Even with the superstar potential of the 2027 and 2028 WNBA Drafts — with JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker and Sarah Strong, among others, set to enter the league — there weren’t many WNBA franchises that embraced teardowns this offseason to put themselves in better draft position.
Connecticut, Washington and Seattle are in clear youth movements, but Toronto signed several veterans who can help now, as well as a proven coach in Sandy Brondello. Chicago cycled out some draft assets in hopes of returning to the playoffs, and Los Angeles got significantly older to chase the postseason for the first time since 2020.
The problem in a 15-team league is that making the playoffs is harder than it has been in more than a decade, and some teams will naturally fall into the lottery whether they planned to or not. It’s too early for any team to change its preseason goals set, but the promise of the 2027 lottery could at least make that prospect a little more palatable. If Minnesota’s depth wears thin or Golden State can’t find offensive answers or the Sparks’ veteran push goes awry, a light is at the end of the tunnel, whether their front offices or ownership groups see it that way.
It’ll be interesting to see if any teams proactively make a move down the standings. Connecticut should have a healthy lead in the lottery odds after finishing with 11 wins in 2025 and sitting at the bottom of the league yet again. But second place is well within reach. The top of the WNBA is good enough that hosting one postseason game hardly seems like a good enough prize to miss out on the incoming college stars.
As teams fall down the power rankings, it’s worth considering what success looks like this season.
Rank
Team
Previous rank
1
Las Vegas
5
2
Atlanta
3
3
Chicago
10
4
New York
1
5
Phoenix
4
6
Washington
9
7
Indiana
7
8
Minnesota
8
9
Golden State
6
10
Dallas
2
11
Toronto
13
12
Seattle
11
13
Portland
15
14
Los Angeles
12
15
Connecticut
14
Two teams trending up
Chicago Sky
The offseason makeover for Chicago is taking hold, at least early. This is a scrappy team that plays hard and makes quick decisions offensively, and it has yielded the best defense in the league (per Her Hoop Stats) with a 3-1 record to start the season — all of those on the road. The Sky are benefitting from a little opponent shooting luck, as teams are making below 30 percent from 3-point range against them, but mostly, Chicago is creating its own fortune.
Gabriela Jaquez is arguably outperforming her draft position as a lottery pick. She’s averaging 12.5 points per game on better than 50 percent shooting from the field, capped off by 20 points in the Sky’s win over Minnesota when they were without leading scorer Rickea Jackson in the second half. Jaquez is also adding nearly six rebounds per game, as Chicago entered Sunday third in the league in team rebounds.
Jacy Sheldon has been an excellent addition with her defensive pressure and downhill attacks. She had a critical takeaway against the Valkyries to close out a win, and as the Lynx were mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter Sunday, Sheldon had two steals on inbounds plays.
Jackson’s injury puts a damper on the Sky’s momentum, but there is a lot to like outside of the third-year forward’s production.
Portland Fire
Another team that knows how it wants to play, even if the results haven’t been as positive as in Chicago. Like the expansion Valkyries a year ago, the Fire are getting up a high volume of 3-pointers. Nearly 45 percent of their shot attempts come from beyond the arc; unsurprisingly, their one win came when they converted on at least 10 of those. Portland isn’t getting to the rim often or generating many free throws, so the reliance on the 3-ball likely will continue.
The Fire are full-court pressing on 16 percent of possessions, per Synergy, the highest rate in the WNBA. That doesn’t count the extended ball pressure that is their standard operating procedure, a level of freneticism that forced the New York Liberty into 30 turnovers over two games last week; Portland converted those giveaways into 38 points.
The defense behind the press still leaves something to be desired, as the Fire are worst in the league in opposing effective field-goal percentage (59.1 percent). Their lack of frontcourt size seems more problematic than it has been, though. Kamilla Cardoso had her way against the Portland frontline, but Jonquel Jones — who is only one inch shorter — wasn’t nearly as effective. If the pressure prevents the ball from getting inside, Portland can survive what appear to be big mismatches.
One team trending down
Dallas Wings
It’s never ideal when a coach calls out players’ selfishness three games into the season, or when a team repeatedly gets beaten on the pick-and-roll coverage to blow a fourth-quarter lead. But that’s where Dallas stands after two losses in the past week.
The Wings were the darlings of opening weekend after stealing a road win in Indiana, but nothing has been as easy since. The schedule is partly to blame as they suffered two close losses to Atlanta and Minnesota; however, it doesn’t get much easier.
Beyond Paige Bueckers, Dallas is searching for consistent two-way production. Jessica Shepard provides a playmaking hub on offense but was lost as the last line of defense. Alanna Smith can be the defensive anchor but isn’t really being guarded on offense. Maddy Siegrist, who has been with the Wings longer than either of those players, said, “I don’t really know” when asked about her role following the loss to Minnesota. Dallas put the majority of its free agency resources into frontcourt players and hasn’t yet clarified what all of those players can do.
Yet, there might even be more questions in the backcourt. The Wings aren’t running Bueckers as a point guard, but they didn’t draft Olivia Miles to play next to her, either. Azzi Fudd is the better spacer next to Bueckers while Arike Ogunbowale soaks up more usage depending on which archetype Dallas prefers. Even when Fudd has played well, it’s unclear if Dallas is comfortable limiting Ogunbowale’s role too much given the length of her tenure with the franchise.
It’s early to have existential concerns about the Wings, but coach Jose Fernandez invited this criticism by calling out players. There will always be a spotlight on a team with Bueckers. Chris Koclanes couldn’t survive it as the Wings coach a year ago.
Rookie of the week
Jovana Nogić, Phoenix Mercury
(Reminder: This isn’t the best rookie of the week, rather a player who caught my eye.)
Here are the players who have recorded at least 25 points, 10 free throws and five 3-pointers in a game for the Phoenix Mercury: Diana Taurasi and Jovana Nogić. Only 14 players have ever done so in WNBA history, and the 28-year-old rookie from Serbia is now on the list.
The nominal point guard for the Mercury (though Alyssa Thomas mostly assumes the playmaking role) has been an important offensive presence for Phoenix. She is a willing and confident shooter who has drained 13 triples in her first four games, and she is creating a lot of those looks herself.
Even if she isn’t running the offense, Nogić has a capable handle and can manipulate screens. That got Nogić a few uncontested jumpers against Chicago and also generated easy shots for Natasha Mack as the screener. Nogić is also unbothered by high-pressure situations. After the Sky took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter, Nogić put her head down, got to the basket and put Phoenix back in front.
The Mercury really only need a caretaker point guard because of Thomas, but Monique Akoa Makani was still a little limited in her creative capabilities last season. Nogić gives Phoenix more offensive juice and has good size to defend her position (and post up smaller guards, as Sheldon learned). The Mercury are still figuring out how they want to play with all their additions, and Nogić has earned her way into all of those conversations.
Game to circle
Dallas Wings at Washington Mystics
9 p.m. (ET) Monday, Peacock / NBCSN
The Wings seek to get back in the win column against Washington, which is playing with house money. The Mystics are always in it. They’ve won a game this season scoring 68 points and another when they conceded 102. Dallas’ perimeter defense will be tested against the high-volume efficiency of Sonia Citron, and it’ll have its work cut out on the glass against Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo, WNBA
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