1 points per game (15th in the WNBA) along with 8.6 rebounds per game (9th).
Inside/Outside Threat
Through her first three WNBA seasons combined, Boston made a total of 17 3-pointers over 124 games, shooting just 26.2% from beyond the arc. This season, she has already made 23 3-pointers in just 19 games. Not only is Boston expanding her range, she’s doing so with great efficiency, ranking third among all WNBA players in 3-point percentage at 45.1%.
In addition to ranking fourth among all centers in 3-pointers made, Boston still maintains her back-to-the-basket game, ranking 10th among all players in field goals made within five feet, with 74 buckets on 67.3% shooting.
<hr />
<h2>Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings (2nd All-Star selection)</h2>
Not only is Bueckers an All-Star starter for the second time in her sophomore WNBA season, she also led all players in fan voting in 2026, amassing 1,045,051 votes. The reigning Rookie of the Year has elevated her game in her second campaign, averaging career-bests in points (20.3 per game) and assists (6.1 per game) — ranking seventh in the league in both categories. She’s also more efficient, with her 52.3% FG and 39.1% 3-point shooting up 4.5 and 6.0 percentage points, respectively, from a season ago.
Paige Is Clutch
In 11 clutch games, Bueckers has scored a total of 39 points, which ranks fourth in the WNBA and first among the All-Star starters. She has put up those points on 14-for-21 shooting, with her 66.7 FG% ranking fifth among all players with at least 10 clutch shot attempts. Here’s one of her latest clutch moments, putting the Wings up late after they had trailed Connecticut by as many as 14 points.
<hr />
<h2>Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (3rd All-Star selection)</h2>
Similar to Boston and Bueckers, Clark has earned All-Star honors in every one of her WNBA seasons. After missing last year’s game due to injury, this year’s second-leading vote getter (1,023,321) aims to return to the All-Star stage. Earlier this season, Clark surpassed 1,000 points, 250 rebounds and 250 assists in just 54 career games, topping Diana Taurasi’s previous record of 62 games. But that is not the only record in play this season.
Scorer &amp; Playmaker
Clark is the only player to rank in the top five in both points (career-high 21.2 per game, 4th in WNBA) and assists (8.2 per game, 2nd in WNBA) this season as she fuels Indiana’s top-ranked offense. The Fever lead the WNBA in both points per game (93.5) and offensive efficiency (111.6).
Clark is on pace to post a season unlike any other in league history. No player has ever averaged at least 20 points and eight assists per game. In fact, Clark is the only player to ever average at least 16+ ppg and 7+ apg, and now she can set the bar even higher.
<hr />
<h2>Natasha Howard, Minnesota Lynx (3rd All-Star selection)</h2>
The league-leading Lynx tout both the oldest and youngest players among the All-Star starters for 2026. Howard is the veteran, earning her third All-Star selection with her third different team after nods in 2019 (with Seattle) and 2022 (with New York).
In her 13th WNBA season, and first back in Minnesota after an eight-year hiatus, Howard is averaging 17.2 points (14th in the WNBA), 8.1 rebounds (13th) and 1.8 steals (3rd). And she’s doing it all on career-best efficiency, shooting 59.8% from the field, which ranks fifth among all players.
Doing Work Inside
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-265423" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/unnamed-2.png" alt="" width="481" height="512" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/unnamed-2.png 481w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/unnamed-2-282x300.png 282w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 481px) 100vw, 481px" />
As the shot chart above illustrates, Howard handles most of her business in the paint, where she leads the WNBA in scoring (13.7 points per game). In addition to showing off her craftiness with some of her finishes down low, Howard also makes a ton of effort plays. She ranks second in the league in offensive rebounds (3.4 per game) and third in second-chance points (3.8 per game).
Minnesota&#8217;s top-ranked defense (98.9 rating) also averages a league-best 18.6 points off turnovers, with Howard leading the charge at 4.6 points per game, which is second in the league among all players.
<hr />
<h2>Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx (1st All-Star selection)</h2>
<div id="attachment_265429" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-265429" class="wp-image-265429 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131531.378-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Olivia Miles #5 of the Minnesota Lynx</div>
The opposite end of Minnesota’s All-Star duo is the rookie sensation Miles, who leads all first-year players in points (18.5 per game) and assists (5.7 per game), which also rank 12th and eighth, respectively, across the entire WNBA. 
As brilliant as Miles has been on offense, she has also shined defensively, with her 96.1 defensive rating leading the 120 players averaging at least 15 minutes per game this season. Her elite two-way impact has helped Miles post a league-best plus/minus of +197 over her first 20 career games.
Continuing A Trend
Miles is on pace to become just the 12th player in league history to average at least 18 points and five rebounds over a full WNBA season. If she maintains this pace, she will become the third straight rookie to do so, joining fellow All-Star starters in Clark (2024) and Bueckers (2025), who each won Rookie of the Year honors.
<hr />
<h2>Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever (4th All-Star selection)</h2>
Mitchell earned her first WNBA All-Star selection in 2023, her sixth season in the league. She’s been an All-Star every year since, as she has steadily improved her game year after year: 18.2 points per game in 2023, 19.2 ppg in 2024, 20.2 ppg in 2025 and 21.9 ppg in 2026.
Mitchell’s 21.9 points are a career-high, as is her 48.9% shooting, while her 12 games with 20+ points ranks second in the league only to A’ja Wilson. Mitchell and fellow Fever All-Star Clark form the WNBA’s highest-scoring duo this season at 43.1 points per game.
The Iron Woman
Beginning with her first All-Star season in 2023, Mitchell has not missed a single game over the past four seasons. Her last missed game came at the close of the 2022 season on Aug. 14, meaning she has not missed a game in 1,422 days.
Last season, with the Fever ravaged by injuries, Mitchell carried the Fever to the brink of the WNBA Finals, before finally succumbing to exhaustion in Game 5 against the eventual champion Aces. After recovering from that frightening situation, Mitchell is not only back to 100%, she’s playing the best basketball of her career.
<hr />
<h2>Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings (1st All-Star selection)</h2>
After playing her first five seasons in Minnesota, Shepard signed with Dallas as a free agent this offseason and has put up career-best numbers across the board in her debut season with the Wings: 14.2 points, 11.4 rebounds, five assists, two triple-doubles, 12 double-doubles.
Shepard is the only player to record a triple-double so far this season (she has two, which are also the first two of her career). She also ranks second in both double-doubles and rebounds per game, trailing only Atlanta’s Angel Reese in both categories.
Hall Of Fame Company
Shepard is on pace to join Candace Parker as the only players to average at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists over a WNBA season. Parker accomplished the rare feat in 2015, when she appeared in just 16 games but still finished fifth in MVP voting. Shepard has already maintained those averages through 21 games. If she sustains this all-around mastery for the remainder of the schedule, history awaits.
<hr />
<h2>Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (8th All-Star selection)</h2>
Stewart has been an All-Star staple since she entered the WNBA in 2016 with her eight selections tied for the third-most among active players. The only years she was not an All-Star there was either no game (2016 due to the Olympics, 2020 due to the pandemic) or she was injured (2019 due to an Achilles tear).
This season, Stewart is one of only two players (along with A’ja Wilson) averaging at least 20 points and eight rebounds. She ranks ninth and 11th, respectively with averages of 20.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks over 20 games.
The Champ Is Here
Stewart has already added to her massive trophy case this season, making history in the process:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Ultimate Winner: She’s the only player in WNBA history to win the Commissioner’s Cup three times (2021 with Seattle, 2023 and 2026 with New York). Her three Cup titles mirror her three WNBA titles (2018, 2020, 2024).</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Clutch MVP: She’s the lone player to win multiple Commissioner’s Cup MVP honors (2021 with Seattle and 2026 with New York). Her two Cup MVPs match her 2 regular season MVPs and WNBA Finals MVPs.</li>
</ul>
The only major MVP award left to add to her sparkling resume: All-Star Game MVP.
<hr />
<h2>Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries (2nd All-Star selection)</h2>
In her first season in Golden State, Williams earned her first All-Star start and second overall selection. The 5-foot-11 forward has established herself as one of the top two-way players in the league, averaging a career-best 16 points this season, while remaining one of the game’s top defenders.
Limited Minutes, Maximum Impact
Among the 10 All-Star starters, Williams averages the fewest minutes per game at 26.3, which ranks 46th in the WNBA. However, she ranks 18th in scoring (16.0 points per game), tied for ninth in steals (1.6 per game) and tied for 13th in 3-pointers made (2.0 per game).
Williams is one of only two players (along with Atlanta’s Rhyne Howard) to average at least 15 points, two 3-pointers made and 1.5 steals per game this season. But while Howard leads all WNBA players in floor time (35.2), Williams has hit those marks in just 26.3 minutes per contest.
<hr />
<h2>A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (8th All-Star selection)</h2>
<div id="attachment_265430" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-265430" class="wp-image-265430 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-06T131705.539-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
So far, the only thing that has been able to slow down A’ja Wilson is an ankle injury, which has sidelined the four-time MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and three-time WNBA champion for the past three games.
In her 19 games on the court, Wilson’s numbers have been phenomenal: she leads the WNBA in both scoring (25.7 per game) and blocks (2.0 per game) while ranking third in rebounds (9.4 per game). Wilson already boasts a league-high six games with 30 or more points this season — twice as many as any other player in the league this season (four players are tied with three: Breanna Stewart, Brittney Sykes, Kahleah Copper and Marina Mabrey).
Chasing History
At 25.7 points per game, Wilson is on pace to post the second-highest scoring season in WNBA history, trailing only herself in 2024 (26.9 ppg). She would own three of the top 10 individual scoring seasons in league history.
Top Single-Season Scoring Averages (WNBA History):
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson: 26.9 (2024)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson: 25.7 (2026)*</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Diana Taurasi: 25.3 (2006)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jewell Loyd: 24.7 (2023)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Diana Taurasi: 24.1 (2008)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Kelsey Plum: 23.9 (2026)*</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Maya Moore: 23.9 (2014)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Lauren Jackson: 23.8 (2007)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson: 23.4 (2025)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Elena Delle Donne: 23.4 (2015)</li>
</ol>
*current season (in progress)

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Players to Watch Ahead of All-Star 2026

It’s been an iconic month for sports in New York City. 
The New York Knicks won the Finals for the first time since 1973, Gotham FC brought up the Challenger’s Cup trophy, and now, the New York Liberty are Commissioner’s Cup champions for a second time. 
The Las Vegas Aces, who were unfortunately without A’ja Wilson due to an ankle injury suffered over the weekend, looked lost on offense as they tried to find consistent shooting from literally anywhere in their lineup. For a moment, in the second half, that answer looked to be Jackie Young, but New York’s guard room beat out Las Vegas’ in the end. 
The Liberty desperately needed this win, as they had been skidding into this championship game. The Aces, conversely, have been cruising with Wilson piecing together yet another MVP-caliber season so far. However, this loss exposed weaknesses in their frontcourt and on offense when she’s not available.
Despite depth, experience, and X-factors always being the topic of discussion headed into big games like this, it all came down to who had more star power willing to step up to the plate for just one game &#8211; New York did. 
<hr />
<h2>New York Won The Guard Battle</h2>
<div id="attachment_265090" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-265090" class="wp-image-265090" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283541320-2048x1366.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty and Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
I wrote<a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/rapid-reactions-commissioners-cup-2026"> that this game could end up</a> being a battle of the guards once we knew it would be Las Vegas against New York. 
 
Sabrina Ionescu had 26 points on a heavy shot diet. She was doing an excellent job throughout the contest of using her gravity to set up Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones cutting to the basket. Pauline Astier added 15 points on 5-8 shooting, and the two guards had half of the Liberty’s assists on the night. 
Jackie Young had 31 points, looking like the only Aces player who could find their shot &#8211; especially from three-point range. Chelsea Gray, very abnormally, had just seven points on 3-12 shooting. 
Chennedy Carter was the spark plug in the Aces guard room outside of Young, with her 18 points helping to keep Las Vegas in the contest in the first half when it felt like New York could potentially run away with things. But, as she’s ramping back up into regular action following an extended break from play, she only had 25 minutes on the court compared to Gray’s 36. 
In a game where the frontcourt battle wasn’t as much of a focal point as fans might’ve wanted it to be, New York managed to edge out the Aces star backcourt. 
<hr />
<h2>Las Vegas’ Frontcourt Depth Still an Issue?</h2>
Without Wilson, Las Vegas’ front court &#8211; NaLyssa Smith, Stephanie Talbot, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Bri Turner, and Kierstan Ball &#8211; had a combined 24 points on the night. Talbot and Turner had zero points combined in 21 minutes on the court. 
Stewart, alone, had 25 points for New York. She was the difference maker without Wilson on the floor. She deters players like Stewart, Jones, and even Ionescu from testing her at the rim, averaging two blocks per game. With her off the floor, the Liberty paced the Aces with 46 points in the paint. On the season, New York’s scoring 39.7 percent of their points in the paint. In this game, their 46 points accounted for nearly half of their scoring. 
It feels premature to say that Las Vegas is not as good a team without Wilson. We’ve seen Smith piece together some great performances in relief of Wilson, and Parker-Tyus has been a solid backup piece for the Aces. But you simply cannot replicate Wilson’s defensive presence. It’s one of one. New York felt that and took advantage of it immediately, which is a problem if you’re trying to give Wilson some relief in future contests. 
<hr />
<h2>History of Cup Predicting Finals Teams</h2>
<div id="attachment_265094" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-265094" class="wp-image-265094" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="769" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-300x256.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-1024x875.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-768x656.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-1536x1312.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/GettyImages-2283547570-2048x1750.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />The New York Liberty with their 2023 and 2026 Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Championship trophies</div>
Over the last few seasons, the Commissioner’s Cup has been a great crystal ball into who might make a deep postseason run, or even a Finals appearance. There have been some discrepancies along the way since the Cup began in 2021 &#8211; the Indiana Fever beat the Minnesota Lynx in 2025 to take the Cup, but they couldn’t sustain that success due to a dearth of injuries. 
But, the Liberty, Aces, and Lynx all seem to just be trading spots in the Cup final and also in the postseason. In 2022, the Aces beat the Chicago Sky in the Cup championship and proceeded to win the Finals. In 2023, the Aces took on the Liberty for the first time in the championship, got completely bulldozed by New York, and then went back-to-back as WNBA Finals champions against them anyway. 
In 2024, Minnesota beat New York in the Cup finals, and then New York redeemed themselves for their 2023 fumble with a Finals win of their own against Minnesota that same year. 
So, could this year’s Cup championship slate mean anything for the postseason, or the Finals, specifically? 
Absolutely. These are two experienced, stacked teams with some youth injected and two very solid benches. Minnesota will obviously threaten the order of things once Napheesa Collier is back (and, it’s not like they’re not already tearing up the league without her, as they’re in first place). Still, New York against Las Vegas in this year’s Cup championship is as predictable a potential Finals preview as the sun rising tomorrow.

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Rapid Reactions: 2026 Commissioner's Cup Championship

We’re headed into the Commissioner’s Cup championship game between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. Still, the two teams met up before this contest for a fun preview ahead of their clash at Barclays Center on June 30th. 
These two squads are pretty clear contenders, but the Aces seem to be flying a lot higher than the Liberty at the moment. Despite that, New York managed to beat Las Vegas in their Cup championship preview. 
Another contentious game between the Dallas Wings and Minnesota Lynx, a quadruple overtime game between the Washington Mystics and Portland Fire, a surge from an unlikely source in Chicago, and Cheryl Reeve on the brink of history were all things I liked from this past week in the WNBA.
<hr />
<h2>First Taste of Commissioner’s Cup Championship</h2>
<div id="attachment_264985" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264985" class="wp-image-264985 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T085635.274-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Han Xu #21 of the New York Liberty</div>
Who would’ve thought that the Liberty’s X-factor against the Aces wouldn’t be winning the guard battle, or Breanna Stewart edging out perennial MVP candidate A’ja Wilson, but Han Xu providing 12 points in 13 minutes off the bench en route to a New York win?
Xu went a perfect 6-6 from the field in her limited minutes off the bench for the Liberty, hitting both of her three-point attempts. Her bench contributions were key for New York in the 2nd half, as she helped match the scoring from Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu to get New York over the hump necessary to take Las Vegas down. 
Since this contest, though, New York has lost their only two contests prior to the Cup championship &#8211; one game against the Seattle Storm, when they were shorthanded, and one against the Golden State Valkyries, where they simply couldn’t stop their paint penetration or match their shooting from the field. 
Las Vegas, on the other hand, took down the Wings and Sky as they head to New York for the Cup. They’re still looking like the team to beat this season, with Wilson somehow looking so good this year that it isn’t getting enough hype &#8211; her unbelievably performances are actually just becoming routine for us all to witness.
<hr />
<h2>Wings-Lynx Rivalry Continues to Brew</h2>
Hand clapping, technicals, and “too little” celebrations were sprinkled throughout the Wings’ loss to the Lynx at home over the weekend. Things were a bit heated between Wings star Paige Bueckers and current ROTY frontrunner Olivia Miles, specifically, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to fans with how competitive those two players are. 
It was a physical matchup that nearly became a down-to-the-wire battle thanks to some clutch Azzi Fudd buckets in the second half, but Dallas continues to struggle to get stops at the rim with a lack of a protector in the front court. Minnesota, and specifically Miles and Natasha Howard, took full advantage of this by posting 38 paint points to Dallas’ 28. 
These two young backcourt stars could very well meet in the postseason, so their games against one another have been a fun potential preview of a new playoff rivalry brewing.
<hr />
<h2>Quadruple OT Game Makes WNBA History</h2>
Yes, you’re reading that subheading right &#8211; there were four extra quarters played to determine a winner of a Mystics-Fire game over the weekend. Exhausted watching the players doesn’t even begin to describe what it felt like watching this contest, which ended in a win for Washington. 
The game, which ended 124-123, ties a 2001 game between Washington and Seattle as the longest in WNBA history. The 247 points scored in this game were also the second-most scored in WNBA history. And, to add even more history, the eight players who logged 45 or more minutes on the court were the most players to go for that long in WNBA history. 
This was, aside from the obvious barn-burner feel of it all, also a great showcase of young talent in Portland and Washington. Carla Leite and Sarah Ashlee Barker did their best to lead the Fire to the win in this one, with Leite hitting the three-pointer that carried Portland into the first overtime period that kicked off the mayhem. But, Washington’s young core &#8211; Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron &#8211; in addition to veteran Michaela Onyenwere, carried them to a win. 
<hr />
<h2>Sydney Taylor Turning Heads in Chicago</h2>
<div id="attachment_264986" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264986" class="wp-image-264986 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-30T090117.879-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Sydney Taylor #12 of the Chicago Sky</div>
“She’s from New York, and she plays like she’s from New York, and sometimes you can just tell. We were kind of surprised that she had gone under the radar as much as she has.”
That <a href="https://www.theixsports.com/the-ix-basketball-newsroom/wnba/chicago-sky/sydney-taylor-chicago-sky/">was Tyler Marsh speaking to reporters</a> about Sky guard Sydney Taylor, an undrafted free agent who has gone from an end-of-bench piece to one of Chicago’s biggest spark plugs amid a down season. 
The Long Island native has put together some sensational performances in June, including a 30-point game in a loss against the Indiana Fever, a 29-point game in a win against the Fire on Friday, and a solid 6-13 shooting performance in a loss to the Aces. Chicago had been sorely missing that floor-spacing shooting from its lineup to aid its front-court-heavy roster, and Taylor seems to be the answer to those problems as of now.
<hr />
<h2>Reeve One Win Away from History</h2>
As I wrote about last week, Reeve is <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/cheryl-reeve-nears-wnba-history">on the brink of history</a>. She’s now just one win away from surpassing Mike Thibault as the all-time WNBA regular-season wins holder, and that could come as soon as this coming Friday against the Liberty. It’s a 2024 Finals rematch, so that’s already an exciting factor involved in the game, but it could also get Reeve over that 380-win hump necessary to become the sole regular-season wins record holder. 
With the way these two teams are playing &#8211; Minnesota acting as a bulldozer led by Miles, and New York still seemingly working out the kinks related to a new coach and a re-tooled bench &#8211; it feels likely that the Lynx can secure that record-sealing win with Reeve this weekend. 
This will be the two teams’ first meeting with one another this season &#8211; what a way to kick off their remaining three contests against one another for the year.

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5 Things I Like: Week Seven 2026

Analysis

Before looking ahead to the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup Championship game between the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces on June 30, 2026, it&#8217;s worth revisiting two dates that helped shape this rivalry: Dec. 31, 2021, and Feb. 8, 2023.
On New Year’s Eve 2021, the <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/las-vegas-announces-franchise-legend-becky-hammon-as-teams-head-coach">Aces hired franchise legend Becky Hammon</a> as their head coach. It was a move that propelled Las Vegas to championship glory after falling short in three consecutive postseasons — losing in the semifinals in 2019 and 2021, and the Finals in 2020. Since then, the Aces have won three of the last four WNBA titles.
On Feb. 8, 2023, the <a href="https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/35570833/breanna-stewart-sign-new-york-liberty">Liberty signed Breanna Stewart as a free agen</a>t, transforming New York from a team coming off five consecutive sub-.500 seasons into an instant championship contender. The Liberty reached the Finals in Stewart’s debut season in seafoam, and she helped deliver the franchise’s first championship a year later.
Since 2023, the Aces and Liberty have been the WNBA’s two most dominant forces. They own the league&#8217;s two best regular-season winning percentages over that span and have backed it up in the postseason, combining to win each of the past three WNBA championships.
Their sustained excellence is reflected in the league standings since 2023.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-264665" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-scaled.png" alt="a bar graph displaying WNBA team win percentages since 2023" width="900" height="506" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-scaled.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-1536x864.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/wnba-win-pct-since-2023-2048x1152.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
In 2023, the Aces and Liberty crossed paths in both the Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Championship Game (won by New York) and the WNBA Finals (won by Las Vegas). Now they meet once again with hardware on the line. When they take the floor next Tuesday at Barclays Center, both teams will look to capture their second Commissioner’s Cup title.
<hr />
<h2>A Heavyweight Rivalry</h2>
<div id="attachment_264667" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264667" class="wp-image-264667" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="599" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-1732195518-2048x1364.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces plays defense against Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty during game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals</div>
The history between these two teams is deep, tightly contested, and layered with championship pedigree.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">The Finals Clash: New York and Las Vegas met in the 2023 WNBA Finals, where the Aces secured a 3-1 series victory to become the first WNBA team in over two decades to win back-to-back championships. Since then, both franchises have added to their trophy cases, with the Liberty capturing the WNBA title in 2024 and the Aces reclaiming the throne in 2025.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Cup History: This game marks the third time each franchise has reached the Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Championship Game. Las Vegas took home the title in 2022, while New York won it in 2023 with an 82-63 blowout victory over the Aces. The Liberty returned to the title game in 2024 but fell short against Minnesota.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">All-Time Ledger: Historically, New York owns a razor-thin advantage in this rivalry between two of the WNBA&#8217;s original franchises (the Aces’ history dates back to San Antonio). In regular-season play, the Liberty lead 35-33. Their postseason rivalry is deadlocked at 4-4, while New York holds a 1-0 edge in Commissioner’s Cup Championship Games.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Recent History &amp; Present Form</h2>
<div id="attachment_264669" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264669" class="wp-image-264669" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282520985-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Jewell Loyd #24 of the Las Vegas Aces during the game against the New York Liberty on June 23, 2026</div>
Since 2023, these teams have met 20 times across the regular season, playoffs, and Commissioner’s Cup combined. Here’s a breakdown of that history:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Regular Season: Liberty 8, Aces 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Playoffs: Liberty 4, Aces 4 (each won a series 3-1: Aces in the 2023 Finals, Liberty in the 2024 Semifinals)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Commissioner’s Cup: Liberty 1, Aces 0</li>
</ul>
Overall, the Liberty own a 13-7 edge during that stretch and enter Tuesday having won 10 of the last 12 meetings. This includes their first matchup this season on June 23, just one week ahead of the Commissioner’s Cup final.
In that contest, Stewart led the way with 20 points, while Sabrina Ionescu added a double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds), as the Liberty never trailed after the game’s opening minutes en route to an 87-76 road win.
It was New York’s fifth win in its last 11 road games against Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the Aces have found little comfort at Barclays Center, securing just one win in their last nine meetings in Brooklyn—the championship-clinching Game 4 in 2023.
If the Aces hope to hoist their second Commissioner’s Cup, they will need to win in Brooklyn for only the second time in the last four years. So far this season, Las Vegas has been a sharper road team (8-2) than they have at home (4-3). Can they continue that trend with the Commissioner’s Cup trophy—and the lion&#8217;s share of the $500,000 prize pool—on the line?
New York earned the right to host the Championship Game after finishing Cup play with a perfect 6-0 record against fellow Eastern Conference opponents, while the Aces won the West with a 6-1 mark. 
<hr />
<h2>The MVP Vanguard</h2>
<div id="attachment_264668" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264668" class="wp-image-264668" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-5-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty during the Semi-Finals Round of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs</div>
Beyond the team storylines, this matchup is a showcase of elite individual talent, featuring all three active WNBA players who have claimed league MVP honors since 2018:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">A&#8217;ja Wilson (2020, 2022, 2024, 2025)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Breanna Stewart (2018, 2023)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Jonquel Jones (2021)</li>
</ul>
Wilson enters the game playing some of the most dominant basketball of her career, leading the WNBA in both scoring (25.1 points per game) and blocks (2.1 per game).
The star-studded affair also features three of the league’s premier rebounders. Wilson currently ranks fourth in the WNBA with 9.1 rebounds per game, closely trailed by the Liberty&#8217;s twin-tower frontcourt of Jones (8.8 RPG, 5th) and Stewart (8.8 RPG, 6th).
If the Aces hope to reverse their recent slide against New York and claim their second Commissioner&#8217;s Cup, Wilson will likely need to set a physical tone early. However, with the Liberty entering Tuesday undefeated in Commissioner’s Cup play, boasting a 10-2 record in their last 12 meetings with Las Vegas, and holding home-court advantage at Barclays Center, New York carries a slight edge into this blockbuster championship clash.

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Game Preview: 2026 Commissioner's Cup Championship

Who else but Nneka Ogwumike to finish out another exciting week of action in the WNBA?
After the New York Liberty clinched another Commissioner’s Cup appearance &#8211; their 3rd in four seasons &#8211; they skidded to the end of this week and were the victim of an Ogwumike game-winner on the road. It was an excellent way to end an exciting, nostalgia-filled contest as the league celebrated its inaugural tip-off between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Liberty, with multiple appearances by retired players from both franchises, archival footage throughout the game, and, finally, a buzzer-beater. 
It was the great cap off to a week that featured this clutch moment, the Atlanta Dream remaining a force, the Minnesota Lynx continuing to roll, the Washington Mystics pulling off two upsets, and Marina Mabrey doing Marina Mabrey things. 
<hr />
<h2>Sparks Snag Victory Over Liberty in 30th Anniversary Celebration</h2>
<div id="attachment_264349" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264349" class="wp-image-264349 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132230.519-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The Los Angeles Sparks</div>
Appearances from Rebecca Lobo, Lisa Leslie, DeLisha Milton-Jones, and many other WNBA legends were a wonderful addition to what ended up being a fun one late in Los Angeles. Rae Burrell had 19 points off the bench, while Ogwumike paced all scorers with 24 in a big win for a Western Conference team just trying to stay afloat. 
With the buzzer beater, Ogwumike picked up her 3rd go-ahead shot in the last five seconds of a contest in her Sparks tenure &#8211; both from this season and her previous stop with the team &#8211; which is a franchise record. She surpassed Candace Parker with the bucket, adding even more flare to the make. 
“I’ve been with the Sparks for so long…it’s emotional seeing all these legends in the building, people who didn’t get paid their value who are still coming here supporting us. I’m so grateful,” said Ogwumike, through tears, in her postgame interview following her game-winner. 
It was an emotional contest filled with bittersweet and simply sweet memories for the league and its legends. Ogwumike is already a legend, but she added another page to her story in this contest.
<hr />
<h2>Dream Rolled Against Fever</h2>
As the Fever continue to try to find their footing defensively this season and figure out a proper order of operations for their top-heavy offense, the Dream seem to have found their place as a genuine contender in the Eastern Conference. These two teams clashed twice this week, and Atlanta snagged victories in both games. In their final game of this week, the Dream held the Fever to under 100 points. In that same game, Atlanta also broke their franchise record for most points scored in a game with 113. 
Angel Reese has been the leading force for the Dream so far over this recent stretch of dominant play, posting double-doubles as if it’s as easy as breathing. Her hitting her 1,000th career rebound in the Dream’s second win over Indiana this week just added to the sensational stat lines she’s been piecing together as of late. 
Consistent contributions from a healthy Jordin Canada, in addition to the clutch play of both Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, have placed Atlanta right in the conversation with the Las Vegas Aces, Lynx, and Liberty ahead of this Fall’s postseason.
<hr />
<h2>Reeve Within Reach of Regular-Season Win Record</h2>
The Lynx began this year without Napheesa Collier and have still remained a force in the league despite that. Obviously, excellent play from rookie Olivia Miles, veterans Courtney Williams and Natasha Howard, Kayla McBride, and Nia Coffey has helped propel them to the top of the standings in her absence, but Reeve plays a humongous role in this effort. 
Reeve did not manage to get a win over the Mystics on Minnesota’s Pride Night,<a href="https://www.fox9.com/sports/cheryl-reeve-after-lynx-pride-night-loss-we-shouldve-done-gays.amp"> much to her joking chagrin</a>, but the Lynx did secure a victory over the Golden State Valkyries and Sparks prior to that loss. She’s at 364 regular-season wins over her career and could break former Connecticut Sun and Mystics head coach Mike Thibault’s record (379) very, very soon.
<hr />
<h2>Mystics Post Two Upset Wins Over Liberty, Lynx</h2>
<div id="attachment_264350" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-264350" class="wp-image-264350 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-23T132704.532-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The Washington Mystics</div>
Just when you think the Mystics are about to enter the doldrums again, they rope you back in with two victories over contenders in Minnesota and New York. They did this behind huge games from Sonia Citron, with the wing averaging 18.5 points per game across those two contests, in addition to eight assists and five steals in the team’s win over the Liberty.
Of note, rookie Cotie McMahon also had 15 points off the bench for the Mystics in their win over Minnesota &#8211; she outscored the Lynx’s entire bench. 
We all know the future is very bright in Washington. Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Georgia Amoore, and Shakira Austin all form a core that could very well be contending in the next few years as the rest of the league’s current star power gets older. But they’re struggling to find consistency. These two wins could stand to push them into a nice groove that propels them up the standings ahead of this year’s All-Star break.
<hr />
<h2>Mabrey’s Career-High Adds Notch to Early Tempo Tenure</h2>
Marina Mabrey has been sensational since landing with the Tempo in the expansion draft this past offseason, and her career-high 37-point explosion against her former team, the Sun, was just more proof that Toronto’s selection of her is paying off. 
Mabrey is shooting just over 39 percent from the three-point range this season, which is the third-best clip of her career. She hit nine three-pointers in the Tempo’s weekend win over the Sun, which helped them to complete a comeback against a struggling Connecticut squad. 
The light has always been green for Mabrey, who is now playing for her sixth team in eight seasons. But she’s the leader of a young backcourt in Toronto now, and she’s never seen the hoop look so enticing. Utilizing the gravity of Brittney Sykes (when healthy), Kiki Rice (when healthy), and Maria Conde is only going to make her a scarier scorer.

five-things-i-like-week-6-2026

5 Things I Like: Week Six 2026

Commissioner's Cup 2026

Prior to the tip-off to the Commissioner’s Cup, I wrote that this stretch of games typically revealed which teams we should expect to see make deep runs in the postseason, and which teams could even potentially make it to the WNBA Finals. 
We’ve seen that in recent seasons, with the Minnesota Lynx making a deep run in 2025 following a Commissioner’s Cup championship game appearance, with the New York Liberty and Lynx clashing on Long Island in 2024, just to meet again in the Finals, and with the Liberty and Las Vegas Aces duking it out in 2023, which was just a warm-up to their impending Finals series against one another. 
We’re seeing that same formula be tested this year, with the Liberty and Aces headed to the championship game following a long stretch of Cup games throughout June. Both teams have been red-hot for the month, which could be because of the extra motivation added by the Cup and its incentives, or simply because these are two teams constructed to contend now. 
There was plenty to take away from this chunk of June contests that meant a little more than a regular season stretch, and we’ll be diving into five main points drawn from this stretch of the year. 
Stats were pulled prior to June 18 from the <a href="http://wnba.com">WNBA.com</a> stats page.
<hr />
<h2>We’re Doing This Again</h2>
<div id="attachment_263949" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263949" class="wp-image-263949" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2176243063-4-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty</div>
No, you’re not reading a headline from 2023 — the Liberty and Aces are clashing, again, in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. It feels impossible to have underestimated either teams’ ability to turn things up a notch this month, but to be fair, they had some legitimate competition from the Atlanta Dream and Lynx, respectively. 
Despite injuries, New York is suddenly back atop the Eastern Conference with an undefeated stretch during Cup games (6-0). Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones have been steadying forces for the starting lineup, while Satou Sabally has found her groove off the bench for the team. Convincing victories over the Dream and Indiana Fever have landed New York as the host of this year’s Western Conference Cup representative, the Aces. 
Las Vegas has been on the opposite spectrum to begin the year. A’ja Wilson is once again piecing together another MVP-caliber season, and guards Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray have held down their offense following a slight slump from Young to start the season. Toppling this year’s Lynx squad during Cup play was the kind of win that went to show that they’re still the team to beat in the league. 
Las Vegas and New York have not played against one another this season. This is going to be a battle of the frontcourts and the benches, with the Aces guard room a ton more experienced than the Liberty’s at the moment, barring Sabrina Ionescu, of course. This game could live and die at the three point line if Wilson-Na’Lyssa Smith and Stewart-Jones are contained. 
<hr />
<h2>Dream on Cusp of Finals Run </h2>
While the Liberty, Lynx, and Aces have been unbelievably impressive to begin this season, the Atlanta Dream have felt like a bit of an afterthought. This, despite much improved play from Rhyne Howard, consistently great play from Allisha Gray, and an obviously wonderful fit for Angel Reese in head coach Karl Smesko’s system. 
This, coupled with a defensive stalwart like Nia Coffey in tow and a very solid rookie in Madina Okot, has bolstered the Dream from just a postseason contender to one you have to worry about getting into the Finals, if you’re any of the three teams mentioned at the start of this section. 
Over the month of June, Atlanta has averaged 90.8 points per game (4th), 35.1 percent from three point range (5th), and they carry an 11.9 net rating along with a 104 defensive rating. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a win over the Liberty for some cushioning in the Eastern Conference for the Cup, but they’re clearly beginning to figure things out on the offensive end. 
<hr />
<h2>Valkyries Continue Shining Behind Two-Way Stars</h2>
<div id="attachment_263952" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263952" class="wp-image-263952" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="608" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-300x203.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-1024x691.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-1536x1037.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2282135497-2048x1382.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Gabby Williams #1 of the Golden State Valkyries</div>
Gabby Williams and Veronica Burton have not gotten enough love this season for their two-way dominance for Golden State. Williams is averaging nearly two steals per game, while both she and Burton are hitting threes at an above average clip at the same time. However, with the same fate as Atlanta &#8211; unable to defeat the Lynx or Aces in key Cup matchups &#8211; they lost the opportunity to represent the Western Conference without very wacky results falling in their favor. But, fans in “Balhalla” have to feel good about how well Williams has settled into her role for the Valkyries, as they continue to play methodical basketball with Burton controlling the floor. 
Their lack of consistent rebounding and therefore second chance scoring opportunities continues to shrink the floor just a bit for them on offense, but their defense will continue to keep them in games against powerhouses like the Lynx and Aces in the future. 
<hr />
<h2>Bottom 3 Teams&#8217; Struggles Continue</h2>
In the same way that the Cup is an indicator of good things to come for the teams that dominate during its stretch of June, you can also find some sleepers ready to awaken in the middle of the WNBA season through these contests. The Indiana Fever were injury ravaged last season headed into Cup play, and still won the Eastern Conference and the championship. 
That same magic just hasn’t existed for the Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, or Seattle Storm. The three teams are also at the bottom of the standings overall, but landed out of the Cup quite quickly into the tournament. Chicago, who looked like they could be a solid squad following their re-signing of Azura Stevens, their trade for Rickea Jackson, and their landing Skylar Diggins, have started to look a lot like the team we saw in 2025 &#8211; a tanking one, with little direction. They’ve gone from a team that dominates the glass and points in the paint to one that is struggling to find offense just about anywhere, currently averaging just 82.2 points per game. 
The Sun are in a similar boat. One year out from their move to Houston, and they aren’t looking much improved upon their rough 2025 season. Connecticut has gotten some great sparks out of Diamond Miller, second year player Aneesah Morrow, and veteran center Brittney Griner, but they’re lacking consistency on all fronts. 
As for Seattle, we knew headed into this season that this was going to essentially be a feel out year. The franchise is set for the future &#8211; Awa Fam, Flau’Jae Johnson, and Dominique Malonga is quite the young trio to have in tow and ready to develop under head coach Sonia Raman, and they have some great vets on the team like Natisha Hiedeman, Stef Dolson, and Jade Melbourne leading them, as well. 
But, all three of these franchises are clearly off on the wrong foot to begin 2026, and that carried over seamlessly into Cup play. 
<hr />
<h2>Dallas, Los Angeles Benefit Most from Cup Games</h2>
The Dallas Wings might not have anticipated that Jessica Shepard, and not Alanna Smith, would be their most coveted frontcourt get from free agency this past season. But, Shepard is tallying up double-doubles and showing off her facilitation skills in addition to her scoring capabilities in the paint for Dallas. That’s opening things wide open for Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, and rookie Azzi Fudd. In June, and despite barely missing out on the Western Conference clinch, the team is averaging 38.5 rebounds per game, 23.3 assists per game, and are toting a 96.7 defensive rating. Their offense, especially from three point range, remains their largest struggle. But, their paint scoring and defensive prowess is keeping them in contention against the rest of the west. 
As for the Sparks, they’re beginning to figure things out in June. Kelsey Plum remains their best bailout option on offense, although it’s tough to ask her to give you over 40 points per game for the rest of the season. Los Angeles has to see meaningful, consistent contributions from the rest of their roster in order to remain afloat in the standings. Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby are Plum’s best bets for assistance on that front.

rapid-reactions-commissioners-cup-2026

Rapid Reactions: 2026 Commissioner's Cup Tournament

The news of the New York Liberty’s demise was greatly exaggerated. 
Following an extremely slow start to their 2026 season, New York finds itself right back in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game to represent the Eastern Conference. 
Five straight victories during Cup play and a key win over their closest competition, the Atlanta Dream, helped land them in the final. They now await their Western Conference competition and hope to host whoever comes out of the West at Barclays Center. 
This surge was probably the biggest news of the past week in the WNBA, but we’ll look back on four others as we get closer to the end of Cup play and creep towards the actual championship game being set. 
<hr />
<h2>Liberty on a Run, Back in Commissioner’s Cup Championship</h2>
<div id="attachment_263687" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263687" class="wp-image-263687 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090610.694-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />The New York Liberty</div>
New York began the year injured and lacking chemistry. Sabrina Ionescu was not on the court thanks to an ankle injury suffered in the preseason, while Satou Sabally remained out to begin her new tenure with the team. They were 3-4 headed into the final week of May. A lack of offense and, specifically, rebounding, seemed ready to doom what could be one of their last contending seasons with their current core. 
Then, they flipped a switch. New York now holds the second-best defensive rating through June 15 (101.1). They’re averaging five more points per game in June than they were in May. And, they seem to have found a gem in Pauline Astier, who has been filling in nicely for Ionescu. Wins over Phoenix (twice), Indiana, and Atlanta have boosted New York’s stock greatly. They’re playing team ball again at the exact right time.
<hr />
<h2>Wilson Continues to Peak in MVP Convo</h2>
The sky is blue, water is wet, and A’ja Wilson is yet again a clear candidate for MVP through just over a month and a half of regular-season games played. After yet another MVP season in 2025, followed by an improbable Finals win borne out of a mid-season team meeting, Wilson is back in the driver’s seat for the illustrious award. Averaging 26.2 points per game along with 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.4 blocks, and 1.2 steals, she’s also leading the league in PIE, or player impact estimate, through 13 games. 
A recent win over the equally impressive Olivia Miles and the Minnesota Lynx further solidified her campaign. A double-double in that contest, in which she also tallied three blocks and two steals, helped to quiet some of the noise around Miles and a potential ROTY-MVP two-for-one this season. It’s early days still, but Wilson is the head of a 10-3 snake that’s about to land right back in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship potentially.
<hr />
<h2>Plum, Copper Duel in High-Scoring Affair</h2>
Both Plum and Copper are part of teams that are underperforming right now. The Los Angeles Sparks are still figuring out their chemistry, but you’d expect them to be a bit better than 7-6 on the year and just 8th in the league. Phoenix’s chemistry shouldn’t even be that disrupted, given that their largest departure of the offseason was Sabally walking for the Liberty. And yet, they’re also sitting at a disappointing 4-11 and at the bottom of the standings. 
So, fans were probably not anticipating these two teams’ clash to be all that entertaining on June 14. Plum and Copper scoffed at that with their respective 40+ point performances, the first game of the year in which a player on both teams recorded that many points. Los Angeles won the battle in overtime, as Phoenix made just one basket in overtime. 
These stars are doing their best to carry their franchises past mediocre and into contention, but the road is arduous with so much talent now distributed across the league. The Finals hangover has been very real for the Mercury, who don’t have much pop on offense this season and aren’t getting any younger. As for Los Angeles, they’re on the precipice of being more consistent, and hopefully this performance from Plum reminds her that she can lead this team.
<hr />
<h2>Citron Spoils Mabrey’s Heater</h2>
<div id="attachment_263688" style="width: 2010px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263688" class="wp-image-263688 size-full" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/Thumbnail-2026-06-16T090755.923-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />Sonia Citron #22 of the Washington Mystics</div>
In the 4th quarter of the Washington Mystics’ game against the Toronto Tempo this past Saturday, it seemed like the Mystics would be comfortably snagging victory at home to help them stay afloat in the Eastern Conference. 
Then Marina Mabrey hit a three. And another one. And another one. 
She had four three-pointers in the last two minutes of the game, which helped Toronto get within striking distance of Washington when they looked completely out of the contest just minutes prior. Thanks to those shots, Brittney Sykes was able to get free on their last possession, and hit a running layup to give Toronto the lead with 11 seconds to go in the 4th. 
Washington, one of the youngest teams in the league, had to find their offense again after it had been lost for the entire quarter. 
Citron did just that. 
The second-year wing hit a perfect shot at the baseline at the buzzer, getting the Mystics a victory and helping them survive a Mabrey barrage. It was a huge victory against an Eastern Conference team and a fun, tight contest, as we’re seeing more blowouts than usual during this Commissioner’s Cup period.
<hr />
<h2>Miles Still Leads ROTY race </h2>
As mentioned, it does feel like Miles might be sneakily piecing together an MVP campaign in addition to her very obvious one for ROTY. And why shouldn’t her play be considered “most valuable?” 
She’s become the leader of a Lynx team still missing Napheesa Collier and has seamlessly become the perfect backcourt mate to Courtney Williams. Her passing is elite, as she’s averaging 5.9 assists per game, but she’s also shooting an efficient 52.5 percent from the field in addition to averaging 5.1 rebounds per game. Her defense has been an unsung part of her game this year, too, as she still leads the league in defensive win shares through 13 games. 
A shoo-in for ROTY? Yes. A dark horse for MVP? Absolutely. And despite a loss to the Aces that snapped their win streak, Miles was fantastic in that contest, posting a game-high 29 points, 50 percent from the three-point line, and four rebounds. But Las Vegas’ defense certainly exposed some rookie-ness, with Miles turning the ball over six times &#8211; a season high &#8211; as well as just recording one assist. 
&nbsp;

five-things-i-like-week-5-2026

5 Things I Like: Commissioner’s Cup 2026 (Part 2)

Similar to last week, this week’s power rankings will offer a hybrid look at each team’s performance in both the overall season and the Commissioner’s Cup.
While Cup play wraps up with a six-game slate on Wednesday, June 17, we already know one of the teams that will compete in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game on June 30, after the New York Liberty punched their ticket on Sunday.
Let’s dive into this week’s rankings to see which teams have the best shot at facing the Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game and competing for a share of the $500,000 prize pool.
Note: All stats and records are through games played Sunday, June 14.
<hr />
<h2>1. New York Liberty | Overall: 10-4 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 5-0 (+68) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at CHI, Fri. vs. WAS, Sun. at LAS</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_263572" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263572" class="wp-image-263572" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="720" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-300x240.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-768x614.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-1536x1229.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280992420-2048x1638.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Jonquel Jones #35, Breanna Stewart #30, and Leonie Fiebich #13 of the New York Liberty</div>
The Liberty not only clinched the best Commissioner’s Cup record in the East with Sunday’s win over Washington but also their seventh straight victory, giving New York the longest active win streak in the league. The Liberty advanced to the Championship Game for the third time in the last four years, looking to add a second Cup Championship after winning the competition in 2023.
<hr />
<h2>2. Las Vegas Aces | Overall: 10-3 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 5-0 (+44) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at DAL, Wed. at PHX, Sun. vs. GSV</li>
</ul>
As the West’s only unbeaten in Commissioner’s Cup play, the Aces control their own destiny. They need just one win, either against Dallas on Monday or against Phoenix on Wednesday, to clinch their spot in the Cup Championship Game and set up a 2023 rematch with the Liberty. Las Vegas enters the week with two active streaks — six straight wins and 11 consecutive 20+ point games by A’ja Wilson. The four-time MVP already holds the WNBA record for the longest such streak (15 in 2024) and can tie the second-longest streak (12 by Breanna Stewart and Diana Taurasi) with one more 20-piece on Monday.
<hr />
<h2>3. Minnesota Lynx | Overall: 10-3 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 4-1 (+78) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. POR, Wed. at LAS, Fri. at GSV, Sun. vs. WAS</li>
</ul>
It’s tough to bump the Lynx down by two spots after just a three-point loss to the defending champs snapped an eight-game win streak. However, that loss was critical in the Commissioner’s Cup race and played a significant role in this week’s rankings. Even in defeat, rookie sensation Olivia Miles continues to shine, posting a career-best 29 points against the Aces.
<hr />
<h2>4. Atlanta Dream | Overall: 9-4 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 4-2 (+54) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Thur. at IND, Sat. vs. IND</li>
</ul>
Despite the loss to New York that took them out of contention for the Commissioner’s Cup, the Dream have won three of their last four games entering this week’s two-game set with the Fever. So far this season, the Dream have followed an interesting pattern: winning two games, then losing, then repeating the cycle. They enter Thursday’s game at Indiana coming off a win. Will the pattern hold this week?
<hr />
<h2>5. Dallas Wings | Overall: 8-5 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 3-2 (+21) ⬇️</h2>
<div id="attachment_263573" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263573" class="wp-image-263573" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280846123-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Azzi Fudd #35 and Arike Ogunbowale #24 of the Dallas Wings</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. LVA, Wed. at GSV, Sat. vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
At 3-2 in Cup play, Dallas’ hopes of claiming the West’s berth in the Championship Game are slim. The Wings must not only win their final two games — against Las Vegas and Golden State — but they’ll also need help from other teams to bring down the Aces and Lynx. Outside of Cup play, the Wings are 8-5 on the season and need only three wins to surpass last year’s total of 10 victories. 
<hr />
<h2>6. Golden State Valkyries | Overall: 8-5 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 3-2 (+20) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. vs. LAS, Wed. vs. DAL, Fri. vs. MIN, Sun. at LVA </li>
</ul>
After dropping Cup games on the road to Las Vegas and Minnesota — both by five points or less — the Valkyries bounced back with two straight wins last week to keep their slim Championship Game hopes alive. However, this week presents a challenge with a four-game slate that begins against the Sparks (winners of three straight) and the Wings (to close out Cup play), before hosting the Lynx and the Aces, who have both been red-hot of late.
<hr />
<h2>7. Indiana Fever | Overall: 8-5 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 4-1 (+24) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. vs. TOR, Thur. vs. ATL, Sat. at ATL</li>
</ul>
The Fever have won three straight games (all against teams in the bottom third of the standings) and four of their last five, but have already been eliminated from Cup play by unbeaten New York. In their win on Thursday, Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston became the first teammates to each post 30-point double-doubles in the same game. Another notable storyline is the balanced scoring between Kelsey Mitchell and Clark, who are both averaging 20.3 ppg (top five in the WNBA). Only twice in WNBA history have teammates averaged 20 or more points over the course of a season (Phoenix in 2008 and 2018).
<hr />
<h2>8. Los Angeles Sparks | Overall: 7-6 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 3-2 (+13) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at GSV, Wed. vs. MIN, Sun. vs. NYL</li>
</ul>
After falling to Dallas in Kelsey Plum’s first game back from an ankle injury, the Sparks have won three straight games. That stretch includes the historic duel between Plum (43 points) and Phoenix’s Kahleah Copper (41 points), who both set career-highs as they became the first opponents in WNBA history to each score 40 or more points in the same game. Can L.A. ride that momentum into a tough schedule this week with matchups against the Valkyries (8-5), Lynx (10-3) and Liberty (10-4), who are a combined 28-12 on the season?
<hr />
<h2>9. Toronto Tempo | Overall: 7-7 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 2-3 (-20) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Tue. at IND, Fri. at CON</li>
</ul>
The Tempo opened the week on a high note with Brittney Sykes dropping a career-best 38 points to give Toronto a win over Connecticut in its first overtime contest. However, that was followed by consecutive losses, including a heartbreaker at Washington on Sonia Citron’s buzzer-beater. The Tempo will look to bounce back when they visit the Fever and Sun this week as they open their final road trip before a massive nine-game homestand takes them into the All-Star break.
<hr />
<h2>10. Portland Fire | Overall: 7-8 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 1-4 (-56) ↔️</h2>
<div id="attachment_263574" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-263574" class="wp-image-263574" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280827896-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Bridget Carleton #6 of the Portland Fire</div>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Mon. at MIN, Wed. vs. SEA</li>
</ul>
It took five tries, but the Fire earned their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup win on Saturday as they edged out Dallas to snap a four-game losing streak. Portland opens the week in Minnesota to take on the Lynx in the first of nine road games over its next 11 contests. The Fire are 2-3 on the road so far this season, compared to 5-5 in their league-high 10 home games.  
<hr />
<h2>11. Washington Mystics | Overall: 5-7 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 2-3 (-37) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at CON, Fri. at NYL, Sun. at MIN</li>
</ul>
Sonia Citron’s turnaround fadeaway jumper at the buzzer to beat Toronto on Friday was only her third mid-range bucket of the season, as she typically does her work either in the paint (55.2% of her shots) or beyond the 3-point line (38.8% of her shots). That thrilling win was followed by a loss — Washington’s third in its last four games — to the Liberty as New York clinched its spot in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game.
<hr />
<h2>12. Phoenix Mercury | Overall: 4-11 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 2-4 (-54) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. SEA</li>
</ul>
Kahleah Copper and the Mercury were on the wrong end of a historic duel against Kelsey Plum and the Sparks on Saturday. For Phoenix, it marked a third straight loss and the team&#8217;s ninth defeat in its last 11 games. This week, the Mercury will close out Commissioner’s Cup play against the Aces in a Finals rematch on Wednesday, before hosting the Storm in the second half of ABC’s Saturday doubleheader.
<hr />
<h2>13. Chicago Sky | Overall: 4-9 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 1-4 (-45) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. NYL, Sat. at DAL</li>
</ul>
On Thursday, the Sky trailed by as many as 19 points at Indiana before rallying back and ultimately falling in overtime. Leading the comeback was rookie guard Sydney Taylor, who scored a career-best 30 points in just 21 minutes. The undrafted rookie out of Louisville was impressive in her limited minutes. Could that performance earn her a larger role? After dropping eight of their last nine games, the Sky need a spark to help turn their season around. Could that spark come from Taylor, who has the highest-scoring game by a rookie this season?
<hr />
<h2>14. Seattle Storm | Overall: 3-12 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 0-6 (-66) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. at POR, Sat. at PHX</li>
</ul>
The Storm have dropped eight straight games, the longest active losing streak in the league and just two shy of the longest skid in franchise history (10 straight in 2023). Seattle’s first shot to get a win comes on Wednesday in a Pacific Northwest clash with the Fire in Portland before heading to Phoenix to close out the week.
<hr />
<h2>15. Connecticut Sun | Overall: 2-13 | Commissioner&#8217;s Cup: 0-5 (-44) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">This Week: Wed. vs. WAS, Fri. vs. TOR</li>
</ul>
Entering this week, the Sun have dropped five straight games — including three decided by single digits. Their first chance to end that skid is Wednesday against Washington in the Commissioner’s Cup finale for both teams. After playing a league-high nine road games so far this season, the Sun continue their six-game homestand this week.

2026-wnba-power-rankings-week-5

2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Commissioner’s Cup (Week 2)

As expected, the tip-off to Commissioner’s Cup action has brought potential contenders to the forefront of the league. The Minnesota Lynx, sans Napheesa Collier, continued to thrive this week, while the New York Liberty currently lead the way in the Eastern Conference through one week of the Cup following an up-and-down start to their season. 
The standings have the Lynx with the largest point differential in the Cup through one week (+57), but the Dallas Wings are on their tail with a 2-0 record in Cup play and a 31+ point differential. The Liberty only have a +23 differential, while the Atlanta Dream sit behind them in wins but have a greater point differential (+36). 
These are the five things that really popped off the screen for me through this first week of Cup action. 
<hr />
<h2>Shepard Continues to Shine</h2>
<div id="attachment_262969" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262969" class="wp-image-262969" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2279479823-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />Jessica Shepard #32 of the Dallas Wings</div>
Not many could’ve seen Shepard being one of the best free agent signings from the 2026 season. 
 
The former Minnesota Lynx forward had always shown flashes of being a threat as a facilitator and rebounder, but not to the extent that she’s showing it off with the Dallas Wings in 2026. She’s averaging 11.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists in addition to 13.5 points per game, and through the Wings’ current Cup run and winning streak, she has been leading the Wings in rebounds. 
It helps that Shepard is surrounded by shooting threats Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd, and Arike Ogunbowale. She is free to roam thanks to the gravity that they attract, and it’s made even easier for Shepard when teams are giving attention to Dallas’ other frontcourt threat in Alanna Smith. She finally has the range to lead a team’s frontcourt in general and to shine with a young, up-and-coming group as a passer and defender. 
<hr />
<h2>Rhyne’s Electric Kick-off to the Cup</h2>
Howard took a while to get into a groove to begin the year for the Atlanta Dream, but she exploded for 36 points in the Dream’s first win of the Cup. Her 42 percent shooting from deep in their opening game against the Connecticut Sun helped Atlanta to set the tone for what’s currently their winning point differential in the Eastern Conference. 
Howard’s aggressiveness as a scorer is going to make or break Atlanta’s chances in a tight Eastern Conference overall. Between her and Allisha Gray, the Dream have enough perimeter firepower to force teams to respect the perimeter defensively, leaving players like Angel Reese and Madina Okot open in the post. In their loss to the Indiana Fever, Howard only took nine shots and five three-pointers- that’s simply not enough. 
The win over the Sun and Howard’s hand in it showed exactly what she has to offer as one of the league’s most valuable wings. 
<hr />
<h2>Aces Beginning to Roll</h2>
<div id="attachment_262968" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-262968" class="wp-image-262968" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="658" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-300x220.jpg 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-1024x749.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-768x562.jpg 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-1536x1124.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/06/GettyImages-2280624789-2048x1499.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />A&#8217;ja Wilson #22 and Jackie Young #0 of the Las Vegas Aces</div>
Jackie Young is an underrated cog in the machine that has been the Aces since 2019. When the guard is aggressive &#8211; just as Howard must be &#8211; it’s difficult to defend Las Vegas’ starting lineup. It’s death by a thousand cuts. If you double Young or Gray, they can both make you pay with drives and kick-outs to the perimeter, and A’ja Wilson lurks from all three levels as a threat. 
Young has been a big spark so far in Las Vegas’ Cup run, nearly recording a triple-double in their first Cup game against the Los Angeles Sparks with 16 points and nine assists, and hitting 27 points on 75 percent three-point shooting along with five rebounds and five assists in their second contest against the Golden State Valkyries. 
Her two-way prowess is beginning to rear its head again at the best time for Las Vegas, which is the third-best three-point shooting team in the league over the last five games and the third-best facilitating team in the league over that same stretch. A ton of that has to do with Young’s resurgence. 
<hr />
<h2>Minnesota Firing on All Cylinders Behind Miles</h2>
Olivia Miles’ circus assists and top-line defense have really begun to extend beyond a Rookie of the Year campaign. At this point, it might be fair to ask when Miles should enter the All-WNBA conversation in Year 1 as a first-team member. 
Without Collier, Minnesota has managed to snag a humongous point differential thanks to Miles’ team-leading 6.4 assists per game and 17.2 points per game. The rookie is not playing like one, and that’s a huge compliment. Behind her play, the team has dominated two of its three Cup games so far. 
Defensively, Miles continues to lead the league in defensive win shares. She stays with her assignment with seeming ease on defense, and her active hands become a huge problem when considering the threat she poses in transition alongside Courtney Williams. 
Minnesota is going to be dangerous if they manage to get Collier back by the time they could compete for the Cup championship. 
<hr />
<h2>Sykes Providing Tempo with momentum </h2>
While the Toronto Tempo might not be getting as much shine as the Portland Fire this season, with the Fire having a ton more high-octane wins this year, the Tempo are clearly beginning to find their footing thanks to their experienced coaching and their stars. Sykes has taken the reins recently for Toronto, averaging 17.4 points per game over their last five contests and scoring 25 against the Chicago Sky in a critical Eastern Conference matchup in Cup play. Her defense and rebounding have also been key to Toronto staying afloat. 
While Toronto figures out how to get through their next few contests without rookie guard Kiki Rice, who is down with an ankle sprain, Sykes seems to be the obvious next player up for Toronto as they try to gain consistency. The Cup offers them extra motivation to freely hoop, which is what Sykes and Marina Mabrey are often hellbent on doing.

five-things-i-like-week-4-2026

5 Things I Like: Commissioner's Cup 2026 (Part 1)

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