Nika Muhl is facing yet another long recovery, with the Seattle Storm guard set to miss the 2026 WNBA season after suffering a second ACL tear in under two years. The injury took place during a game on March 11th, while Muhl represented Croatia in the FIBA Women's EuroBasket Qualifiers.
Notes of support poured in quickly across the basketball community, including from Muhl's old UConn teammate Paige Bueckers. After she posted a hospital selfie following her surgery, Bueckers responded in the comments.
"Two new and improved knees incoming," Bueckers wrote, adding three smiling emojis.
Muhl sustained the injury while competing internationally, adding to a growing list of setbacks early in her professional career. She previously missed the 2025 season after injuring her left knee in 2024, marking her second major knee injury since turning pro.
Bueckers has supported Muhl through both recoveries, sharing a similar message after the initial ACL tear.
"Nothing my twin can't overcome. Gonna destroy this comeback journey! God speed," she wrote.
Bueckers, who missed the 2022/23 season with her own ALC injury, has remained close with Muhl since their time at UConn, where the two built a strong on-court partnership.
Muhl established herself as one of the program's top playmakers, finishing her career as UConn's all-time assist leader before the Seattle Storm selected her No. 14 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
The 24-year-old has appeared just in 16 games with the Storm.
Just over a month before tipoff, the Toronto Tempo announced that former Raptors president Masai Ujiri has joined the 2026 WNBA expansion team's ownership group as a principal owner.
Ujiri led Toronto's NBA franchise to its only championship in 2019 before departing last summer to focus on his basketball nonprofit, Giants of Africa.
"I believe deeply in the vision behind the Tempo: creating female leaders, elevating women not just on the court, but across the organization, and building championship culture from day one," Ujiri said in a team statement.
As part of his duties with Toronto Tempo, Ujiri will spearhead Tempo Rising, a global coaching mentorship program designed to support emerging women-identifying and non-binary coaches. The initiative aims to shape the future of basketball by developing coaching talent in communities worldwide.
The announcement comes as the 2026 expansion franchise prepares for its inaugural season. Toronto joins the league alongside the Portland Fire as the WNBA's 15th team.
Ujiri joins an ownership group that already includes other notable figures from the sports and entertainment world. YouTube creator and actress Lilly Singh became a minority owner in May 2025, before Quebec sports icons Geoff Molson and France Margaret Bélanger invested last September.
The franchise hired Monica Wright Rogers as general manager in February 2025. In January 2026, the team subsequently added Ciara Carl and Brian Lankton as assistant coaches.
The Tempo tips off its debut WNBA season this May inside Toronto's Scotiabank Arena.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham announced a new partnership with Marriott Bonvoy on Thursday, with the WNBA star set to launch a limited Women's March Madness podcast series.
Over four episodes, Live From The Bracket will serve as a special edition of Cunningham's existing podcast Show Me Something, covering the NCAA tournament alongside sports and travel topics.
Cunningham revealed the news outside of Madison Square Garden, where she discussed the tournament with fans. The series arrives as she prepares for her eighth season in the WNBA.
"It is almost that time for March Madness," Cunningham said during the reveal. "We are so excited to be teaming up with Marriott Bonvoy for Live From The Bracket... So we are here in New York City to get your college basketball takes. Let's get into it."
The former Missouri standout joined Indiana in the 2025 offseason after spending her first six seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. She subsequently averaged 8.6 points on 46.9% shooting, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game for the Fever before suffering a season-ending MCL tear last August.
The injury forced Cunningham to miss the entire postseason, with Indiana eventually falling to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA semifinals.
Cunningham is now entering unrestricted free agency after her one-year, $100,000 contract expired. With the WNBA's new CBA nearly in place, she could command a significant pay raise when transactions open next month.
The podcast partnership gives Cunningham a platform to build her brand ahead of contract negotiations, with the Fever set to open the 2026 season on May 9th against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings.
Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart sent a three-page letter to WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson on Monday, expressing concerns that the union's stalled CBA negotiations could impact the 2026 WNBA season.
In a letter acquired by ESPN, WNBPA vice presidents told Jackson that players feel excluded from the process. "We do not feel like we have an adequate seat at the table in these negotiations," Plum and Stewart wrote.
The union faces a March 10th deadline to complete a new CBA term sheet. However, the WNBA season starts May 8th, leaving limited time for the draft, expansion draft, and free agency.
Negotiations have now dragged on for 17 months. According to the letter, Plum and Stewart have been "privy to details of these negotiations for less than two months." They went on to say they haven't seen revenue breakdowns, survey results, and rookie salary structures.
"Despite a year and a half of negotiations, we have not been meaningfully engaged," they stated. "When we and other players have attempted to express concerns about negotiations, we have been made to feel as though we are acting against the interests of the PA."
The pair requested a meeting with union leadership, with the WNBPA subsequently calling an all-player meeting instead.
The letter also stressed concerns about a work stoppage damaging the league's financial health. Both Stewart and Plum oppose delaying the WNBA season.
"Many other players across the league feel these same frustrations and have expressed them to us, but feel afraid or unable to speak out," read the letter.
Last week, nearly a dozen player agents penned their own letter to Jackson pushing for more transparency.
"At this stage of negotiations, with time being of the essence, alignment and shared information will best serve the players and the Union," they wrote.
Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock, has died at age 43, the league announced Sunday. It did not disclose a cause of death.
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the WNBA said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time."
Braxton played college basketball at Georgia from 2001 to 2004, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2002 as a 6-foot-6 center-forward. The Detroit Shock subsequently selected her No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft.
Braxton made an immediate impact in Detroit, making on the league's 2005 All-Rookie Team. She went on to win her first WNBA championship with the Shock in 2006 before capturing her second in 2008.
The 2007 WNBA All-Star averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds during her 10-year pro career.
Kara Braxton's Post-Detroit Shock Journey
After winning two titles with Detroit, Braxton played her final seasons in New York after stints with three different WNBA teams.
Braxton spent part of the 2010 season in Tulsa after the Shock franchise relocated to Oklahoma, before the Phoenix Mercury acquired Braxton via trade later that year. She went on to join the New York Liberty during the 2011 season, where she finished her WNBA career in 2014.
Braxton's son, Jelani Thurman, played tight end at Ohio State for three years before transferring to North Carolina in January 2026. The college football player carries on his mother's athletic legacy.
In addition to her son, Braxton leaves behind a legacy as a league champion and respected veteran in the world of women's basketball.
Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston knows what it's like to stick out in a crowd. Growing up on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, she often played with boys to keep up her game — both a welcome challenge and an isolating experience.
"It was mostly just guys that I was around, and that's who my competition was," Boston told JWS last month. "It was always rough playing against guys, trying to score on them. Because they don't want a girl to score on them."
All that changed when she moved to the US at the age of 12, intent on making basketball her career.
"That was definitely a difference for me until I moved to the States," she said. "I was like, 'Okay, so this is what it's like to be around girls in general.'"
Fast-forward to 2026, and Boston still sticks out in a crowd — for all the right reasons. Drafted No. 1 overall eight days after winning a national championship with South Carolina, the Fever recruit was named 2023 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She quickly became a cornerstone for Indiana as they pushed through an onslaught of injuries to reach the 2025 semifinals.
But the 24-year-old still remembers what it was like to be the only girl at practice. It's an issue she's tackling alongside Lilly and the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis via The Court is Hers, an initiative dedicated to creating more opportunities for girls in basketball.
"Young girls are finally seeing that this is not just a boy's world, and that they do have role models to look up to," Boston said of the partnership. "They do have the ability to be great in whatever they want to be great in, whatever the goals they set."
Stepping into a leadership role on and off the WNBA court
Boston takes being a role model seriously. And she's becoming better at handling the daily routines of a professional athlete every passing year. After a two-week reset following the end of the 2025 WNBA season, she got back in the gym. She was laser-focused on gearing up for Team USA camp in December — and her second season with Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball.
She doesn't see herself as a veteran just yet, though the mantle might be thrust upon her faster than anticipated. Young frontcourt players are already citing Boston as an inspiration, someone they can learn from as they develop their own styles.
"Obviously, she's younger, but I've always grown up watching her. I loved her at South Carolina," UCLA center Lauren Betts said from Team USA camp. "She's just someone that we idolize. So being able to learn from her and have those conversations has been really cool. I actually spoke to her about some tips that I could use moving forward for my team."
Tipping off her fourth year in the pros, Boston laughs off the idea of being an idol. But she values her impetus to continue to progress as a player. "It's weird to think of myself as kind of a vet," she said. "But I think as time continues to go on, I get a lot more comfortable being in that space and knowing exactly what I need to do."
With that comfort comes greater responsibility, and Boston's goals align with her growth. She wants to win a WNBA championship and represent Team USA at the 2028 Olympics. And it's not just the next generation singing her praises. Boston has gained the attention of decision-makers at the highest levels, including the person who could control her Olympic destiny.
"Aliyah Boston looks great right now. She looked great in USA camp," USA Basketball managing director — and WNBA legend — Sue Bird recently said on Bird's Eye View. "She's now really found her game, [and] just has a confidence about, 'This is what I do, and I'm gonna be great at these things,' and one of those things is playmaking."
How Unrivaled and Team USA are elevating Aliyah Boston's game
Boston says she's excited for the upcoming WNBA season, even if CBA negotiations have thrown things into limbo. Right now, however, she's looking to get the most out of her time at Unrivaled. The Phantom phenom has been an aggressive early-season defender, topping the league in both rebounds and blocks per game. And she's especially eager to bring back lessons learned on the offensive side of the court.
"It allows you to be more confident in your game, in the way you are able to attack," she said of the 3×3 format. "You get to five-on-five and feel like, 'Okay, I've been doing this for a few months now, I'm very confident in what I'm capable of.'"
Beyond showcasing personality and confidence, Unrivaled also allows players to cultivate versatility, vision, and mobility — especially in the frontcourt. Boston has approached this season with gusto, and people are already noticing.
"If you can have a post player in three-on-three who can play-make… that's going to be so helpful to the Plums, the Tiff Hayes, the Dana Evans,” Bird said of Boston's Phantom BC impact.
That backcourt chemistry should benefit Indiana next season, when Boston links back up with a healthy Caitlin Clark.
Inside Aliyah Boston's vision for Indiana — and the next generation
After taking the Aces to a hard-fought five-game semifinal series in 2025, Boston can't wait for the Fever to return to play. If they can avoid injury, she thinks the Fever could well be in the title contender conversation once again.
"There's no limit for us," said Boston. "Everyone that we're able to sign and have on the squad next year should know the type of vibe that we're on. That we want to win, that we continue to pour in and play our best basketball for each other."
In addition to the normal athlete goals — win, bond with teammates, play well — Boston is driven by her community connections. "They've really poured into us since I've been there, and it's honestly been so amazing," she said. "You walk down the street and people are like, 'Oh my gosh, can we get a picture?' They're everywhere."
Their support made partnering with The Court Is Hers a no-brainer for Boston. She wants girls in Indianapolis to get the same fulfillment from sports that she did — if not more. "Growing up, it would have been amazing to have someone like me, to be able to meet someone like [me] and continue to go to games," she said.
For Boston, the future is bright. Key to the Fever's title dreams, she's focused on giving girls near and far a renewed sense of what they can accomplish.
"Having young girls be able to be in that space, to talk about their dreams and their goals, what they want to do, is so important," she added. "Not only in sport, but just active and excited about the future."
The 2025 WNBA season was one for the record books, defined by the departure of legends, the rise of a new generation of game-changers, and a massive surge in popularity.
From historic on-court milestones to significant shifts in the business landscape, the year delivered a continuous stream of headlines that invariably reshaped the future of the league.
The season tipped off with the retirement of all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi, who capped a storied 20-year career spanning three championships and six Olympic gold medals. And as icons exited, new stars filled the void, with eventual 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers setting a new rookie scoring record, while A’ja Wilson’s historic MVP run saw her become the first-ever player to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game.
Off the court, the central theme was explosive growth. 2025 expansion side Golden State shattered attendance records, while the league moved aggressively toward its 18-team goal by awarding new franchises to three cities, with Portland and Toronto already on board for 2026.
And despite navigating hurdles — including Fever superstar Caitlin Clark’s season-ending injury and increasingly heated CBA negotiations — the WNBA concluded the year with record-breaking viewership and a landmark $2.2 billion media deal.
Here are the 10 biggest moments that defined a historic season for the WNBA.
1. WNBA icon Diana Taurasi retires from pro basketball
After 20 seasons in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi officially announced her retirement from professional basketball on February 25th, with the Phoenix Mercury legend exiting as the league’s all-time leading scorer since 2017.
Taurasi’s resume includes three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, 2014), six Olympic gold medals, and 11 All-Star selections, as the Mercury immortalized Taurasi’s impact with the team’s new $100 million training facility, which features two practice courts named in her honor.
Other 2025 retirements include two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne, known for leading the Washington Mystics to their first-ever WNBA championship in 2019, and four-time WNBA 3-Point Contest champion Allie Quigley, who won a WNBA title with the Chicago Sky in 2021.
2. WNBA announces expansion to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia
On June 30th, the WNBA awarded new franchises to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, making good on a promise to grow the league to 18 teams by 2030 with Cleveland set to tip off in 2028, followed by Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030.
The move highlighted the league’s soaring valuation, with each city’s ownership group paying a record $250 million fee — a massive jump from previous team buy-ins.
While Philadelphia prepares to welcome its first-ever WNBA team, pro women’s basketball is officially returning to Cleveland and Detroit, former homes of the Rockers and the three-time champion Shock.
3. Season-ending injury sidelines Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark
Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark’s sophomore season was cut short after she suffered a significant groin injury on July 15th. The injury — compounded by an August ankle sprain — limited the 2024 Rookie of the Year to just 13 games in 2025, and saw her officially ruled out for the remainder of the season in early September.
By mid-December, however, Clark reported she was back to “100% healthy” during a press conference at Team USA training camp in Durham, North Carolina.
4. Players take a stand ahead of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
This year’s All-Stars transformed the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis into a platform for labor advocacy, wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Pay Us What You Owe Us” during July 19th warm-ups. Organized by the WNBPA, the statement highlighted the friction between players and the league as CBA negotiations loomed.
The sentiment was echoed by fans, who chanted “Pay them!” while commissioner Cathy Engelbert presented the All-Star MVP trophy to Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier after Team Collier’s 151-131 blowout win over Team Clark.
5. Aces star A’ja Wilson’s 30/20 game makes WNBA history
On August 10th, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson became the first-ever WNBA player to register 30+ points and 20 rebounds in a single game.
The eventual 2025 MVP capped the Aces’ 94-86 victory over the Connecticut Sun with 32 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists, solidifying Wilson’s status as the league’s premier dominant force and served as a cornerstone performance in yet another winning season.
6. Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers drops 44 points on LA
On August 20th, Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers delivered a landmark performance, dropping 44 points in a narrow 81-80 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks to tie Cynthia Cooper’s single-game rookie scoring record, set in 1997 — four years before Bueckers was born.
The eventual 2025 Rookie of the Year made even more history that night, becoming the first-ever player to record more than 40 points while shooting 80% from the field, finishing the night 17-of-21 from the floor.
7. Golden State Valkyries shatter WNBA attendance records
In their inaugural season, the Golden State Valkyries shattered WNBA attendance records, selling out all 22 home games at the Chase Center while averaging 18,064 per game for a total of 397,408 — far eclipsing the 2024 Indiana Fever’s previous high point.
On the court, the Valkyries made even more of a mark by becoming the first WNBA expansion team to qualify for the postseason in their debut year, finishing the regular season on a 23-19 record.
8. Napheesa Collier puts WNBA leadership on blast
During her October 1st exit interview, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier delivered a blistering critique of WNBA leadership, calling the league office “negligent” and the “worst in the world” while citing several systemic issues like inconsistent officiating, ignored compensation demands, and overworked players.
Collier specifically called out commissioner Cathy Engelbert, alleging a lack of accountability and detailing Engelbert’s unpopular management style, with Engelbert later responding by saying she was “disheartened” by the characterization but remained committed to the players.
9. Las Vegas Aces win the 2025 WNBA Championship
On October 10th, the Las Vegas Aces secured their third league title in four years by sweeping the Phoenix Mercury 4-0 in the 2025 WNBA Finals, confirming Las Vegas as a modern-day WNBA dynasty under coach Becky Hammon.
The clinching 97-86 victory also saw A’ja Wilson earn Finals MVP honors, with the star forward making history as the first player to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season.
10. WNBA blows past season-long viewership records
2025 went down as the most-watched in WNBA history, with ESPN networks averaging 1.3 million viewers per game for a 6% year-over-year increase in regular-season viewership.
May 17th’s matchup between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever topped the regular-season returns with a record-2.7 million viewers. Later, Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals drew 1.9 million viewers — the most-watched Finals opener in 28 years. And the Las Vegas Aces’ championship-winning sweep subsequently averaged 1.5 million viewers, becoming the second-most watched Finals behind 2024.
The gains also hit ancillary shows, with ESPN’s WNBA Countdown averaging 437,000 viewers through the playoffs — up 30% year-over-year. Hoop Streams and The Wrap-Up also saw a 60% boost across eight postseason episodes.
And the dividends are already paying off. The WNBA is set to embark on an 11-year, $2.2 billion media deal promising $200 million per year in returns.
When the WNBA announced that Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase won the 2025 Coach of the Year award last week, the honor underlined an incredible year for new coaching talent in women's basketball as this year's playoffs continue.
Nakase made headlines all season, leading Golden State to a historic playoff berth in the 2025 expansion side's first year. She stocked a brand new roster that excited fans across the country, and built the team's locker room culture from scratch. The result was flashy, modern basketball, based on playing hard, stretching the floor, and keeping the on-court tempo high.
"Her unique approach to leadership and ability to hold players accountable with care, while staying true to her values has been remarkable," Golden State GM Ohemaa Nyanin said of the debut head coach.
And as end-of-year award momentum grew, Nakase took the attention in stride.
"Nobody really cares [about awards], honestly," she said in early September. "I'm just being deadass, our goal is to make the playoffs. To think about it, it really should be coaching staff of the year."
Nakase's success is just another example of a league that's changing, as the coaching carousel widens and new philosophies enter the game, while younger prospects take on the mantle of head coach for the first time. Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve, New York's Sandy Brondello, and Las Vegas's Becky Hammon have become synonymous with the WNBA's elite, but new entrants like Nakase alongside Atlanta's Karl Smesko and Phoenix's Nate Tibbetts are infusing the league with new ideas — all while leading their teams to historic playoff berths.
A new generation of WNBA coaches make their marks
Even with coaching staff experience, becoming the head coach of a professional basketball franchise is never easy, Tibbetts told JWS earlier this month. He made the leap to the head coaching ranks in 2024, after spending more than 10 years as an assistant coach with multiple NBA teams including the Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic.
"Any time you slide over those 12 inches, and go from one seat to the next seat, there's just changes," he said, noting that having the power of final say inevitably adds a whole new level of responsibility.
"When you're a head coach, you make decisions every day, and it's not just basketball stuff," he continued. "That is probably the thing that overwhelms you."
Nakase also entered the WNBA armed with NBA experience, joining Hammon's Las Vegas staff as an assistant in 2022 after a successful stint with the LA Clippers. She later moved into the head coach's box with two league championships under her belt, announced as Golden State's inaugural boss in 2024 before immediately setting a tone for the team's future.
"I'm taking a little bit of everything [from my past]," Nakase told JWS ahead of the 2025 season. "And I'm still constantly learning."
She recalled helping the Aces through their first title run in 2022, applying her small ball experience with the NBA to the team's matchup with the Connecticut Sun. "I remember Becky being super open with ideas, just kind of taking [that series] by the horns," she said.
In California, Nakase fell in line as a collaborative leader, transforming the squad from an unfamiliar lineup to a unified force by the end of their first regular season.
"An assistant coaching role is way different than a head coaching role, but who Natalie is to the core has stayed the same," current Valkyries — and former Aces — guard Kate Martin recently told San Francisco Chronicle. "She wants the best out of us. She's going to love you up, but also tell you what needs to be fixed — what you need to do to be better. And I think you can always appreciate that from a coach."
Over in Atlanta, Smesko's background looked a little different. He coached at the college level, successfully leading Florida Gulf Coast for more than 20 years before making the leap to the pros in 2025. He was known as an analytic wonk in NCAA circles, earning tournament berths on a strict system of three-pointers and post layups. Though he knew working with professionals required a slightly different approach.
"I was pleasantly surprised how coachable and how eager the players at the W level are to learn," he recently told JWS. "They want to be good. They want to be taught things that are going to help them become better players."
Smesko's biggest learning curve was less about responsibility, and more tied to process. He was surprised how much less time he had to implement systems in the fast-moving WNBA, where professionals tend to be less immersed in day-to-day basketball operations than student-athletes on a college campus.
"I think that forces you, as a coach, to really be deliberate and efficient," he said of the shift. "What are the things you're going to cover, and what are you going to try to get better at that particular day?"
The rookie coaches behind the WNBA's three-point revolution
Instituting a stretch offense — where guards and forwards pose legitimate threats from outside while opening interior space up inside for post players who can shoot — has been an ongoing project in the WNBA, and the league's newest coaching class has continued its evolution.
Basketball legend Candace Parker popularized the approach as a player in the 2010s, with Hammon later embracing it as a way to get the most out of versatile Aces forward A'ja Wilson.
While Smesko and his set certainly aren't draconian in their methods, stretch offenses have exploded in popularity this season. The highest-performing teams have consistently proven comfortable taking a healthy mix of shots from behind the arc. Nakase's Valkyries led the WNBA in regular-season three-pointers made with 427, followed closely by fellow postseason contenders Atlanta and Phoenix.
While established coaches like Brondello and Reeve also encourage players to let it fly, stretch offense devotees Nakase, Smesko, and Tibbetts helmed the year's top three teams in attempted three-pointers — with each landing more three-pointers than 2024's stat-leading team.
"It's just more space for everybody to work, more actual area for defense to cover and respect," Smesko said, noting that offensive decisions get easier when the opposing defense has to cover more ground.
Tibbetts credits the way the stretch system has entered the conversation at all levels. Coaching staffs are teaching players to optimize their points-per-shot percentage, essentially setting up every offensive action to be as efficient as possible well before they launch a high-value shot.
"[It's] just maximizing shot attempts, getting your players to understand the true values of what a shot looks like from a points-per-shot basis," he summarized.
Phoenix registered the third-highest regular-season pace of play in the WNBA in 2025, allowing for more possessions per quarter, and subsequently more shot attempts — not to mention a higher volume of three-pointer attempts. Roster construction also played into it, with Tibbetts and the Mercury's front office making sure to surround veteran inside players like MVP finalist Alyssa Thomas with teammates that understand how to push tempo and create space.
No matter what system you run, of course, any good coach also knows it's all about balance. "I don't think you need to overdo it," said Tibbetts. "There's a ton of smart players in our league."
Chasing WNBA teams — and coaches — at the top
There have long been plenty of smart coaches in the WNBA. And to some extent, Nakase, Smesko, and Tibbetts all run similar offenses to the league's current titans of success: Brondello, Reeve, and Hammon.
"We're all trying to catch those three," Tibbetts said, wondering aloud if WNBA teams have been casting wider hiring nets in an attempt to increase parity at the coaching level. "We've done a good job of adding talent in our league, but those three are the top tier, and we're all trying to get to that level."
Hammon received two WNBA Coach of the Year votes in the wake of Vegas's 30-14 run, while Reeves received two votes for her work leading the regular season's winningest team.
"All those teams have great players, and they're just very well coached," Smesko added, giving the Aces, Liberty, and Lynx props. "They're very disciplined. They have a plan. They follow that plan."
In Phoenix, Tibbetts posited that league experience and the proven ability to handle adversity make coaches like these difficult to de-throne.
"It's not like we're reinventing the game. They've been doing it, and now they've all got championships under their belt," Tibbetts said. "Nothing is new to them when it comes to this league."
Putting coaching perspectives to the postseason test
The new WNBA coaching class saw quantifiable regular-season success, but the first round of the 2025 playoffs emphasized that there's still room to grow before they truly threaten the WNBA's tactical elite.
Nakase's No. 8 seed Valkyries had their hands full against Reeve's No. 1 Lynx, ceding the series to the top seed in two games, despite a competitive final matchup at home. And despite sending the reigning league champion Liberty home with last week's decisive Game 3 win, Tibbetts's Mercury is off to a 0-1 semifinal start against Minnesota.
Smesko's Atlanta side also faced stumbling blocks, as the No. 3 seed suffered a last-minute Game 3 upset to No. 6 Indiana, stamping a successful season with a frustrating ending at home.
A playoffs exit stings, but it's far from a major setback for these early-career coaches. They value the intangibles over the Xs and Os, and players have responded to their guidance in kind.
"The organization as a whole, it's in a great direction," Atlanta guard Allisha Gray said after the Dream's final loss. "Karl, he has so much faith in us, and we proved a lot of people wrong this year."
"I just credit 'Big Wheeze' [AKA Smekso] for the turnaround," Gray continued. "He did a great job this year and brought the vision, and we believed in it."
Regardless of their postseason performance, the Valkyries have taken Golden State by storm, selling out their home slate while establishing themselves as Northern California's premier women's sports franchise. Nakase has embraced the warm welcome, developing a reputation for supporting her players and not being afraid to speak her mind.
"I love playing for a fiery coach who always wants to win and believes in her players so much," Martin said. "That hasn't strayed from Vegas to here, her belief in every single player she's coached."
It's eyes on the prize for this WNBA coaching class
While vital, coaching is just one ingredient in any team's success. And Smesko believes that the WNBA's competitive upswing is primarily fueled by one thing: the talent in the locker room.
"There's never been as many great players as there are right now," he reflected. "Combined with the movement that everyone is adopting, it leads to a really fun style to watch."
Even as their postseason hopes ebb, this generation of WNBA coaching talent is eager to get started on the future — especially as the league continues to pick up steam in both popularity and parity.
"The game is evolving, the sport is evolving," said Tibbetts. "But I think more than anything, it's just all the new eyes on this game."
Just Women’s Sports is heading to WNBA All-Star Weekend with its most ambitious event presence yet.
JWS will tip off a multi-faceted WNBA All-Star activation in partnership with Famous Footwear on Saturday July 19th from 2 PM to 6 PM, located at 110 South Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis.
JWS’ partnership with Famous Footwear includes a multi-part activation designed to merge back-to-school excitement with All-Star energy.
"Between the Lines" live taping headlines WNBA All-Star event
The activation will also feature a live recording of Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie.
The exclusive taping brings WNBA stars Napheesa Collier, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Mitchell, and Lexie Hull to the stage. Subsequently, these basketball icons will highlight the WNBA’s evolution and cultural resonance, while JWS captures the best moments across its social platforms.
“WNBA All-Star has become the crown jewel of the women’s sports calendar. We’re thrilled to be showing up in a major way across the entire weekend,” said Just Women’s Sports CEO Haley Rosen.
“This is a chance to celebrate and accelerate the strides the W has made in recent years as it’s cemented itself in the cultural landscape.”
Famous Footwear Shoe Tunnel lands in Indianapolis
The star-studded activation features player interviews, exclusive giveaways, fan contests, and more. It is also free and open to all WNBA fans. Visitors will be greeted by a Famous Footwear Shoe Tunnel — and the first 50 fans will be given a gift-card to Famous Footwear for their back-to-school needs.
WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and her son recently visited a Famous Footwear store to shop sneakers and talk all things style, school, and sport. The behind-the-scenes content will roll out as part of a broader back-to-school campaign later this month.
“As big fans of women’s sports ourselves, and knowing how much it means to our customers, we are thrilled to partner with JWS for All-Star Weekend,” said Holly Campbell, senior vice president of marketing at Famous Footwear.
“This activation provides a unique opportunity for us to engage with other sports fans directly fostering connections and creating fun memories during such an exciting time for the league.”
Things got a little heated in the fourth quarter of last week's Washington Mystics win over Chicago.
The DC-based WNBA team held a slim 62-60 lead over the Sky, when a contested rebound turned into a jump ball that Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh strongly disagreed with — costing him a technical foul from the sideline.
Washington veteran Brittney Sykes could have taken the subsequent free throw, adding to a 32-point performance on a night when it felt like the 31-year-old couldn't miss. Fourth-year center Shakira Austin was also on the floor, as was third-year guard Sug Sutton.
Instead, the player stepping up to the stripe turned out to be rookie guard Sonia Citron. She calmly sank the shot for her 11th point of the game, giving Washington a little more daylight as they held on for their fifth win of the season.
Of course, Citron stepping up in the clutch is not exactly surprising. The Notre Dame alum has quickly made a name for herself in the early weeks of the 2025 WNBA season, alongside teammate and fellow first-round draft pick Kiki Iriafen — whose power was on full display Tuesday night as she battled with Sky forward Angel Reese.
"Kiki was in some foul trouble, but that didn't take away from her aggressiveness, and she played smart with fouls. You don't really get to see that with a lot of rookies," Sykes said after the game. "Soni came in. Soni does what she does."
And this past Sunday, they did it again. Taking the Dallas Wings to overtime, the Mystics rookies proved perfectly in sync. They executed a crucial jump-ball possession in the final seconds, before Citron hit the game-winner to top off a 27-point performance.
A little over a month in, Iriafen and Citron have already presented DC with a new dynamic duo. The pair embodies a new vision for the downtrodden Mystics — one that will hopefully return them to the WNBA's top ranks.
Washington's 2025 WNBA Draft night gamble
Following a breakthrough 2019 title win, Washington has sat in danger of spinning their wheels. They managed just two playoff berths in the last four seasons. They never failed to challenge opponents, but lacked the consistency necessary to keep up with the league's latest dynasties.
Then, in 2025, the Mystics took a risk. Faced with two paths — forge ahead with the status quo or attempt to start anew — they blew everything up. The team moved on from the father-son duo of general manager Mike and head coach Eric Thibault. Then, they brought on new GM Jamila Wideman and first-time WNBA head coach Sydney Johnson.
The team also doubled down on 2025 draft prospects, signing three first-rounders in No. 3 Citron, No. 5 Iriafen, and No. 6 Georgia Amoore, as well as retaining third-round pick Lucy Olsen out of Iowa. And despite hitting a setback after Amoore suffered a season-ending ACL injury during training camp, following the highs and lows of their youngest players has become the Mystics' new normal.
Thankfully, the trust in their rookies is paying off, with both Citron and Iriafen looking like naturals on the professional court — and averaging double-digit scoring along the way.
"They're going to move up in people's scouting reports. I'm pretty sure of that," Johnson said after the duo's first start, describing his rookies as simultaneously confident and coachable. Iriafen opened her career with a string of double-doubles, a feat that resulted in the 21-year-old's first Rookie of the Month award.
For her part, Citron trails only No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers in points per game among rookies. She also manages heavy minutes, recording more than 10 points in every game this season.
Suddenly, the Mystics' risky turnaround looks like a sure thing, thanks to a talented young pair who couldn't be more different from one another.
A smooth transition from college to the WNBA
Before the 2025 WNBA Draft, Iriafen and Citron only knew each other by force of reputation. They grew up on different coasts — Citron in New York, Iriafen in California — and only played each other once in college. That was during Iriafen's senior season as a USC transfer and Citron's final season at Notre Dame.
"I was kind of intimidated by her, I'm not gonna lie," Citron told Just Women's Sports with a smile, drawing a laugh from Iriafen. Even though, Iriafen admitted, she didn't know much about the Notre Dame guard either — other than that she was a beast on the court.
The two rookies didn't share much with one another on draft night. It was a hectic evening, filled with emotions, loved ones, and a very busy first round for the Mystics. But once the new recruits made their way into market, things began to lock into place.
"Since we got here, and I've been in DC, I feel like I've known her for years. We kind of just clicked instantly, along with Georgia and Lucy [Olsen]," Iriafen said.
The Mystics helped the newcomers transition from the college game to the pros. As Iriafen and Citron tell it, the entire organization made both rookies feel not just welcome but needed from the moment they stepped into training camp.
"One thing [Johnson] said early on was, 'With big opportunity comes big responsibility,'" Citron said. "And the fact that he trusted us and had confidence in us to say that and really believe it, I think it made us believe in ourselves."
"It feels like I'm a person," echoed Iriafen. "I don't feel like I'm just an athlete or just a business decision. I feel like this is my second family."
Mystics make room for the new kids
Washington has certainly tapped into their rookies' collective confidence, giving Iriafen and Citron far greater opportunities than many first-year players in the WNBA. The pair are trusted with both opening and closing rotations, leaning into the freedom to connect with players across the team.
Citron noted that her Notre Dame coaches were particularly excited for her to join the Mystics, knowing that she'd develop quickly through extended playing time. "Experience is the best way to learn. You're going to get thrown in the fire, and that's how you're going to become a great player," she recalls being told.
Iriafen voiced a similar feeling. "There's just so much opportunity here," she added. "That's why you're able to see a lot of success with us — we have the ability to play and make mistakes."
Far from intimidating, the pair say that their new teammates have embraced the rookie class with excitement and full support. And there seems to be few insecurities around the prospect of draftees walking in and taking their spots.
"We're not alone at all. It's not like we felt it's us versus them," said Citron. "In no way did it ever feel like it was [all] on our shoulders."
"I think that's really the essence of the Mystics as a family," said Iriafen. "You fight with your siblings, you don't always get along with your siblings. But at the end of the day, we're one family."
Iriafen and Citron learned to lean on their vets
Both players point to veterans on the Mystics squad who have stepped up to provide advice and encouragement — for Iriafen, it's Austin, and for Citron it's Sykes. Though they've also gotten plenty of help beyond Washington's roster.
"One thing that I've really appreciated being in the league so far is [how] the vets are talking to me even though we're on opposing teams," Iriafen said. "BG, Stewie, they're giving me advice on, 'Hey, I'm able to get you on this because of this and this.'"
"Kiki came in and she's not playing like a rookie," Atlanta Dream center Britney Griner confirmed after the Dream's June 15th win over the Mystics. "She wasn't scared of any of us out there. She's coming right at us. You see her working. She seems like an amazing person."
Washington's rookie performances have clearly been noticed throughout the league, with mutual respect mounting in every corner. The learning curve for a WNBA first-year is steep, and sometimes praise is hard to come by. But their hard work has set Citron and Iriafen apart from the pack.
"Sonia, her poise has always stuck out. Even when she was at Notre Dame," said Chicago's Marsh. "One of her greatest attributes is her ability to play at her own pace and not get sped up. And she's carried that with her into her early career here in W."
"And Kiki — her aggressiveness, offensively and defensively," he continued. "She's not afraid of the moment. She's not afraid of the matchups."
With Washington behind them, the rookies find their groove
With so many players and staff already firmly in their camp, it's easy for Citron and Iriafen to gas each other up. Iriafen describes Citron as "stone cold" and a "silent assassin," joking about how different they are when the competition heats up.
"I can be a little bit extra when I play, which I like," Iriafen laughed. "Soni's the opposite. The only time Soni makes a face is if her teammates do something."
On the other hand, Citron thinks Iriafen's passing ability is underrated, and notes that her teammate doesn't get guarded like a rookie — not a small feat considering the WNBA's elite post player lineup.
"People on the free throw line have to pinch her," Citron said. "We do that to the vets [when] we need help, like we can't do it on our own. And they're doing that to her as a rookie. That says something."
"Not only is she holding her own, she's excelling," she continued. "And seeing that is just incredible."
Occupying complementary positions on the court, fans can see the connection building between the pair as they evolve from executing set plays to moving instinctively around one another. Their chemistry is palpable on the pick-and-roll, stifling defenses with backdoor cuts in the post, trusting the exact right pass will arrive.
"It's not even something that I'm thinking about, my body's just doing it," said Iriafen. "I feel like she's always in the right spot."
"Soni just does all the little things," she continued. "She doesn't shortcut anything. She's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all. And I think that's why she's able to be so successful."
Playing with joy, Iriafen and Citron eye the WNBA postseason
For all of Washington's early success, the organization understands that rebuilding is a process that takes longer than a single season. The Mystics currently sit at No. 9 in the WNBA standings with a 6-8 record, with the hope of turning close losses into wins as the year progresses.
That perspective hasn't deterred Citron and Iriafen, though, with the rookies making it clear they'd like to see Washington in the playoffs this season — while also knowing to measure success beyond wins and losses.
"It's about the sisterhood that we have, and the joy that we have playing together," said Citron. "So after 44 games, we want to still be able to be around each other, love each other like a family. Like sisters."
Iriafen said she wanted to remember her rookie year as one filled with joy. She defined the term as "when even in the tough moments, you're able to find the good in it."
"If I can look back and be like, this was such a joyful season, I was around so many people that brought me joy every single day, that would be a success," she said.