1 month ago
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ESPN
Jun 13, 2025, 08:30 AM ET
We're a period into the WNBA season, meaning it's clip for immoderate evaluations.
Plenty of hoops remains, with ample clip for trends -- bully and atrocious -- to reverse course. But we person capable information done 4 weeks to measure which teams are passing with flying colors, person overachieved, person underachieved and are downright floundering.
With All-Star voting starting, Commissioner's Cup play good underway and astir a 4th of the play successful the books, ESPN grades each 13 teams and tackles immoderate of the biggest questions facing the league.
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ATL | CHI | CON | DAL | GS | IND |
LV | LA | MIN | NY | PHO | SEA | WAS | Questions
1:41
Breanna Stewart: Liberty 'hungry for more' amid 9-0 start
Breanna Stewart joins Scott Van Pelt connected "SportsCenter" to sermon the Liberty's 9-0 grounds and their mindset moving forward.
New York Liberty (9-0): A
It's pugnacious to instrumentality contented with the Liberty. Beyond their unblemished record, they've simply dominated, outscoring opponents by 171 points, the astir by immoderate squad done 9 games successful WNBA history. They're tops successful violative and antiaircraft ratings and athletics a 23.4 nett standing -- sizably amended than the second-best squad (Minnesota, 10.9). Any concerns implicit however they'd regenerate Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Kayla Thornton person mostly been assuaged: Natasha Cloud has been 1 of the astir impactful escaped bureau additions, Kennedy Burke has taken a measurement forward, and the Liberty's stars stay stellar. New York isn't adjacent astatine afloat spot -- Nyara Sabally has been limited, Jonquel Jones has missed clip due to the fact that of an injury, and Leonie Fiebich volition beryllium gone for EuroBasket -- which could springiness this squad adjacent much opportunities to make its depth. -- Alexa Philippou
Minnesota Lynx (9-1): A
The Lynx mislaid their archetypal crippled of the play Wednesday, 94-84 astatine Seattle. Coach Cheryl Reeve said it was a needed acquisition astir the trouble of winning connected the roadworthy against a squad arsenic bully arsenic Seattle: "You've got to play a hellhole of a batch better." All told, though, it has been a beardown commencement for Minnesota, which came truthful adjacent to winning the league title past twelvemonth but fell to New York. Expectations remained precocious successful the run-up to this season, with each the starters returning, and the Lynx are showing they tin marque a rubric tally again. Forward Napheesa Collier was ESPN's unanimous selection arsenic the aboriginal favourite for MVP, averaging 25.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals. Having guardant Jessica Shepard (7.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG) backmost aft she missed the 2024 play due to the fact that of the WNBA's prioritization rules has strengthened the bench. -- Michael Voepel
Phoenix Mercury (7-4): A-
Many were unsure astir Phoenix heading into the season, with specified a top-heavy roster and truthful galore WNBA newcomers. Then the Mercury announced opening play that Kahleah Copper (knee) would beryllium retired 4 to six weeks. In spite of this, the Mercury beryllium 4th successful the league standings -- adjacent much awesome considering they were besides without Alyssa Thomas (calf) for 5 games. Rookies Lexi Held, Monique Akoa Makani, Kitija Laksa and Kathryn Westbeld person been fantastic relation players surrounding Thomas and Satou Sabally, often stepping up to assistance Phoenix toward its champion 11-game commencement since 2018. Their roster overhaul has provided the Mercury much of a gritty, antiaircraft individuality than successful caller years, and they boast the fourth-best antiaircraft standing successful the league. All of this bodes good for the Valley arsenic it looks to incorporated Copper backmost into the fold successful the coming weeks. -- Philippou
0:21
Lexi Held gets the bucket close earlier halftime
Lexi Held gets the bucket close earlier halftime
Atlanta Dream (6-3): B+
The Dream's caller era, with Karl Smesko connected the sidelines and Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones successful the frontcourt, got disconnected to a unsmooth commencement with a location nonaccomplishment to Washington. Atlanta was besides connected the incorrect extremity of 1 of Connecticut's 2 wins. Despite those losses, the Dream look similar the league's third-best squad successful the aboriginal going, putting themselves firmly successful the contention for location tribunal vantage successful the archetypal circular of the playoffs. Eastern Conference Player of the Month Allisha Gray (our front-runner for Most Improved Player) has thrived successful Smesko's system, shooting career-high percentages connected 2s (57%) and 3s (42%) and attempting a career-high 6.1 escaped throws per game. And portion Griner and Jones are inactive honing their chemistry, Naz Hillmon has proven a beardown complement for either post-up threat, shooting 40% from beyond the arc. -- Kevin Pelton
Seattle Storm (6-4): B+
The Storm showcased their imaginable Wednesday, ending Minnesota's undefeated commencement successful a 94-84 win. Veteran defender Erica Wheeler, who was signed to a grooming campy declaration arsenic a escaped agent, has proven a godsend, supplying indispensable 3-point shooting (46%) and playmaking to complement holdover stars Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike. The Storm person besides gotten a beardown run from Gabby Williams, who's averaging a career-high 14.9 points. Seattle could inactive spot Ezi Magbegor bounce backmost from a dilatory start, and it has constricted extent with 3 players sidelined by season-ending ACL tears. But the Storm are successful the premix for a top-four seed. Looking ahead, they person to beryllium excited astir the improvement of No. 2 prime Dominique Malonga, who's earning much accordant clip disconnected the seat astatine property 19 and averaging 20 points per 40 minutes. -- Pelton
Golden State Valkyries (4-5): B
Expectations were debased for Golden State successful its inaugural play -- and with bully reason. Historically, enlargement teams conflict successful their debut campaigns. And with a roster built astir planetary and seasoned relation players, but nary prima power, it was tricky to foretell however the Valkyries would fare. Instead, they person wildly exceeded expectations. Their biggest connection was their 27-point triumph implicit Las Vegas, which saw them unopen down A'ja Wilson and enactment unneurotic their astir implicit violative show truthful far. In their adjacent game, they bushed Los Angeles successful overtime. Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton person emerged arsenic the team's champion players, portion undrafted rookie Janelle Salaun's accumulation has been a invited surprise. Golden State has shown combat successful astir of its games adjacent though it has struggled to instrumentality with it successful the 2nd fractional oregon adjacent retired successful adjacent situations. But their wins against the Aces and Sparks beryllium they person what it takes. -- Kendra Andrews
Washington Mystics (4-6): B
With 2 rookies starting and a 3rd (Georgia Amoore) who mightiness person started earlier a season-ending ACL injury, we expected the Mystics to be successful the battle for the WNBA's worst record. Instead, Washington has been feisty, outscoring opponents with first-round picks Kiki Iriafen (our early pick for Rookie of the Year) and Sonia Citron averaging a combined 28 points. Iriafen is simply a nightly double-double threat, and Citron has been the team's astir businesslike scorer. Veteran Brittney Sykes has besides showcased newfound playmaking for herself and others, blowing distant her erstwhile vocation highs with averages of 20.6 points and 4.7 assists. Mystics manager Sydney Johnson doesn't person the precocious illustration of different WNBA newcomers, but his strategy is putting players successful positions to succeed. -- Pelton
Indiana Fever (4-5): C+
The Fever were fourth successful our preseason predictions, truthful the buzz was warranted. But they haven't measured up to those expectations yet -- for bully reason. They've been without constituent defender and catalyst Caitlin Clark (quad injury) the past 5 games, with defender Sophie Cunningham besides constricted to conscionable 4 appearances. The Fever besides cognize a batch of maturation is needed to go a contender. Forward Aliyah Boston and defender Lexie Hull person shown improvement. Guard Kelsey Mitchell, successful her eighth season, remains a pillar. Stephanie White -- backmost for her 2nd stint arsenic Indiana's manager -- wants her radical to play amended against carnal opponents and find its bushed connected offense. Clark's instrumentality volition assistance the squad instrumentality vantage of modulation opportunities. And erstwhile the Fever are playing astatine a accelerated gait offensively, it helps their defense. -- Voepel
0:23
Can the Fever vie erstwhile Caitlin Clark returns?
Chiney Ogwumike explains however Indiana has stayed competitory during Caitlin Clark's four-game lack and what her instrumentality could mean for the team.
Los Angeles Sparks (3-7): C-
The commencement of the Kelsey Plum epoch successful Los Angeles looked promising, the code acceptable with a vocation nighttime successful the play opener. However, Plum and the Sparks person since been mediocre, astatine best. They managed to prime up a large triumph implicit the Aces but wide haven't taken arsenic galore steps guardant arsenic they'd hoped, pursuing a historically atrocious 2024 campaign. Plum is inactive producing 21 points per nighttime and sophomore Rickea Jackson had 30 against Las Vegas, but the squad we projected to beryllium connected the bubble of the playoffs has dropped each but 2 games against opponents with winning records. -- Andrews
Las Vegas Aces (4-4): D+
What successful the satellite is happening successful Las Vegas? The Aces were third successful our preseason predictions but person stumbled and look retired of sorts. For the archetypal clip nether manager Becky Hammon, they person mislaid 2 games by astatine slightest 20 points, against the Storm and Valkyries. A'ja Wilson -- who near Wednesday night's nonaccomplishment to the Sparks due to the fact that of a caput wounded -- is averaging 20.9 points and Chelsea Gray is adding 14.8, but Vegas is struggling to get bully accumulation from much than 2 players connected immoderate fixed night. Jewell Loyd, who replaced Kelsey Plum, has been a nonfactor, averaging conscionable 9 points successful 28 minutes -- astir 8 points less than her vocation average. Hammon didn't mince words aft the Golden State nonaccomplishment erstwhile she said different teams are "punking" the Aces, and that they are "soft mentally." She called retired the Aces' effort connected some ends of the floor, and past did truthful again aft the nonaccomplishment to Los Angeles. Gray said her squad is successful "unchartered territory," and based connected however acold the Aces are from their preseason expectations, she is 100% correct. -- Andrews
Connecticut Sun (2-7): D
The Sun person a lawsuit for a worse people here: Their -22.6 nett standing is simply a league-worst and they've been outscored by 157 points, the worst constituent differential done 9 games of immoderate play successful WNBA history. They've already suffered 5 20-point losses, their astir successful a campaign, aft having 5 specified defeats from 2020 to 2024. Yet, aft an offseason defined by wide change, we had Connecticut 11th successful our preseason powerfulness rankings, truthful possibly they aren't excessively acold from expectations and don't person to articulation Chicago and Dallas below. Things haven't been each doom and gloom successful Connecticut, either: The Sun's wins came against the Dream and a Clark-less Fever, 2 prime victories. The squad besides continues to physique astir young stars, specified arsenic Saniya Rivers, and Leila Lacan volition hopefully supply a spark erstwhile she joins the squad from Europe. -- Philippou
Chicago Sky (2-6): F
Under caller manager Tyler Marsh, Chicago hasn't had overmuch to beryllium excited about. It wasn't projected to beryllium a playoff team, but adjacent so, things person been bleak. The Sky's 2 wins person travel against last-place Dallas. Their 2 losses to would-be rival Indiana were by a combined 62 points. They are next-to-last successful scoring, violative rating, antiaircraft standing and nett rating. They pb the league successful turnovers astatine 17.8 per game. Making matters adjacent worse, seasoned constituent defender Courtney Vandersloot was mislaid for the play to a genu wounded suffered June 7. Now, overmuch of the on-court enactment indispensable travel from defender Ariel Atkins, successful her archetypal play with this group. Chicago volition request maturation rapidly from rookie defender Hailey Van Lith. Like past season, guardant Angel Reese (12.1) leads the league successful rebounding. But her scoring mean (10.1) and tract extremity percent (35.8%) person dropped from her rookie season. -- Voepel
Dallas Wings (1-10): F
The Wings made a batch of offseason moves: hiring a caller GM and coach, bringing backmost conscionable 3 players from past season's 9-31 team, adding No. 1 draught prime Paige Bueckers. It hasn't panned retired truthful far. Dallas, picked eighth successful our ESPN preseason rankings, is averaging 81.5 points but allowing 88.5. Bueckers returned to the lineup with 35 points Wednesday successful a nonaccomplishment to Phoenix aft missing 4 games successful concussion protocol and due to the fact that of an illness. Guard Arike Ogunbowale is shooting 33.7% and averaging 15.7 points, some vocation lows. Centers Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsoder volition beryllium gone the remainder of June arsenic they play successful EuroBasket. Dallas was the league's worst squad past play and is connected the roadworthy to repeating that successful 2025. But we volition spot whether the Wings tin find immoderate beingness with Bueckers back. -- Voepel
The remainder of the league is looking up astatine the Lynx and Liberty. Which squad has the astir imaginable to forestall a Minnesota-New York WNBA Finals rematch?
Pelton: I really picked the Aces to look the Liberty successful the Finals, a determination I instantly regretted. Las Vegas hasn't bounced backmost with Jewell Loyd replacing Kelsey Plum, and had been outscored with its starting lineup connected the tribunal earlier Wednesday's nonaccomplishment to Los Angeles. I'm present going with the Fever, who haven't yet played thing adjacent to their champion hoops due to the fact that of Clark's wounded but showed thing by taking the Liberty to the last changeable earlier she went out.
Andrews: The Mercury presently person the third-best grade, and I don't spot a wide way for them to bushed either the Lynx oregon the Liberty successful a series. While Phoenix has been astonishing successful its occurrence and cohesion, some New York and Minnesota are well-oiled machines astatine this point. Their acquisition playing unneurotic and successful the Finals keeps them arsenic wide favorites close now. As Pelton alluded to, heading into the season, the Aces presented arsenic apical challengers -- and besides carried the acquisition of winning back-to-back titles. But they are struggling, too, truthful it's hard to judge there's a existent challenger close now.
Philippou: I person yet to spot a squad that I deliberation could bushed Minnesota oregon New York successful a five-game semifinal series. We didn't rather get the 13-0 and 11-0 starts Minnesota and Los Angeles some had successful 2016 en way to their eventual clash successful the title series, but the archetypal period of the play (the Liberty and Lynx some started 9-0 earlier Minnesota mislaid for the archetypal clip connected Wednesday) is the closest we've had to that. I'm anticipating a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch this October.
Voepel: The reply present is we'll get a repetition Finals. But the question is astir potential, truthful let's beryllium optimistic for a fewer different teams. As Pelton said, Indiana's two-point nonaccomplishment to the Liberty is the closest anyone has travel to beating the defending champions. And determination were moments successful that crippled erstwhile the Fever truly had the Liberty connected their heels -- until a 4½-minute scoring drought successful the 4th quarter. Meanwhile, Atlanta has defeated the Fever doubly and travel adjacent a 3rd time. Phoenix hasn't had Kahleah Copper, its starring scorer past season, connected the tribunal yet. Seattle conscionable bushed the Lynx. That's lone 1 game, but it's something. And don't flip the Aces connected the scrap heap conscionable yet. Their disappointing commencement could inactive substance a comeback.
Five teams person winning records. Is this a motion of parity successful the WNBA oregon a reflection of injuries, caller coaches and rebuilds -- oregon thing else?
Philippou: I don't deliberation it's a coincidence the bottommost six teams successful the standings each person first-year WNBA caput coaches (the lone rookie manager not determination is Atlanta's Karl Smesko). We mightiness inactive beryllium excessively aboriginal successful the play to gully immoderate broad-strokes conclusions connected these coaching staffs oregon teams, and immoderate volition apt find a groove arsenic the play progresses. On the different hand, teams specified arsenic the Aces (4-4) and Fever (4-5) -- for antithetic reasons -- person underperformed. With New York and Minnesota truthful intelligibly up of the remainder of the pack, it doesn't look similar this WNBA play volition beryllium defined by its parity.
Pelton: A large origin successful the crowded WNBA mediate tier is that the Liberty and Lynx are hogging truthful galore wins, leaving little to spell astir for the remainder of the league.
Who is the astir impactful subordinate successful the league close now?
Pelton: I'd accidental Jewell Loyd's show mightiness person the astir impact. She's backmost to signifier from the 3-point line, shooting 37%, but hasn't been capable to marque shots wrong the arc. Loyd is 7-of-34 (21%) connected 2s, that accuracy excessively mediocre to perchance continue. After averaging a tract extremity per crippled wrong the restricted country astir the handbasket past season, Loyd has conscionable 2 full makes determination done 8 games successful 2025, according to GeniusIQ tracking. For the Aces to contend, Loyd has to beryllium a menace successful the paint.
Philippou: Caitlin Clark. With her connected the floor, the Fever weren't invincible, but you could spot wherefore they were viewed arsenic aboriginal title contenders, particularly aft they handed New York its narrowest triumph to date. Without Clark, Indiana is conscionable 2-3, with Tuesday's nonaccomplishment successful Atlanta marking a setback aft 2 consecutive wins. If Clark returns soon, stays steadfast and the squad jells, fewer opponents volition privation to spot Indiana successful the playoffs. We saw the Fever instrumentality disconnected aft the Olympic interruption past season, and I fishy determination volition beryllium a akin turning constituent erstwhile Clark and Sophie Cunningham (ankle) return.
Voepel: Napheesa Collier is the MVP favourite and the biggest origin successful keeping the Lynx successful the aforesaid stratosphere arsenic the Liberty. Minnesota won the 1 crippled Collier missed due to the fact that of wounded this year, but that was against injury-riddled Phoenix. Cheryl Reeve is an adept coach, and her squad is cohesive capable that the Lynx tin inactive play good without Collier. But she makes the Lynx title contenders.
What storyline has the astir imaginable to alteration betwixt present and the commencement of the playoffs?
Pelton: The commercialized deadline has the imaginable to bring immoderate of the pleasant aboriginal surprises of the play backmost to earth. A brace of factors could compel the Mystics and Valkyries to commercialized their veterans, astir notably Brittney Sykes and Kayla Thornton, to contenders. First, reaching the playoffs arsenic the No. 7 oregon 8 effect is simply a poisoned chalice erstwhile a matchup with the loaded Liberty oregon Lynx awaits. Second, some would payment from being successful the lottery. Assuming the 2 incoming enlargement franchises prime aft the nonplayoff teams, arsenic Golden State did this year, making the playoffs is the quality betwixt a guaranteed top-five prime and sliding each the mode to eighth successful the 2026 draft.
Philippou: I'm anxious to spot however the Rookie of the Year contention unfolds. Will the victor travel from Washington's first-year powerfulness tandem of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron? Will Paige Bueckers, lone precocious returned from a four-game lack (concussion/illness), physique disconnected Wednesday's 35-point outburst and go the latest No. 1 prime to gain the crown? Coming up with an all-rookie squad volition beryllium a amusive exercise, too, with truthful galore experienced pros shining successful their archetypal WNBA season, specified arsenic Golden State's Janelle Salaun and Carla Leite, positive the Mercury's aforementioned lot.
Andrews: Health volition proceed to beryllium a immense origin successful dictating teams' success. Clark's lack successful Indiana, Bueckers' missed games successful Dallas, Ty Harris' season-ending country for the Wings, Copper successful Phoenix. On the flip broadside is Cameron Brink's expected instrumentality successful Los Angeles. I'm funny to spot however losses and returns interaction the remainder of the regular season. Teams request a spot of luck and wellness to marque a heavy run, and that volition abstracted teams successful the mediate of the pack.
Voepel: The Fever's discourtesy tin spell from zero to 100 mph faster than immoderate squad erstwhile Clark is moving successful transition. She's conscionable that masterful astatine pushing the pace, either by scoring herself oregon uncovering an unfastened teammate. When she returns, the Fever tin regain momentum they've mislaid with her out. Admittedly, they were 2-2 with her, but we saw glimpses of a dynamic discourtesy and amended defence than past season. So, portion the Fever person a losing grounds close now, they could beryllium the squad they had hoped to beryllium by September.
