The twenty ninth WNBA season will tip off on Might 16, 2025. This season presents a stellar rookie class able to make their identify within the league, superstars like Caitlin Clark and Aja Wilson ready to get their groups to the Promised Land, a brand new crew within the Golden State Valkyries, and a New York Liberty crew able to defend their title.
The offseason was busy—rosters obtained flipped, trades have been made, and now each crew has a recent outlook heading into the league’s new 44-game schedule.
PFSN’s Keenan Warner ranks all 13 WNBA groups forward of opening night time.
13) Golden State Valkyries
The Golden State Valkyries are heading into their inaugural season because the WNBA ideas off its twenty ninth season on Friday, Might 16. The Valkyries held their enlargement draft on December 6, 2024, and so they gathered some high quality function gamers.
Golden State is just not able the place the crew can be overly aggressive early on, however they are going to play exhausting.
Their high rookie, Juste Jocyte, continues to be abroad. Veterans like Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes, and Monique Billings deliver management, however Golden State is probably going in for a troublesome first yr. Don’t count on them to roll over; they’ll play exhausting and lay the muse for the longer term.
The Valkyries begin their franchise’s historical past at dwelling towards the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday, Might 16, at 10:00 p.m. EST.
12) Connecticut Solar
This isn’t the identical Connecticut Solar squad that ended the 2024 marketing campaign. The crew underwent an entire rebrand, starting with the appointment of their new head coach, Rachid Meziane. This crew has added some youth, and paired with a few of their new draft additions, the Suns have some long-term potential.
Younger rookies Aneesah Morrow and Saniyah Rivers have a lot promise as long-term starters within the WNBA. Jacy Sheldon is coming into her second yr and ought to be in line to obtain extra minutes this season.
Connecticut has a notable roster of veterans, together with Marina Mabrey, Diamond DeShields, and Tina Charles. The Solar continues to be just a few items away from returning to the highest of the WNBA energy rankings.
11) Washington Mystics
It’s a brand new period in D.C. Elena Delle Donne is gone, and the Mystics haven’t had a successful season since 2020. However there’s hope.
Shakira Austin and Brittney Sykes are stable constructing blocks. Washington additionally drafted Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen—although fellow rookie Georgia Amoore is out for the season. They won’t be a contender but, however they’re lastly on course.
This roster has course and promise, however it’s nonetheless returning to its championship tradition of 2019.
10) Chicago Sky
Chicago missed the playoffs final yr, however there’s a cause for optimism. Angel Reese is a star. Kamilla Cardoso has legit starter upside.
The Sky did lose Chennedy Carter however introduced in Ariel Atkins, Courtney Vandersloot, and rookie Hailey Van Lith to strengthen the backcourt. If the frontcourt retains creating, this crew has low-seed playoff potential.
Chicago has lower-level playoff potential, a lot of which depends upon the maturation of its younger frontcourt working mates, Cardoso and Reese.
9) Dallas Wings
Dropping Satou Sabally was an enormous hit for the Dallas Wings, however touchdown Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft was an enormous win. Bueckers is among the most hyped prospects ever.
Dallas additionally added NaLyssa Smith, DiJonai Carrington, and rookies Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly. Arike Ogunbowale continues to be the engine, however this appears like a transition yr. If issues click on early, they may shock with a playoff push.
8) Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream loaded up with a busy offseason. They signed 6-time All-WNBA Heart Brittney Griner and former Connecticut Solar starter Brionna Jones.
These key additions, together with 2024 WNBA Three Level Contest Champion Alisha Grey and 2022 Rookie of the Yr Rhyne Howard, make the Dream an immediate playoff contender.
Atlanta boasts one of many higher beginning fives within the WNBA, complemented by a few bench items that might grow to be key rotational gamers.
Atlanta’s versatility and veteran management give it the potential to problem a number of the groups forward of it on this energy rating.
7) Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks are a crew that might shock many groups this yr within the WNBA.
In one of many largest trades in WNBA historical past, Los Angeles obtained Olympic Gold Medalist and two-time champion Kelsey Plum. For the primary time since her days in Washington, Plum would be the offensive focus.
Rickea Jackson and Dearica Hamby confirmed promise for the Sparks final yr, and high prospect Cameron Brink is anticipated again in the course of the season.
Together with veterans like Odyssey Sims and Azura Stevens and younger expertise like Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin, the Sparks have constructed a aggressive crew within the WNBA that will shock many individuals.
6) Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury’s roster has had as a lot high-end turnover as any this offseason. One of many WNBA’s pantheons, Diana Taurasi, retired after a 20-year Corridor of Fame profession with the Mercury. Moreover, Phoenix misplaced longtime celebrity Brittney Griner to the Atlanta Dream.
Nonetheless, the Mercury didn’t step backward in expertise. They added the most effective gamers in the complete WNBA, Alyssa Thomas, and a star, Satou Sabally. With these two stars and Kaleah Copper, Phoenix has some of the dynamic large threes within the WNBA. Depth is a priority, however their top-end expertise retains them within the combine.
5) Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm discovered themselves able that few playoff groups sometimes encounter: being the most effective and holding a top-two choose within the draft.
After buying and selling star guard Jewell Loyd, the Storm acquired the choose from the Sparks and chosen French heart Dominique Malonga.
This youthful infusion and a well-balanced veteran roster put the Storm firmly within the championship dialog. Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike lead Seattle, whereas worldwide stars Gabby Williams and Ezi Magbegor add ability.
The Storm added good depth with gamers like Erica Wheeler and Alysha Clark. Seattle seems like a real WNBA title contender.
4) Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces didn’t obtain their purpose of a three-peat final season, however heading into 2025, they’re poised and able to make one other championship run.
Aja Wilson, the most effective participant within the WNBA, is coming off one of many best particular person seasons we have now seen. Whereas the Aces traded away Kelsey Plum, they acquired Jewell Loyd in return. Jackie Younger is among the extra versatile wings within the NBA, and Chelsea Grey, the Level God, is rounding again into kind.
Las Vegas has added depth and youth to its bench, and it is aware of what it takes to win. They’re nonetheless very a lot within the championship hunt.
3) Indiana Fever
The Caitlin Clark impact has been actual for ladies’s basketball, the WNBA, and the Indiana Fever. She has led the turnaround for the Fever, and the franchise is able to compete for a championship.
Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell give Indiana some of the deadly Massive 3s within the WNBA. Indiana was lively within the offseason, including versatility and taking pictures to their roster, including wings DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, and ahead Natasha Howard. This crew has star energy, depth, taking pictures, and a brand new head coach, Stephanie White, main the best way.
Indiana deserves to be one of many favorites to win the WNBA championship in 2025.
2) Minnesota Lynx
The most important shock of the 2024 WNBA season was simply how good the Minnesota Lynx have been. If a few calls go in another way on the finish of sport 5, the Lynx might be sitting right here because the 2024 WNBA Champions.
Though they’re simply the runner-up, the Lynx are returning a squad that may attain the summit. Naphessa Collier is the second-best participant within the WNBA.
Following Collier, the Lynx boast a well-balanced roster that options gamers akin to Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Bridget Carleton, and Alanna Smith.
Minnesota has no actual weak spot and stays the most effective defensive groups within the league. This makes the Lynx an enormous impediment for any crew to beat en path to a championship.
1) New York Liberty
The champs are nonetheless the champs. New York returns Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu—three of the league’s high 10 gamers.
Leonie Fiebich and Nyara Sabally performed vital roles final yr, and the Liberty simply introduced again Marine Johannes whereas additionally signing game-changer Natasha Cloud. The Liberty has star energy, depth, chemistry, and momentum.
New York has all of it and deserves to be the favourite to win the 2025 WNBA Championship.
