The stars showed out in the opening games of the WNBA playoffs, but the team that wins the championship will need top-to-bottom production from its roster.

Here are the top 10 role players (in no particular order) who could provide a major spark for their teams in the first round and beyond.

👀 did you see that ?
MJ’s over the back dish to Flash!#Ownthecrown pic.twitter.com/F1FTHLv6VX

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) August 18, 2022

Marine Johannès, G, New York Liberty

There’s no making this list without Johannès. Even without the pass heard ’round the basketball world, Johannès has been an impact player for the Liberty. The French guard is averaging 10 points and 3.4 assists for New York and is performing at a high level both coming off the bench and when she’s in the starting lineup. On Thursday, she scored eight points and recorded seven assists in her team’s upset of the Sky. Her playmaking skills make her the perfect complement to Sabrina Ionescu, because she forces defenses to take notice of every spot on the floor. That takes some of the attention off the Oregon grad, and allows the Liberty offense to flow. Plus, her highlight-worthy plays have a way of igniting New York on the floor.

HAN XU DOES IT ALLLLL 👌@nyliberty looking for the dub to secure their playoff spot on League Pass 👏 pic.twitter.com/EEngskHp0W

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 14, 2022

Han Xu, C, New York Liberty

The depth of the Liberty can’t be ignored, so it makes sense for them to have two players on this list. Han isn’t likely to have a 20-point game, nor do I expect her to take over, but she does have the ability to change a game with impactful minutes. The 6-foot-10 center is averaging 8.5 points per game and shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc. Her 3-point shooting prowess forces defenders to adjust and draws shot-blockers away from the rim. Even playing spot minutes, Han has a positive impact on New York’s offense.

Azurá Stevens, F, Chicago Sky

Stevens comes off the bench for a deep Sky team, but she often plays starter-type minutes. On Thursday, she gave the Sky a lift with 16 points as starting forward Emma Meesseman struggled, going 2-for-7 for four points. At 6-6 with a lengthy wingspan, Stevens is an asset on defense — she averages 1.1 blocks per contest — and offensively, finishing around the rim or floating outside to score from long range. Thursday proved that they Sky need everyone playing at a high level to top the Liberty, and they will especially need continued bench production from players like Stevens.

Rebekah Gardner, G, Chicago Sky

Both Gardner and Stevens have cases for Sixth Woman of the Year, with significant bench contributions throughout the season. Gardner is averaging 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.4 steals a game for Chicago. She has a knack for catching defenders off guard and cutting to the basket for open looks, but I see her impact this postseason coming more on the defensive end.

Against the Liberty, she was one of the only players who could stay in front of Ionescu. Her defensive tenacity was also on display against the Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup. Again, she managed to stay in front of Kelsey Plum, another skilled guard, when her teammates struggled. Having someone who can disrupt a skilled ball-handler may prove vital to the Sky as they try to avoid first-round elimination.

we love a megan gustafson moment #4TheValley | #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/RhTeq9tNMS

— PHNX Mercury (@PHNX_Mercury) July 29, 2022

Megan Gustafson, C, Phoenix Mercury

Gustafson has played limited minutes (9.6 per game) for the Mercury this season, but with Diana Taurasi and Skylar Diggins-Smith out at the moment, Phoenix has a thin roster that’s only getting thinner. Phoenix needs someone like Gustafson to step up and provide much-needed offense, especially after Shey Peddy also went down with an injury in Game 1 on Wednesday night. Gustafson, who had 12 points and four rebounds off the bench on Wednesday, was an elite scorer at Iowa, averaging 27.8 points per game during her senior season in 2019. If she can harness that scoring ability in increased minutes (the 26 she played Wednesday marked a season-high), the struggling Mercury will have a better shot at sticking with the Aces.

First career three for Iliana Rupert 🙌 pic.twitter.com/G2LWKIVbL5

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 26, 2022

Iliana Rupert, C, Las Vegas Aces

One of the Aces’ few weaknesses is their lack of depth. Las Vegas relies on its starting five for nearly all of its offensive production. That can be an issue if anyone runs into foul trouble, but Rupert provides a viable option off the bench. In her minutes this season, the mobile center has shown her ability to read defenses and find open spaces to shoot inside and outside the arc. She’s averaging 3.8 points in 14.1 minutes per game this season but has the potential to contribute at a higher level if needed.

Veronica Burton, G, Dallas Wings

I was going to include Teaira McCowan on this list, but she’s since graduated from role player to centerpiece for Dallas. Still, there was clearly something missing in the Wings’ loss to Connecticut on Wednesday. Enter Burton. Without Arike Ogunbowale, the Wings need Burton to step up offensively. The point guard is known for her defense, but the Wings need her not only to set up her teammates — she averaged 1.5 assists in 15.2 minutes per game — but score on her own as well. The rookie averaged 17.8 points per game during her senior season at Northwestern. If she can tap into that scoring potential, it will be a huge help for Dallas.

Brionna Jones, C, Connecticut Sun

Jones is the frontrunner for Sixth Woman of the Year for a reason. The 6-3 center scores 13.8 points, grabs 5.1 rebounds and dishes 1.3 assists per game off the bench for the Sun. She brings efficiency, shooting 56.9 percent from the field, and a different style of post play than the Sun get from starting forwards DeWanna Bonner and Jonquel Jones. Brionna Jones is more of a traditional big who isn’t afraid to use her strength to battle through contact in the paint. In addition to her skill set, Jones brings a unique toughness to the Sun.

Shakira Austin, C, Washington Mystics

Austin has been a key piece for the Mystics this season, averaging 12 points, 7 boards and one block per game. The rookie leads her team on the glass and is a dynamic shot-blocker. She played well against the Storm in Game 1 with 12 points and seven rebounds but missed shots she shouldn’t have down the stretch. Still, Austin has been consistent throughout the season, and I’d be surprised to see her miss opportunities like that again. With defenses focusing on Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud, Austin has the opportunity to put up big numbers for Washington.

Ezi Magbegor gets it to go with 0.1 seconds remaining 😮 pic.twitter.com/hOjqauxAtz

— ESPN (@espn) June 19, 2022

Ezi Magbegor, C, Seattle Storm

Magbegor is second in the league in blocked shots with 1.8 per game, so her defensive presence is an obvious advantage for the Storm. But she’s contributed across the board this season, averaging 9.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Magbegor provides production in all categories for the Storm off the bench, and her ability to keep them at a high-level when subbed in for a member of the starting lineup is a luxury the Storm can take advantage of as they look to advance past the Mystics.

Eden Laase is a Staff Writer at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

With recent transfers Talia von Oelhoffen and Kiki Iriafen joining first-team All-American JuJu Watkins and the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class at USC next season, the Trojans look to transition from an up-and-coming squad to a legitimate title contender. 

Former Oregon State graduate student von Oelhoffen is the latest collegiate talent to commit to the program, announcing her transfer Monday via ESPN. She follows ex-Stanford leading-scorer Iriafen in the jump to the pair’s one-time Pac-12 rival.

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The 5-foot-11 Washington native was a two-time All-Pac-12 guard during her time at Oregon State. But after the recent dissolution of the Pac-12, the Corvallis side found themselves without a permanent home conference going forward. Many big name players opted to take their skill elsewhere as a result, with von Oelhoffen’s fellow ex-Beaver Raegan Beers announcing her own departure to Oklahoma on Monday.

According to DraftKings, USC is now tied with UConn for the second-best betting odds to win the 2025 NCAA women’s tournament. Dawn Staley’s tested South Carolina side, poised for a repeat performance, holds down the number one spot.

Last year, LSU loaded up in the transfer portal after beating Iowa to win the 2023 national championship. The Tigers were clear favorites coming into the 2023-24 season, but were bounced in the Elite Eight by Caitlin Clark’s Hawkeyes. Shortly thereafter, star transfer Hailey Van Lith opted to transfer a second time, this time signing with TCU. 

Yet while history proves that an excess of star power doesn’t always translate to on-court chemistry, on paper, USC sure looks ready to hold their own — in 2025 and beyond.

The United States and Mexico have withdrawn their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, per a Monday afternoon release from U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation.

According to the statement, they will instead focus on developing a "more equitable" bid for the 2031 tournament, with the ultimate goal of "eliminating investment disparities" between the men’s and women’s tournaments.

The federations went on to cite the upcoming 2026 Men’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico as an opportunity to build support for local infrastructure, improve audience engagement, and scale up media and partnership deals in preparation to "host a record-breaking tournament in 2031."

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"Hosting a World Cup tournament is a huge undertaking — and having additional time to prepare allows us to maximize its impact across the globe," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. "Shifting our bid will enable us to host a record-breaking Women’s World Cup in 2031 that will help to grow and raise the level of the women’s game both here at home as well as across the globe."

The decision leaves just Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in the running for the 2027 host spot. Brazil — the rumored frontrunner — has never hosted a Women’s World Cup, while Germany hosted the 2011 tournament as a solo venture. 

Furthermore, this postponement doesn’t mean the U.S. is a shoo-in for 2031, as it's been previously reported that 2022 UEFA Women's EURO host England is considering their own Women's World Cup bid. FIFA is scheduled to confirm the winning bid after the FIFA Congress votes on May 17th.

Former Stanford leading-scorer Kiki Iriafen is set to join star rising sophomore JuJu Watkins at USC next year, reported ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. 

The 6-foot-3 forward is coming off a breakout season with the Cardinal, where the then-junior led Stanford to the Sweet 16 with an average of 19.4 points, 11 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Walking away with the Pac-12’s Most Improved Player award and a spot on the All-Pac-12 team, Iriafen entered the portal at the close of last season and was subsequently ranked second on ESPN’s 2024-2025 transfer ranking list.

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At USC, Iriafen will play out her senior year alongside the Women's Basketball Coaches Association’s 2024 National Freshman of the Year JuJu Watkins, forming what could be an explosive partnership for the Trojans as they look to build momentum going into next season. The Southern California side advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1994 this year, ultimately falling to UConn in a heated 80-73 battle.

Iriafen wasn’t the only one making choices this past week. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith officially announced her own transfer to TCU on Friday, while Princeton standout Kaitlyn Chen committed to UConn for her final year of college eligibility. Other big names still weighing their options are Oregon State's Talia Von Oelhoffen and Raegan Beers, as well as UNC's Deja Kelly.

With conference realignment on the horizon and team fit a contending factor, the NCAA women's basketball transfer portal has been busier than ever. And while transfers can bolster many types of college programs, this particular offseason has seen talent-rich programs growing even richer.

Legendary WNBA superstar Candace Parker announced her retirement from professional basketball on Sunday, effective immediately.

"I promised I'd never cheat the game & that I'd leave it in a better place than I came into it," she wrote in an Instagram post. "The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it's time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it."

The Las Vegas Aces forward was in the midst of rehabbing a right ankle injury and a left foot fracture after missing part of the 2023 season.

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One of women's basketball's most prominent trailblazers, Parker popularized the play of a "big guard." A back-to-back NCAA National Championship winner with Tennessee, she was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008. She was named both WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in her debut season with the league. 

Parker exits the pros a three-time WNBA champion, a two-time league MVP, seven-time WNBA All-Star, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time NCAA champion, in addition to many more individual accolades. Throughout her 16-year career, she averaged 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, and four assists per game. She remains the only player in WNBA history to earn three WNBA titles with three different teams: LA in 2016, Chicago in 2021, and Las Vegas in 2023. 

In her announcement, the 38-year-old implied the physical toll of league play was a driving factor in her ultimate decision to walk away from the game, despite recently signing a one-year deal with Las Vegas.

"This offseason hasn’t been fun on a foot that isn’t cooperating," she wrote. "It’s no fun playing in pain (10 surgeries in my career) it’s no fun knowing what you could do, if only…it’s no fun hearing 'she isn’t the same' when I know why, it’s no fun accepting the fact you need surgery AGAIN.

"I’m grateful that for 16 years I PLAYED A GAME for a living & DESPITE all the injuries, I hooped," she continued. "I’m grateful for family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors, trainers & fans who made this journey so special."

Fans weren’t the only ones shocked by Parker’s surprise retirement. In a reaction captured on video, Liberty forward Breanna Stewart responded to the news with a jaw-dropped, eyebrow-raised "What? Wow." 

Yet while the Naperville, Illinois native’s time on the court might be over, Parker says she isn't leaving the world of basketball anytime soon.

"This is the beginning," she wrote. "I’m attacking business, private equity, ownership (I will own both a NBA & WNBA team), broadcasting, production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, dominoes (sorry babe it’s going to get more real) with the same intensity & focus I did basketball."