The 29th WNBA season will tip off on May 16, 2025. This season offers a stellar rookie class ready to make their name in the league, superstars like Caitlin Clark and Aja Wilson prepared to get their teams to the Promised Land, a new team in the Golden State Valkyries, and a New York Liberty team ready to defend their title.
The offseason was busy—rosters got flipped, trades were made, and now every team has a fresh outlook heading into the league’s new 44-game schedule.
PFSN’s Keenan Warner ranks all 13 WNBA teams ahead of opening night.
13) Golden State Valkyries
The Golden State Valkyries are heading into their inaugural season as the WNBA tips off its 29th season on Friday, May 16. The Valkyries held their expansion draft on December 6, 2024, and they gathered some quality role players.
Golden State is not in a position where the team will be overly competitive early on, but they will play hard.
Their top rookie, Juste Jocyte, is still overseas. Veterans like Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, and Monique Billings bring leadership, but Golden State is likely in for a tough first year. Don’t expect them to roll over; they’ll play hard and lay the foundation for the future.
The Valkyries start their franchise’s history at home against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, May 16, at 10:00 p.m. EST.
12) Connecticut Sun
This isn’t the same Connecticut Sun squad that ended the 2024 campaign. The team underwent a complete rebrand, beginning with the appointment of their new head coach, Rachid Meziane. This team has added some youth, and coupled with some of their new draft additions, the Suns have some long-term potential.
Young rookies Aneesah Morrow and Saniyah Rivers have much promise as long-term starters in the WNBA. Jacy Sheldon is entering her second year and should be in line to receive more minutes this season.
Connecticut has a notable roster of veterans, including Marina Mabrey, Diamond DeShields, and Tina Charles. The Sun is still a few pieces away from returning to the top of the WNBA power rankings.
11) Washington Mystics
It’s a new era in D.C. Elena Delle Donne is gone, and the Mystics haven’t had a winning season since 2020. But there’s hope.
Shakira Austin and Brittney Sykes are solid building blocks. Washington also drafted Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen—though fellow rookie Georgia Amoore is out for the season. They might not be a contender yet, but they’re finally heading in the right direction.
This roster has direction and promise, but it is still returning to its championship culture of 2019.
10) Chicago Sky
Chicago missed the playoffs last year, but there’s a reason for optimism. Angel Reese is a star. Kamilla Cardoso has legit starter upside.
The Sky did lose Chennedy Carter but brought in Ariel Atkins, Courtney Vandersloot, and rookie Hailey Van Lith to strengthen the backcourt. If the frontcourt keeps developing, this team has low-seed playoff potential.
Chicago has lower-level playoff potential, much of which depends on the maturation of its young frontcourt running mates, Cardoso and Reese.
9) Dallas Wings
Losing Satou Sabally was a big hit for the Dallas Wings, but landing Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft was a huge win. Bueckers is one of the most hyped prospects ever.
Dallas also added NaLyssa Smith, DiJonai Carrington, and rookies Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly. Arike Ogunbowale is still the engine, but this feels like a transition year. If things click early, they could surprise with a playoff push.
8) Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream loaded up with a busy offseason. They signed 6-time All-WNBA Center Brittney Griner and former Connecticut Sun starter Brionna Jones.
These key additions, along with 2024 WNBA Three Point Contest Champion Alisha Gray and 2022 Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard, make the Dream an instant playoff contender.
Atlanta boasts one of the better starting fives in the WNBA, complemented by a couple of bench pieces that could become key rotational players.
Atlanta’s versatility and veteran leadership give it the potential to challenge some of the teams ahead of it in this power ranking.
7) Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks are a team that could surprise many teams this year in the WNBA.
In one of the biggest trades in WNBA history, Los Angeles got Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time champion Kelsey Plum. For the first time since her days in Washington, Plum will be the offensive focal point.
Rickea Jackson and Dearica Hamby showed promise for the Sparks last year, and top prospect Cameron Brink is expected back during the season.
Along with veterans like Odyssey Sims and Azura Stevens and young talent like Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin, the Sparks have built a competitive team in the WNBA that may surprise many people.
6) Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury’s roster has had as much high-end turnover as any this offseason. One of the WNBA’s pantheons, Diana Taurasi, retired after a 20-year Hall of Fame career with the Mercury. Additionally, Phoenix lost longtime superstar Brittney Griner to the Atlanta Dream.
However, the Mercury did not step backward in talent. They added one of the best players in the entire WNBA, Alyssa Thomas, and a star, Satou Sabally. With those two stars and Kaleah Copper, Phoenix has one of the most dynamic big threes in the WNBA. Depth is a concern, but their top-end talent keeps them in the mix.
5) Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm found themselves in a position that few playoff teams typically encounter: being one of the best and holding a top-two pick in the draft.
After trading star guard Jewell Loyd, the Storm acquired the pick from the Sparks and selected French center Dominique Malonga.
This youthful infusion and a well-balanced veteran roster put the Storm firmly in the championship conversation. Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike lead Seattle, while international stars Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor add skill.
The Storm added good depth with players like Erica Wheeler and Alysha Clark. Seattle looks like a true WNBA title contender.
4) Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces did not achieve their goal of a three-peat last season, but heading into 2025, they are poised and ready to make another championship run.
Aja Wilson, the best player in the WNBA, is coming off one of the greatest individual seasons we have seen. While the Aces traded away Kelsey Plum, they acquired Jewell Loyd in return. Jackie Young is one of the more versatile wings in the NBA, and Chelsea Gray, the Point God, is rounding back into form.
Las Vegas has added depth and youth to its bench, and it knows what it takes to win. They’re still very much in the championship hunt.
3) Indiana Fever
The Caitlin Clark effect has been real for women’s basketball, the WNBA, and the Indiana Fever. She has led the turnaround for the Fever, and the franchise is ready to compete for a championship.
Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell give Indiana one of the most lethal Big 3s in the WNBA. Indiana was active in the offseason, adding versatility and shooting to their roster, adding wings DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, and forward Natasha Howard. This team has star power, depth, shooting, and a new head coach, Stephanie White, leading the way.
Indiana deserves to be one of the favorites to win the WNBA championship in 2025.
2) Minnesota Lynx
The biggest surprise of the 2024 WNBA season was just how good the Minnesota Lynx were. If a couple of calls go differently at the end of game 5, the Lynx could be sitting here as the 2024 WNBA Champions.
Although they are just the runner-up, the Lynx are returning a squad that can reach the summit. Naphessa Collier is the second-best player in the WNBA.
Following Collier, the Lynx boast a well-balanced roster that features players such as Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith.
Minnesota has no real weakness and remains one of the best defensive teams in the league. This makes the Lynx a massive obstacle for any team to overcome en route to a championship.
1) New York Liberty
The champs are still the champs. New York returns Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu—three of the league’s top 10 players.
Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally played significant roles last year, and the Liberty just brought back Marine Johannes while also signing game-changer Natasha Cloud. The Liberty has star power, depth, chemistry, and momentum.
New York has it all and deserves to be the favorite to win the 2025 WNBA Championship.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25619904/Seattle_1_091224.PNG?w=120&resize=120,86&ssl=1 "SB Nation Reacts Outcomes: Seattle Seahawks followers keep extraordinarily assured into Week 2")
