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WNBA draft lottery: What each team needs from its pick

Destanni Henderson and the Indiana Fever have secured the No. 1 overall pick. (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics will have the top four picks in the 2023 draft, in that order.

Aliyah Boston is likely to be the No. 1 pick, but each team has very different personnel needs. Here’s what the teams should look for come draft night.

Indiana Fever

The Fever have the No. 1 pick, and they also have the most holes to fill.

The team finished last season in last place in the league, with a 5-31 record, and parted ways with coach Marianne Stanley just nine games into the year.

Christie Sides was named the new head coach on Nov. 4. But a new coach doesn’t change the overall outlook of this team. Indiana did well in last season’s draft, picking up NaLyssa Smith, Emily Engslter, Destanni Henderson, Queen Egbo and Lexie Hull. In total, the Fever had seven rookies on their 12-player roster.

This team has solid young players, but what they need more than anything is experience. Right now, the best strategy for the Fever is to draft the best available player rather than trying to decide what gaps to fill, since there are so many. In the next couple of seasons, a clearer picture of their identity will emerge, but for now, they can’t afford to pass on the best player on the board.

Minnesota Lynx

There can’t be a discussion about what the Lynx need without talking about what they lost. After 15 seasons, two WNBA titles, two Finals MVPs and plenty of other accolades, Sylvia Fowles retired from the league at the end of the 2022 campaign.

The Lynx will be hard-pressed to replace her, and there isn’t a one-for-one replacement for a player as talented as Fowles. But the Lynx will need some kind of post presence, whether they get that in the draft or through free agency. The Lynx were an excellent rebounding team last year, but a lot of that was because of Fowles and her 9.8 boards per game.

Napheesa Collier will be back next season, so she will serve as the team’s centerpiece. But after that, they need a little bit of everything. Collier is an excellent playmaker that can benefit from having shooters around her, and the Lynx also need to step up their defense – Minnesota gave up 102.5 points per 100 possessions, ranking 10th in the league.

In other words, the Lynx have a lot of issues to work out besides simply finding someone to try and replace Fowles. Because of that, they should choose the best available player.

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Shakira Austin and Rhyne Howard were selected with the No. 3 and No. 1 overall picks in 2022, respectively. (Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Atlanta Dream

The Dream had the top pick last season, and they were blessed with a draft class that had Rhyne Howard, the kind of player to build a franchise around. Howard led her team with 16.2 points per game, but overall, the Dream were 11th in the league in points scored and shooting percentage.

The Dream needs scorers, and more importantly, scorers that aren’t guards. Cheyenne Parker averaged 11.8 points per game at center, but after that, nearly all Atlanta’s production came from guards. The Dream need an inside presence to balance their attack and to provide an efficient option from close range.

Washington Mystics

Washington is the rare team up for the top pick that actually made the playoffs. The Mystics’ position in the lottery comes via a trade last offseason.

The Mystics, who went 22-14 and earned the No. 5 seed in the 2022 playoffs, are in a much different position than a team like the Fever. Washington already features Elena Delle Donne, Ariel Atkins, Natasha Cloud and last season’s No. 3 pick, Shakira Austin.

While the team likely wouldn’t want to pass on an elite talent like Boston if they were in position to take her, the Mystics should also be on the hunt for a shooter. They shot just 33.8% from 3-point range last season, a number that ranked 10th in the WNBA. Bonus points if they can get a shooter who can also defend, adding to the already lethal defensive combo of Cloud and Atkins.

Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries Ride Upset Wins into the WNBA Weekend

Phoenix Mercury players including Satou Sabally huddle during a 2025 WNBA game against the New York Liberty.
Phoenix rose to No. 3 in the WNBA standings with Thursday's win over New York. (Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

Las Vegas Aces Aim to Stop Skid Ahead of Tough WNBA Weekend Matchups

Las Vegas's A'ja Wilson tries to defend a lay-up from Seattle's Gabby Williams during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Las Vegas Aces will face both Seattle and Indiana this weekend. (Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
  • No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
  • No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

NWSL Kicks Off Final Gameday Slate Ahead of Summer Break

The San Diego Wave celebrate a goal by María Sánchez during a 2025 NWSL match.
The San Diego Wave will take on 2024 runners-up Washington on Sunday. (Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

  • No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.
  • No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.
  • No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Ups Purse to $12 Million, Ties LPGA Tour Record

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul hits a shot during the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.
Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul is in the lead after one round at the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.

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