We're a month into the WNBA season, meaning it's time for some evaluations.
Plenty of basketball remains, with ample time for trends -- good and bad -- to reverse course. But we have enough data through four weeks to assess which teams are passing with flying colors, have overachieved, have underachieved and are downright floundering.
With All-Star voting starting, Commissioner's Cup play well underway and nearly a fourth of the season in the books, ESPN grades all 13 teams and tackles some 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
Breanna Stewart joins Scott Van Pelt on "SportsCenter" to discuss the Liberty's 9-0 record and their mindset moving forward.
New York Liberty (9-0): A
It's tough to take issue with the Liberty. Beyond their unblemished record, they've simply dominated, outscoring opponents by 171 points, the most by any team through nine games in WNBA history. They're tops in offensive and defensive ratings and sport a 23.4 net rating -- sizably better than the second-best team (Minnesota, 10.9). Any concerns over how they'd replace Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Kayla Thornton have largely been assuaged: Natasha Cloud has been one of the most impactful free agency additions, Kennedy Burke has taken a step forward, and the Liberty's stars remain stellar. New York isn't even at full strength -- Nyara Sabally has been limited, Jonquel Jones has missed time because of an injury, and Leonie Fiebich will be gone for EuroBasket -- which could give this squad even more opportunities to develop its depth. -- Alexa Philippou
Minnesota Lynx (9-1): A
The Lynx lost their first game of the season Wednesday, 94-84 at Seattle. Coach Cheryl Reeve said it was a needed lesson about the difficulty of winning on the road against a team as good as Seattle: "You've got to play a hell of a lot better." All told, though, it has been a strong start for Minnesota, which came so close to winning the league championship last year but fell to New York. Expectations remained high in the run-up to this season, with all the starters returning, and the Lynx are showing they can make a title run again. Forward Napheesa Collier was ESPN's unanimous selection as the early favorite for MVP, averaging 25.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals. Having forward Jessica Shepard (7.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG) back after she missed the 2024 season because of the WNBA's prioritization rules has strengthened the bench. -- Michael Voepel
Phoenix Mercury (7-4): A-
Many were unsure about Phoenix heading into the season, with such a top-heavy roster and so many WNBA newcomers. Then the Mercury announced opening weekend that Kahleah Copper (knee) would be out four to six weeks. In spite of this, the Mercury sit fourth in the league standings -- even more impressive considering they were also without Alyssa Thomas (calf) for five games. Rookies Lexi Held, Monique Akoa Makani, Kitija Laksa and Kathryn Westbeld have been fantastic role players surrounding Thomas and Satou Sabally, frequently stepping up to help Phoenix toward its best 11-game start since 2018. Their roster overhaul has provided the Mercury more of a gritty, defensive identity than in recent years, and they boast the fourth-best defensive rating in the league. All of this bodes well for the Valley as it looks to incorporate Copper back into the fold in the coming weeks. -- Philippou
Atlanta Dream (6-3): B+
The Dream's new era, with Karl Smesko on the sidelines and Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones in the frontcourt, got off to a rough start with a home loss to Washington. Atlanta was also on the wrong end of one of Connecticut's two wins. Despite those losses, the Dream look like the league's third-best team in the early going, putting themselves firmly in the competition for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Eastern Conference Player of the Month Allisha Gray (our front-runner for Most Improved Player) has thrived in Smesko's system, shooting career-high percentages on 2s (57%) and 3s (42%) and attempting a career-high 6.1 free throws per game. And while Griner and Jones are still honing their chemistry, Naz Hillmon has proven a strong complement for either post-up threat, shooting 40% from beyond the arc. -- Kevin Pelton
Seattle Storm (6-4): B+
The Storm showcased their potential Wednesday, ending Minnesota's undefeated start in a 94-84 win. Veteran guard Erica Wheeler, who was signed to a training camp contract as a free agent, has proven a godsend, supplying necessary 3-point shooting (46%) and playmaking to complement holdover stars Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike. The Storm have also gotten a strong campaign from Gabby Williams, who's averaging a career-high 14.9 points. Seattle could still see Ezi Magbegor bounce back from a slow start, and it has limited depth with three players sidelined by season-ending ACL tears. But the Storm are in the mix for a top-four seed. Looking ahead, they have to be excited about the development of No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga, who's earning more consistent time off the bench at age 19 and averaging 20 points per 40 minutes. -- Pelton
Golden State Valkyries (4-5): B
Expectations were low for Golden State in its inaugural season -- and with good reason. Historically, expansion teams struggle in their debut campaigns. And with a roster built around international and veteran role players, but no star power, it was tricky to predict how the Valkyries would fare. Instead, they have wildly exceeded expectations. Their biggest statement was their 27-point win over Las Vegas, which saw them shut down A'ja Wilson and put together their most complete offensive performance so far. In their next game, they beat Los Angeles in overtime. Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton have emerged as the team's best players, while undrafted rookie Janelle Salaun's production has been a welcome surprise. Golden State has shown fight in most of its games even though it has struggled to stick with it in the second half or close out in close situations. But their wins against the Aces and Sparks prove they have what it takes. -- Kendra Andrews
Washington Mystics (4-6): B
With two rookies starting and a third (Georgia Amoore) who might have started before a season-ending ACL injury, we expected the Mystics to be in 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 a nightly double-double threat, and Citron has been the team's most efficient scorer. Veteran Brittney Sykes has also showcased newfound playmaking for herself and others, blowing away her previous career highs with averages of 20.6 points and 4.7 assists. Mystics coach Sydney Johnson doesn't have the high profile of other WNBA newcomers, but his system is putting players in positions to succeed. -- Pelton
Indiana Fever (4-5): C+
The Fever were fourth in our preseason predictions, so the buzz was warranted. But they haven't measured up to those expectations yet -- for good reason. They've been without point guard and catalyst Caitlin Clark (quad injury) the past five games, with guard Sophie Cunningham also limited to just four appearances. The Fever also know a lot of growth is needed to become a contender. Forward Aliyah Boston and guard Lexie Hull have shown improvement. Guard Kelsey Mitchell, in her eighth season, remains a pillar. Stephanie White -- back for her second stint as Indiana's coach -- wants her group to play better against physical opponents and find its rhythm on offense. Clark's return will help the team take advantage of transition opportunities. And when the Fever are playing at a fast pace offensively, it helps their defense. -- Voepel
Los Angeles Sparks (3-7): C-
The start of the Kelsey Plum era in Los Angeles looked promising, the tone set with a career night in the season opener. However, Plum and the Sparks have since been mediocre, at best. They managed to pick up a big win over the Aces but overall haven't taken as many steps forward as they'd hoped, following a historically bad 2024 campaign. Plum is still producing 21 points per night and sophomore Rickea Jackson had 30 against Las Vegas, but the team we projected to be on the bubble of the playoffs has dropped all but two games against opponents with winning records. -- Andrews
Las Vegas Aces (4-4): D+
What in the world is happening in Las Vegas? The Aces were third in our preseason predictions but have stumbled and look out of sorts. For the first time under coach Becky Hammon, they have lost two games by at least 20 points, against the Storm and Valkyries. A'ja Wilson -- who left Wednesday night's loss to the Sparks because of a head injury -- is averaging 20.9 points and Chelsea Gray is adding 14.8, but Vegas is struggling to get good production from more than two players on any given night. Jewell Loyd, who replaced Kelsey Plum, has been a nonfactor, averaging just nine points in 28 minutes -- nearly eight points fewer than her career average. Hammon didn't mince words after the Golden State loss when she said other teams are "punking" the Aces, and that they are "soft mentally." She called out the Aces' effort on both ends of the floor, and then did so again after the loss to Los Angeles. Gray said her team is in "unchartered territory," and based on how far the Aces are from their preseason expectations, she is 100% correct. -- Andrews
Connecticut Sun (2-7): D
The Sun have a case for a worse grade here: Their -22.6 net rating is a league-worst and they've been outscored by 157 points, the worst point differential through nine games of any season in WNBA history. They've already suffered five 20-point losses, their most in a campaign, after having five such defeats from 2020 to 2024. Yet, after an offseason defined by widespread change, we had Connecticut 11th in our preseason power rankings, so maybe they aren't too far from expectations and don't have to join Chicago and Dallas below. Things haven't been all doom and gloom in Connecticut, either: The Sun's wins came against the Dream and a Clark-less Fever, two quality victories. The team also continues to build around young stars, such as Saniya Rivers, and Leila Lacan will hopefully provide a spark once she joins the team from Europe. -- Philippou
Chicago Sky (2-6): F
Under new coach Tyler Marsh, Chicago hasn't had much to be excited about. It wasn't projected to be a playoff team, but even so, things have been bleak. The Sky's two wins have come against last-place Dallas. Their two losses to would-be rival Indiana were by a combined 62 points. They are next-to-last in scoring, offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating. They lead the league in turnovers at 17.8 per game. Making matters even worse, veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot was lost for the season to a knee injury suffered June 7. Now, much of the on-court leadership must come from guard Ariel Atkins, in her first season with this group. Chicago will need growth quickly from rookie guard Hailey Van Lith. Like last season, forward Angel Reese (12.1) leads the league in rebounding. But her scoring average (10.1) and field goal percentage (35.8%) have dropped from her rookie season. -- Voepel
Dallas Wings (1-10): F
The Wings made a lot of offseason moves: hiring a new GM and coach, bringing back just three players from last season's 9-31 team, adding No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers. It hasn't panned out so far. Dallas, picked eighth in our ESPN preseason rankings, is averaging 81.5 points but allowing 88.5. Bueckers returned to the lineup with 35 points Wednesday in a loss to Phoenix after missing four games in concussion protocol and because of an illness. Guard Arike Ogunbowale is shooting 33.7% and averaging 15.7 points, both career lows. Centers Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsoder will be gone the rest of June as they play in EuroBasket. Dallas was the league's worst team last season and is on the road to repeating that in 2025. But we will see whether the Wings can find some life with Bueckers back. -- Voepel
The rest of the league is looking up at the Lynx and Liberty. Which team has the most potential to prevent a Minnesota-New York WNBA Finals rematch?
Pelton: I actually picked the Aces to face the Liberty in the Finals, a decision I immediately regretted. Las Vegas hasn't bounced back with Jewell Loyd replacing Kelsey Plum, and had been outscored with its starting lineup on the court before Wednesday's loss to Los Angeles. I'm now going with the Fever, who haven't yet played anything close to their best basketball because of Clark's injury but showed something by taking the Liberty to the final shot before she went out.
Andrews: The Mercury currently have the third-best grade, and I don't see a clear path for them to beat either the Lynx or the Liberty in a series. While Phoenix has been surprising in its success and cohesion, both New York and Minnesota are well-oiled machines at this point. Their experience playing together and in the Finals keeps them as clear favorites right now. As Pelton alluded to, heading into the season, the Aces presented as top challengers -- and also carried the experience of winning back-to-back titles. But they are struggling, too, so it's hard to believe there's a true challenger right now.
Philippou: I have yet to see a team that I think could beat Minnesota or New York in a five-game semifinal series. We didn't quite get the 13-0 and 11-0 starts Minnesota and Los Angeles both had in 2016 en route to their eventual clash in the championship series, but the first month of the season (the Liberty and Lynx both started 9-0 before Minnesota lost for the first time on Wednesday) is the closest we've had to that. I'm anticipating a 2024 WNBA Finals rematch this October.
Voepel: The answer now is we'll get a repeat Finals. But the question is about potential, so let's be optimistic for a few other teams. As Pelton said, Indiana's two-point loss to the Liberty is the closest anyone has come to beating the defending champions. And there were moments in that game when the Fever really had the Liberty on their heels -- until a 4½-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Atlanta has defeated the Fever twice and come close a third time. Phoenix hasn't had Kahleah Copper, its leading scorer last season, on the court yet. Seattle just beat the Lynx. That's only one game, but it's something. And don't toss the Aces on the scrap heap just yet. Their disappointing start could still fuel a comeback.
Five teams have winning records. Is this a sign of parity in the WNBA or a reflection of injuries, new coaches and rebuilds -- or something else?
Philippou: I don't think it's a coincidence the bottom six teams in the standings all have first-year WNBA head coaches (the only rookie coach not there is Atlanta's Karl Smesko). We might still be too early in the season to draw any broad-strokes conclusions on these coaching staffs or teams, and some will likely find a groove as the season progresses. On the other hand, teams such as the Aces (4-4) and Fever (4-5) -- for different reasons -- have underperformed. With New York and Minnesota so clearly ahead of the rest of the pack, it doesn't seem like this WNBA season will be defined by its parity.
Pelton: A big factor in the crowded WNBA middle tier is that the Liberty and Lynx are hogging so many wins, leaving less to go around for the rest of the league.
Who is the most impactful player in the league right now?
Pelton: I'd say Jewell Loyd's performance might have the most impact. She's back to form from the 3-point line, shooting 37%, but hasn't been able to make shots inside the arc. Loyd is 7-of-34 (21%) on 2s, that accuracy too poor to possibly continue. After averaging a field goal per game inside the restricted area around the basket last season, Loyd has just two total makes there through eight games in 2025, according to GeniusIQ tracking. For the Aces to contend, Loyd has to be a threat in the paint.
Philippou: Caitlin Clark. With her on the floor, the Fever weren't invincible, but you could see why they were viewed as early championship contenders, especially after they handed New York its narrowest victory to date. Without Clark, Indiana is just 2-3, with Tuesday's loss in Atlanta marking a setback after two consecutive wins. If Clark returns soon, stays healthy and the team jells, few opponents will want to see Indiana in the playoffs. We saw the Fever take off after the Olympic break last season, and I suspect there will be a similar turning point once Clark and Sophie Cunningham (ankle) return.
Voepel: Napheesa Collier is the MVP favorite and the biggest factor in keeping the Lynx in the same stratosphere as the Liberty. Minnesota won the one game Collier missed because of injury this year, but that was against injury-riddled Phoenix. Cheryl Reeve is an expert coach, and her team is cohesive enough that the Lynx can still play well without Collier. But she makes the Lynx championship contenders.
What storyline has the most potential to change between now and the start of the playoffs?
Pelton: The trade deadline has the potential to bring some of the pleasant early surprises of the season back to earth. A pair of factors could compel the Mystics and Valkyries to trade their veterans, most notably Brittney Sykes and Kayla Thornton, to contenders. First, reaching the playoffs as the No. 7 or 8 seed is a poisoned chalice when a matchup with the loaded Liberty or Lynx awaits. Second, both would benefit from being in the lottery. Assuming the two incoming expansion franchises pick after the nonplayoff teams, as Golden State did this year, making the playoffs is the difference between a guaranteed top-five pick and sliding all the way to eighth in the 2026 draft.
Philippou: I'm eager to see how the Rookie of the Year race unfolds. Will the winner come from Washington's first-year power tandem of Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron? Will Paige Bueckers, only recently returned from a four-game absence (concussion/illness), build off Wednesday's 35-point outburst and become the latest No. 1 pick to earn the crown? Coming up with an all-rookie team will be a fun exercise, too, with so many experienced pros shining in their first WNBA season, such as Golden State's Janelle Salaun and Carla Leite, plus the Mercury's aforementioned lot.
Andrews: Health will continue to be a huge factor in dictating teams' success. Clark's absence in Indiana, Bueckers' missed games in Dallas, Ty Harris' season-ending surgery for the Wings, Copper in Phoenix. On the flip side is Cameron Brink's expected return in Los Angeles. I'm curious to see how losses and returns impact the rest of the regular season. Teams need a bit of luck and health to make a deep run, and that will separate teams in the middle of the pack.
Voepel: The Fever's offense can go from zero to 100 mph faster than any team when Clark is running in transition. She's just that masterful at pushing the pace, either by scoring herself or finding an open teammate. When she returns, the Fever can regain momentum they've lost with her out. Admittedly, they were 2-2 with her, but we saw glimpses of a dynamic offense and better defense than last season. So, while the Fever have a losing record right now, they could be the team they had hoped to be by September.