Las Vegas Aces v New York Liberty

Marine Johannes #23 and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton #44

Han Xu #21, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton #44, and Jonquel Jones #35

Photo Gallery

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		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
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Press Release

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-265581 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-scaled.png" alt="" width="162" height="187" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-scaled.png 2217w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-260x300.png 260w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-887x1024.png 887w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-768x887.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-1330x1536.png 1330w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-1774x2048.png 1774w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 162px) 100vw, 162px" />
&#8211;2x GRAMMY®-Award Winning, Multi-Platinum Global Superstar, Tyla, Will Take Center Court on Saturday, July 25 at AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game—
NEW YORK, NY- July 16, 2026 – Today, the WNBA announced that two-time GRAMMY® Award winning global pop star Tyla will headline the halftime show at the 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game. The performance will arrive just one day after the release of her highly anticipated sophomore album, <a href="https://tyla.lnk.to/APOP">A*POP</a>, out July 24th via FAX Records/Epic Records — featuring chart-topping singles &#8220;IS IT LOVE,&#8221; &#8220;CHANEL,&#8221; and &#8220;SHE DID IT AGAIN&#8221; with Zara Larsson.  The game will be played at United Center in Chicago, on Saturday, July 25th, airing live on ABC and Disney+ (8:30 p.m. ET).
“I’m honored to be a part of the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game this year,” said Tyla. “These athletes bring so much power and heart to what they do, and I’m excited to share the stage and bring A*POP to my supporters.”
Tyla first captivated audiences worldwide with her breakout hit &#8220;Water,&#8221; earning her the inaugural GRAMMY® Award for Best African Music Performance in 2024. Her self-titled debut album, TYLA, further cemented her global ascent, and in 2026 she won her second GRAMMY® for Best African Music Performance for her single &#8220;Push 2 Start.&#8221; Tyla is the first artist to spend a cumulative 100 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart- as well as the artist with the most No.1s on that same chart. Now with her forthcoming sophomore album, <a href="https://tyla.lnk.to/APOP">A*POP</a>, Tyla continues to drive her musical impact across global boundaries through her unmistakable sound, magnetic performances, and bold creative vision rooted in her South African heritage.
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Tyla Set to Headline Halftime Show at 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game

NEW YORK, July 16, 2026 – The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) game between the New York Liberty and the Dallas Wings, originally scheduled for tonight at 8:00 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET), has been postponed due to travel delays caused by mechanical issues with the New York Liberty&#8217;s charter flight.
The game has been rescheduled for Monday, July 20, at 7:00 p.m. CT (8:00 p.m. ET). The Dallas Wings will honor all tickets purchased for the original game date.

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Game Between the New York Liberty and the Dallas Wings Postponed

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-265581 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-scaled.png" alt="" width="162" height="187" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-scaled.png 2217w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-260x300.png 260w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-887x1024.png 887w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-768x887.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-1330x1536.png 1330w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/WNBA_AS26_CHI_Logo_RGB_Primary-1774x2048.png 1774w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 162px) 100vw, 162px" />
– AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game to be Played on Saturday, July 25 
in Chicago (ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET) –
– Teams to Compete for $100,000 Prize Pool Benefitting Two Chicago-based Organizations 
Dedicated to Keeping Girls Involved in Sports –
&nbsp;
NEW YORK, July 15, 2026 – The team rosters for the 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, as selected by WNBA legends and special All-Star general managers Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, were revealed today on ESPN during the 2026 WNBA All-Star Draft show.
The 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will be played in Chicago at United Center on Saturday, July 25, and broadcast on ABC (8:30 p.m. ET).
Cooper and Weatherspoon drafted their respective rosters from the overall pool of All-Stars, including 10 starters and 12 reserves, making picks without regard to a player’s conference affiliation or position. The starters were previously selected through a combination of voting by fans, media, and current players; the reserves were selected by the league’s 15 head coaches.
Prior to the show, a coin flip was conducted to determine which general manager would be assigned the leading vote-getter from fan-balloting during WNBA All-Star Voting 2026 presented by Ally. As a result of winning the coin flip, Cooper’s “Team Coop” was assigned Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, who led all players with 1,045,051 votes from fans. Weatherspoon’s “Team Spoon” was then assigned the second-leading vote-getter, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who received 1,023,321 votes.
Weatherspoon selected first from Starters; Cooper selected first from Reserves.
The selections began with Weatherspoon drafting four-time Kia WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. Cooper then selected two-time MVP Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty.
See below for the complete pick-by-pick results.
<table width="741">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="96"></td>
<td colspan="2" width="645">                                                                      2026 WNBA All-Star Draft</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">Pick</td>
<td width="324">Team Spoon</td>
<td width="321">Team Coop</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">1</td>
<td width="324">Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)</td>
<td width="321">Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">2</td>
<td width="324">A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)</td>
<td width="321">Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">3</td>
<td width="324">Olivia Miles (Minnesota Lynx)</td>
<td width="321">Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">4</td>
<td width="324">Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever)</td>
<td width="321">Natasha Howard (Minnesota Lynx)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">5</td>
<td width="324">Jessica Shepard (Dallas Wings)</td>
<td width="321">Gabby Williams (Golden State Valkyries)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">6</td>
<td width="324">Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream)</td>
<td width="321">Angel Reese (Atlanta Dream)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">7</td>
<td width="324">Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream)</td>
<td width="321">Marina Mabrey (Toronto Tempo)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">8</td>
<td width="324">Jonquel Jones (New York Liberty)</td>
<td width="321">Dominique Malonga (Seattle Storm)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">9</td>
<td width="324">Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx)</td>
<td width="321">Kelsey Plum (Los Angeles Sparks)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">10</td>
<td width="324">Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics)</td>
<td width="321">Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="96">11</td>
<td width="324">Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks)</td>
<td width="321">Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Cooper and Weatherspoon are serving as special general managers for the 2026 AT&amp;T All-Star Game as part of the league&#8217;s 30th season celebration. In another nod to the league’s origins, “Team Coop” will wear WNBA red uniforms and “Team Spoon” will wear WNBA blue uniforms reminiscent of the league’s original colors from 1997.
The head coaches for the 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game will be Becky Hammon of the Las Vegas Aces and Cheryl Reeve of the Minnesota Lynx. Hammon and Reeve earned their All-Star coaching roles by virtue of having the teams with the two best records, regardless of conference, through games played on Friday, July 10.
While Las Vegas and Minnesota had identical 16-6 records through that date, Hammon earned the top spot by virtue of Las Vegas having defeated Minnesota in their one head-to-head matchup. Accordingly, Hammon was assigned to coach the team with the leading fan-vote-getter, Bueckers (Team Coop). Reeve was assigned to the team with the second-leading fan-vote-getter, Clark (Team Spoon).
Also in recognition of the WNBA’s milestone 30th season, the league is introducing a new initiative to the AT&amp;T All-Star Game through which the All-Star teams will compete for a $100,000 prize pool that will benefit two Chicago-based organizations dedicated to keeping girls involved in sports. A sum of $70,000 will be awarded to the organization affiliated with the winning team, and $30,000 will be awarded to the organization affiliated with the runner-up team.
<ul>
<li>“Team Coop” will play for <a href="https://angelsathleticsinc.com/">Angels Athletics</a>, an organization that encourages young girls to participate in sports, supporting them in the development of skills and confidence to break down barriers and achieve goals throughout their lives.</li>
<li>“Team Spoon” will support <a href="https://www.girlsinthegame.org/">Girls in the Game</a>, an organization that partners with schools, parks, and community centers in Chicago to offer sports, health, and leadership programs.</li>
</ul>
The 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday July 25 will be the centerpiece of three days packed with WNBA activities, including the Kia WNBA Shooting Stars and State Farm WNBA 3-Point Contest on Friday, July 24 (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) at Wintrust Arena, and WNBA Live presented by AWS being held Thursday evening through Saturday at McCormick Place. Tickets for WNBA Live presented by AWS are available <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/wnba-live-tickets/artist/3746409">here</a>.

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Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon Select Rosters for 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game

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. 
<hr />
<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.

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Five Things I Like: Week Eight 2026

Since our last Power Rankings on June 29, the 2026 WNBA season has officially passed its midpoint. Through Sunday, 174 games have been played, with 156 more to go.
The first half of the season has already delivered historic moments, a promising rookie class, two expansion teams that have each racked up double-digit wins, and the first-ever two-time WNBA Commissioner’s Cup champions.
Before the stretch run toward the playoffs begins, the league’s top players will converge on Chicago next week to showcase their skills at the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game.
Let’s take a look at how the teams stack up against one another coming out of the season’s midpoint and ahead of the All-Star break.
Note: All stats and records are through games played Sunday, July 12.
<hr />
<h2>1. Minnesota Lynx (17-6) ↔️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-266067" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115150.644-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 1</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Mon. vs. PHX, Wed. vs. LAS, Sat. vs. POR, 7/20 at SEA, 7/22 at SEA</li>
</ul>
Not only did Cheryl Reeve become the WNBA’s all-time leader in coaching wins, but she’s also guided the Lynx to the best record in the league through the season’s midpoint. And she’s done it with her best player — last year’s MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier — sidelined after offseason ankle surgeries. However, reports say Collier is “really close” to returning, which should only make the Lynx more formidable. 
<hr />
<h2>2. Las Vegas Aces (17-7) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 2</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: 7/20 at TOR, 7/22 at WAS</li>
</ul>
The Aces are coming off a wild 24-hour period. After matching the third-largest margin of victory in league history (48 points) on Saturday against Phoenix, the Aces followed it with their largest loss of the season (34 points) against Indiana. That 82-point swing from one game to the next is the largest in league history and is emblematic of Las Vegas’ season. Of the 15 games across the league this season that have been decided by more than 25 points, the Aces have been involved in six of them — the most of any team — with three wins and three losses.
<hr />
<h2>3. Golden State Valkyries (17-7) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 3</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Wed. at IND, Sat. vs. WAS, 7/20 vs. WAS</li>
</ul>
Riding a league-high (and franchise-record) seven-game win streak, it is tempting to put the Valkyries at the top of the power rankings as they currently hold the title of “hottest team in the league.” However, the Valkyries have yet to solve either the Aces (0-3) or Lynx (0-2), which are the only teams to beat Golden State since May 22. This season, the Valkyries are 0-5 against Las Vegas and Minnesota, and 17-2 against everyone else. The good news for Golden State: only two of its remaining 20 games come against either of those teams (both against Minnesota in August).
<hr />
<h2>4. Dallas Wings (16-8) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 6</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Thu. vs. NYL, Sun. vs. LAS, 7/22 at POR</li>
</ul>
Another contender for the “hottest team in the league” title, the Wings have won five straight games. One more win (against New York on Thursday) would give the Wings their longest winning streak of the Dallas era, which began a decade ago. If the Wings can sweep their final three games heading into All-Star, they would tie the franchise record for consecutive wins in a season (eight), which they accomplished in 2015 in Tulsa and 2003 in Detroit.
<hr />
<h2>5. Indiana Fever (14-9) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-266069" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115551.629-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 7</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Wed. vs. GSV, Fri. vs. SEA, Sat. vs. NYL, 7/22 vs. CON</li>
</ul>
After a 3-1 road trip, the Fever will close out their pre-All-Star schedule with a four-game homestand, beginning Wednesday against red-hot Golden State. Who else has been red hot? Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell — one of three Fever players who will start in next weekend’s All-Star Game. Over the past five games — a stretch where Indy went 4-1 with two wins against Vegas — Mitchell has averaged 27.6 points on 49.4% FG, 47.4% 3P, 94.4% FT shooting splits.
<hr />
<h2>6. Atlanta Dream (13-10) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 5</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Mon. vs. LAS, Fri. at TOR, Sun. vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
Following their promising 12-4 start to the season, the Dream have now dropped six of their last seven games, falling to 13-10. Can they use their final three games before the All-Star break to build some momentum before sending their trio of All-Stars — Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Angel Reese — to Chicago for next weekend’s festivities?
<hr />
<h2>7. New York Liberty (13-11) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 4</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Thu. at DAL, Sat. at IND, 7/22 vs. CHI</li>
</ul>
Since defeating the Aces on June 30 to become the first team ever to win the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup more than once, the Liberty have gone just 1-3. When it comes to collecting basketball trophies, New York holds the most recent NBA Cup, the Larry O’Brien Trophy as NBA champs, and the most recent WNBA Commissioner’s Cup. The first step in keeping that streak going is to get the regular season back on track.
<hr />
<h2>8. Washington Mystics (11-10) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Tue. at TOR, Thu. vs. POR, Sat. at GSV, 7/20 at GSV, 7/22 vs. LVA</li>
</ul>
The Mystics have tiptoed both sides of .500 all season long, including hitting the mark eight times already: 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, and 10-10. While their record is nearly always on balance, the Mystics are imbalanced on both ends of the court. Washington ranks third in defensive efficiency (allowing just 102.8 points per 100 possessions), but is tied for last in offensive efficiency (scoring just 98.8 points per 100 possessions). After tying the second-highest scoring game of the season on June 28 (124 points vs. Portland), the Mystics had the lowest-scoring game of the season just eight days later (49 points vs. Golden State). Can the Mystics find consistency on offense down the stretch?
<hr />
<h2>9. Los Angeles Sparks (10-11) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Mon. at ATL, Wed. at MIN, Fri. at CHI, Sun. at DAL, 7/22 vs. PHX</li>
</ul>
Following a three-game slide after Kelsey Plum was ruled out for at least a month with a lower leg injury, the Sparks won consecutive games over Indiana and Chicago to close out last week. Nneka Ogwumike led the team in scoring in both games, with 24 and 25 points, respectively. Keep an eye on Ogwumike’s point totals moving forward. The Sparks are 7-1 when she scores at least 20 points this season. They are just 2-10 when she’s held under 20.
<hr />
<h2>10. Toronto Tempo (10-13) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 9</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Tue. vs. WAS, Fri. vs. ATL, 7/20 vs. LVA</li>
</ul>
Sunday&#8217;s win over New York snapped both a four-game skid and a dismal 2-8 run in their previous 10 games for the Tempo. Marina Mabrey became the franchise’s first All-Star when she was named one of the 12 reserves by the league’s coaches. It makes sense since Mabrey’s scoring has given opposing coaches nightmares in recent weeks. Over her last 10 games, Mabrey has averaged 26.1 points per game on 48.6% shooting overall and 47.2% from 3-point range on 8.9 attempts per game. 
<hr />
<h2>11. Portland Fire (10-13) ⬆️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Tue. at CON, Thu. at WAS, Sat. at MIN, 7/22 vs. DAL</li>
</ul>
After dropping a heartbreaker in their four-overtime marathon matchup against the Mystics on June 28, the Fire bounced back by winning two of their three games this past week, earning victories at Seattle and Atlanta to double their road win total on the season (now 4-7). Portland faces three more road games this week before closing out its pre-All-Star schedule with a home game against Dallas. That includes a rematch with the Mystics in Washington on Thursday. Can these two teams deliver another instant classic?
<hr />
<h2>12. Phoenix Mercury (8-16) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 11</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Mon at MIN, Fri. vs. CON, Sun. vs. CON, 7/22 at LAS</li>
</ul>
The promise of Phoenix’s stretch of four wins in five games was dashed by a three-game skid last week, culminating in a blowout loss against the Aces (106-58) on the road. The Mercury will look to get back on track over their final four games before the All-Star break. That run begins Monday with a Semifinals rematch against the Lynx in Minnesota. The Lynx won the first two matchups this season; can the Mercury avoid a series sweep?
<hr />
<h2>13. Connecticut Sun (5-18) ⬆️</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-266068" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2026/07/Thumbnail-2026-07-13T115430.260-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 15</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Tue. vs. POR, Fri. at PHX, Sun. at PHX, 7/22 at IND</li>
</ul>
While the Sun went just 1-3 since our last rankings, their split in a home-and-home set with league-leading Minnesota stood out. The Sun eked out a 90-89 road win on Monday behind a season-high 29 points from Brittney Griner to prevent Cheryl Reeve from breaking former Sun coach Mike Thibault’s all-time coaching wins record. However, two days later, Reeve topped Thibault’s mark despite a strong effort from the shorthanded Sun, who were without Griner and Aneesah Morrow, and lost Saniya Rivers after just nine minutes.
<hr />
<h2>14. Seattle Storm (6-19) ↔️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 14</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Wed. at CHI, Fri. at IND, 7/20 vs. MIN, 7/22 vs. MIN</li>
</ul>
Before sending sophomore center Dominique Malonga to Chicago for her first WNBA All-Star Game next week — she was voted in as a reserve by the league’s coaches — the Storm will look to end a run of four losses in their last five games this week. Seattle visits Chicago and Indiana before returning home to host two games against the Lynx before the break. 
<hr />
<h2>15. Chicago Sky (7-16) ⬇️</h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Last Week: 12</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Schedule Until All-Star Break: Wed. vs. SEA, Fri. vs. LAS, Sun. at ATL, 7/22 at NYL</li>
</ul>
In the offseason, the Sky overhauled their roster, making acquisitions including Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, Azurá Stevens, Rickea Jackson, and Jacy Sheldon. Diggins (missed the last three games with a knee injury) joins Carrington (who has yet to play this season due to a foot injury) and Jackson (lost to a torn ACL after only four games) on the sidelines. As the missed games have added up, so have the losses, with Chicago dropping four of its last five games.

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2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Week 8

Betting + Odds

The 2026 WNBA season is a little over halfway done, but there are already clear leaders in every major award race. In fact, all six award markets have a minus-odds favorite at the BetMGM <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports">online sportsbook</a>.
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson is actually a minus-odds favorite in two different markets, as she looks to continue adding to her trophy case. Wilson is a -325 favorite to win a fifth MVP trophy, giving her an implied probability of 76.47%. She’s also -145 (59.18%) to claim a fourth Defensive Player of the Year award.
Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has been Wilson’s primary challenger in the MVP race, trading at +700 to win the award in her second season. Atlanta Dream’s Rhyne Howard and Golden State Valkyries’ Gabby Williams are +650 and +900, respectively, in the latest DPOY odds.
Wilson is in a strong position for both races at this point in the season. She’s averaging 25.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, two blocks, and 1.6 steals per game.
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Despite Wilson’s dominance, she’s not the biggest favorite in the awards market. That title belongs to Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles, who is -5000 in the updated <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-rookie-of-the-year-odds-prediction-bm23/">WNBA Rookie of the Year odds</a> race. That gives her an implied probability of 98.04%.
At BetMGM, bettors have been all over Miles in this market. She’s received 83.4% of the handle and 42.3% of the bets. She’s certainly delivered in her debut season, averaging 18.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per contest.
Minnesota is leading another race, too, with Cheryl Reeve trading as a -155 favorite in the Coach of the Year market. Reeve’s Lynx have the league’s best record despite being without Napheesa Collier and having replaced multiple rotation players from last year’s team.
Former Lynx forward Jessica Shepard has made the most of her new role with the Wings. She’s -210 to win Most Improved Player, translating to an implied probability of 67.74%. Shepard has filled up the stat sheet in Dallas, averaging 14.6 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per outing. Shepard has notched three triple-doubles this season.
&nbsp;
Lastly, Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaün has established herself as the early favorite in the Sixth Player of the Year race. Salaün’s -275 price tag suggests an implied probability of 73.33%.
Salaün has been a reliable reserve in her second season, averaging 12.9 points and four rebounds per game.
BetMGM continues to update odds for all major award races throughout the year. It will be interesting to see if any races take a turn during the back half of the regular season.
&nbsp;
Visit the BetMGM sportsbook throughout the season for updated WNBA futures, including <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/sports/basketball-7/betting/usa-9/wnba-402">WNBA Finals odds</a>. You can also view updated <a href="https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/latest-sports-betting-promotions-offers-betmgm-2/">sportsbook promos</a>, including a First Bet Offer for eligible new customers.

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WNBA Award Races Feature Clear Leaders Based on Betting Odds

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