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WNBA Preseason Power Rankings: Can the Seattle Storm repeat?

Breanna Stewart (Julio Aguilar / Getty Images)

A lot has gone down in the WNBA since the unprecedented bubble season ended in October. Rosters have turned over, stars have switched teams, injuries have taken their toll and draft picks are ready to make their mark.

It all amounts to what could be one of the most entertaining seasons in the WNBA’s 25th year.

With limited preseason games this year, it’s hard to project where every team stands heading into the season openers Friday night. But based on what we’ve seen and heard out of training camps, here are our inaugural WNBA power rankings for the 2021 season.

Check back every week for updated rankings and fresh analysis as the games unfold. (Note: Records in parentheses indicate those from the 2020 regular season.)

12. Indiana Fever (6-16)

It’s been five years since the Fever last made the WNBA playoffs. Their chances of breaking that drought this season are riding on their defense. In 2020, Indiana gave up 89.5 points per game to opponents, the most in the league. Teaira McCowan has been a menace on the boards in each of her two WNBA seasons, averaging 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in that span, but she can’t do it alone.

Kelsey Mitchell is in line for a breakout year offensively, Julie Allemand is one of the best distributors in the league, and No. 4 draft pick Kysre Gondrezick should get plenty of chances to produce. Can they put it all together to bring playoff basketball back to Indiana? The rebuild might need one more year.

11. Atlanta Dream (7-15)

The team that gave up the most points next to the Fever? That would be the Dream, who surrendered 87.6 points per game in the bubble and recorded their second-straight losing season. Now, their head coach is gone (with Nicki Collen taking the job at Baylor in the middle of training camp) and they’ll be starting the season under interim head coach Mike Petersen while the front office searches for Collen’s permanent replacement.

Along with the turnover at the top comes many new faces on the roster. Tianna Hawkins, Cheyenne Parker and Odyssey Sims will bring much-needed veteran experience, while Elizabeth Williams and Tiffany Hayes bring stability. The biggest X-factors will be second-year player Chennedy Carter and No. 3 pick Aari McDonald, who could blow by teams in transition.

10. Dallas Wings (8-14)

The Wings will be one of the most intriguing teams in the league this season. They came one Mystics loss away from making the playoffs last year, and the young players who led them there are now one year older. How quickly their four rookies adjust to the league will go a long way toward their ability to break the franchise’s two-year playoff drought.

Those chances largely rest on the shooting hand of Arike Ogunbowale, who led the WNBA last season with 22.8 points per game. First-year head coach Vickie Johnson will be looking to her to run the offense. No. 1 pick Charli Collier, who posted a double-double in Dallas’ only preseason game, and second-year forward Satou Sabally (when she returns from German national team duties) will carry a heavy load in the paint.

9. New York Liberty (2-20)

Here’s where the power rankings get particularly interesting. I’m not yet convinced the Liberty, a team with many moving parts under a second-year head coach, are ready to contend with the best teams in the league. That said, they have just the tools to prove me wrong.

Sabrina Ionescu recorded barely 2 ½ games of play before going down with an ankle injury last season, but her numbers in that span were a scary sign of what’s to come — 18.3 points, 4.0 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. 2020 Most Improved Player Betnijah Laney and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard now enter the picture to make this team formidable on both sides of the ball. How effective their supporting cast is — notably, rookies Michaela Onyenwere and DiDi Richards, as well as Jazmine Jones and Layshia Clarendon — will be the difference-maker for the Liberty.

8. Washington Mystics (9-13)

The season-ending foot injury Alysha Clark suffered overseas was a devastating blow to this team. With her, the Mystics would have more insurance while Elena Delle Donne eases into game shape after undergoing two back surgeries in the past year. Now, how quickly Delle Donne can get back to her old MVP self will likely determine the Mystics’ postseason path two years after they won it all.

The return of emotional leader Natasha Cloud, who sat out last season to focus on social justice initiatives at home, is key for this team. She’s joined by Tina Charles, the seven-time All-Star suiting up for Washington for the first time, and 2020 offensive leaders Myisha Hines-Allen and Ariel Atkins. Emma Meesseman, the 2019 Finals MVP, remains an unrestricted free agent and said she will not return to the WNBA until after the Olympics, if at all.

7. Los Angeles Sparks (15-7)

The Sparks will be an interesting case study this season in team chemistry. The past few years, they have had the individual talent to go the distance but were ousted from the playoffs in the second round or semifinals. Gone this season are Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray, and in their place are Erica Wheeler and Amanda Zahui B. While less proven stars, Wheeler had a breakout 2019 season and Zahui B. recorded her best season as a pro in 2020.

If they mesh well with Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike and Kristi Toliver in coach Derek Fisher’s system, the Sparks could be a force to be reckoned with in the WNBA. Also keep an eye on second-year guard Te’a Cooper and No. 7 pick Jasmine Walker, who dropped 23 points and drained 7-of-11 3-pointers in Los Angeles’ final preseason game.

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Diana Taurasi (@PhoenixMercury)

6. Phoenix Mercury (13-9)

The Mercury had a target on their back last season after adding Skylar Diggins-Smith in free agency and forming a Big 3 with her, Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner. They got off to a slow start, losing seven of their first 13 games in the bubble. Then Phoenix hit its stride in late August, riding Taurasi’s hot hand to a six-game win streak and a spot in the playoffs. It offered a sign of what this team can be in 2021.

Making the Mercury even more dangerous this year is their supporting cast. Bria Hartley is coming off a season in which she recorded career highs in nearly every category, and Kia Nurse joins the team after three steady years with the Liberty and one All-Star nod. Guard Sophie Cunningham and forward Alanna Smith also provide a spark off the bench.

5. Chicago Sky (12-10)

The Sky could easily move into the upper tier of the power rankings if they perform to the level they’re capable of on paper. Candace Parker, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, will immediately draw defenders and take some of the pressure off Chicago’s playmakers and sharpshooters, like Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. Diamond DeShields is healthy and primed to return to her All-Star form from 2019.

The question remaining for the Sky is whether they can win when the stakes are highest. Despite having good teams and winning records the past two years, they haven’t advanced past the second round, losing by 13 points to the Sun in the first round last season.

4. Connecticut Sun (10-12)

The Sun like to use a perceived lack of respect as a motivational tactic, and for the past two years, it’s worked out quite well for them. They have a case for beating that drum again this season with the way free agency has people talking about the other top teams.

Connecticut will have to adjust to the loss of Alyssa Thomas, who’s out indefinitely with a torn Achilles tendon after dominating in the playoffs last season. This team gets a huge boost, however, with the return of Jonquel Jones, a two-time WNBA All-Star who’s been overseas winning EuroLeague championships with UMMC Ekaterinburg. The combination of Jones, DeWanna Bonner and Jasmine Thomas has me liking the Sun’s chances in 2021.

3. Minnesota Lynx (14-8)

The Lynx have been the most consistently good team in the WNBA in the past decade, and it doesn’t look like that trend is changing anytime soon. If there’s one thing that held the Lynx back last season, it was that they didn’t have enough offensive weapons to spread defenses out and score enough points to beat the best teams. That showed in the semifinals, where they were swept 3-0 by Seattle.

This year, Minnesota welcomes Kayla McBride and Aerial Powers to an already potent lineup led by six-time All-Star Sylvia Fowles and reigning Rookies of the Year Napheesa Collier and Crystal Dangerfield. McBride and Powers each shot over 34.0 percent from 3 last season, giving the Lynx two more threats from deep along with Rachel Banham and Bridget Carleton. Minnesota also has Damiris Dantas coming off her best year in the league and 2020 second-round pick Jessica Shepard returning from an ACL injury.

2. Las Vegas Aces (18-4)

The Aces were without Liz Cambage and Kelsey Plum last season and still made a run at the WNBA championship. That was in large part because of A’ja Wilson, who put up ridiculous numbers (20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks per game) in her MVP season.

Now, the Aces return Cambage and Plum and have free-agent signee Chelsea Gray to run the offense alongside 2019 No. 1 pick Jackie Young. Angel McCoughtry’s season-ending ACL and meniscus tear is a tough blow for this team, but Las Vegas has the depth to overcome it. Two-time Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby should lead the effort off the bench.

1. Seattle Storm (18-4)

The Storm lost a few key players from their championship team in the offseason, but I am not buying that those roster shake-ups will set them back this year. If not for Wilson’s dominant 2020 season, Breanna Stewart likely would have won her second MVP trophy. She leads Seattle’s title defense and is only 26 years old.

Sue Bird, meanwhile, is 40 and on the backend of her career, but she’s still dishing out assists. Jewell Loyd was a more efficient shooter last season, averaging 44.3 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from deep, and Jordin Canada continues to be a steady contributor. The Storm will miss Alysha Clark and Natasha Howard, but they’ve patched holes with additions like Candice Dupree and Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, and third-year player Ezi Magbegor’s tantalizing potential could come to fruition this year.

New York Liberty Lead 2025 WNBA Power Rankings

New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu celebrates a three-pointer during a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
The New York Liberty lead the WNBA power rankings ahead of the 2025 season tip-off. (Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

The New York Liberty will open the 2025 WNBA season at the top of the league's power rankings, drumming up high expectations despite a short-staffed roster.

Trailing the reigning champions at No. 2 are 2024 runners-up Minnesota, followed by 2023 champs Las Vegas at No. 3.

Fueled by this year's overall No. 2 draft pick Dominique Malonga, the Seattle Storm claimed No. 4 in the WNBA rankings, with the revamped Indiana Fever eyeing a 2025 turnaround at No. 5.

The betting market similarly reflects the league's latest forecast, with sportsbook FanDuel setting the Liberty's title odds at +210, followed by the Aces at +360, and the Lynx at +370.

The lines also support Indiana's promise, giving the Fever the fourth-best championship odds at +390 — far higher than the fifth-best Phoenix Mercury at +1,300.

On the other hand, the Dallas Wings, LA Sparks, Washington Mystics, Connecticut Sun, and Golden State Valkyries occupy the rankings' bottom half, as 2025's potential lottery teams prepare to prove themselves against top-line squads this season.

The up-for-sale Sun and brand-new Valkyries have the longest title odds on FanDuel, clocking in at +50,000 each.

While preseason action has provided some quality sneak peeks, Friday's opening tip-off represents a fresh start for the league, one where anything can — and likely will — happen.

Seattle Storm and France international teammates Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga smile before a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
France's Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga will skip the 2025 Eurobasket to stay with Seattle. (Scott Eklund/NBAE via Getty Images)

European WNBA stars drop out of 2025 EuroBasket

Several European WNBA standouts announced they will skip out on this summer's FIBA EuroBasket, opting to prioritize league play following a pivotal 2024 Olympics.

Reigning Olympic silver medalists Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga both confirmed they will not represent France at the European tournament in June, opting to remain with the Seattle Storm.

The duo's France teammate Carla Leite is also forgoing the trip, instead remaining with the Golden State Valkyries for the entirety of the expansion side's debut season.

As a major international tournament, the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket is exempt from the WNBA's prioritization rule, meaning eligible players can miss regular-season league play to compete in the overseas contest without being in violation of WNBA protocols.

The 2025 regional FIBA competition between Europe's top national teams will tip off on June 18th.

Alex Morgan Rejoins San Diego Wave as Minority Owner

San Diego Wave minority owner Alex Morgan wears a pink suit and smiles while sitting in gray stadium seats.
Alex Morgan retired from professional soccer in 2024. (San Diego Wave FC)

US soccer legend Alex Morgan is back in the game, becoming a minority owner of her former NWSL club by investing in the San Diego Wave FC on Tuesday.

One of the 2022 expansion side's first signings, Morgan captained the Wave to their 2023 NWSL Shield win before retiring in September 2024 as the team's all-time leader in both goals (28) and assists (11).

"San Diego is where I've built my home, where I am raising my children, and found a purpose beyond my playing career," Morgan said in a club statement. "I believed in Wave FC before a single match was played, and I still believe this club has the power to change the future of women's sports."

Morgan joins an ownership group led by the Leichtman-Levine family. The Leichtmans purchased the team from founding owner Ron Burkle at a reported $113 million valuation last year.

"Alex has always fought to positively impact this game beyond the pitch," said Wave FC controlling owner Lauren Leichtman. "Her decision to invest is not only a continuation of her leadership but also a reflection of her belief in what we are building."

The two-time World Cup champion appears to be making good on her desire to shape the women's sports landscape after hanging up her boots, also buying into Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball ahead of the league's early 2025 debut.

"I was on board [with Unrivaled] from day one," Morgan told Boardroom in January. "Fans want to see what a player's personality is and who they vibe with, what drives them, and I think that being able to mesh that with competition, it already [is] a home run here with Unrivaled. So it would be really exciting to do something with other women's sports as well."

Minnesota Enters Game 4 with 2-1 PWHL Semifinals Lead Over Toronto

Defender Lee Stecklein celebrates a goal during the 2025 PWHL semifinals with her Minnesota Frost teammates.
Minnesota holds a 2-1 series advantage over Toronto. (Michael Chisholm/Getty Images)

The Minnesota Frost offense is ruling the ice, as record-setting scoring has the reigning PWHL champions on the brink of returning to the Walter Cup finals, entering Wednesday's Game 4 on a 2-1 series lead over the Toronto Sceptres in the best-of-five semifinals. 

Just two days after No. 4-seed Minnesota leveled the series with a 5-3 Friday win — recording the most combined goals ever scored in a PWHL Playoff game — the Frost found yet another gear, winning the highest scoring game in the second-year league's history in Sunday’s 7-5 Game 3 defeat of No. 2-seed Toronto.

In Sunday's barnburner, 21 players earned points across the two teams, but it was Minnesota who claimed victory, never relinquishing their early lead after netting a trio of goals in the game's first eight minutes.

"Minnesota's a great team," Sceptres head coach Troy Ryan said after the loss. "If you're putting yourself in a situation where you've got to chase them, it's an uphill battle."

"I think it’s a fan's dream and a coach's nightmare, a 7-5 playoff game," said Minnesota boss Ken Klee. "We found a way to win and that's the most important thing."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Minnesota skaters now own the league's 2025 Playoffs stat sheet, with four Frost players topping the points race.

More eyebrow-raising, however, is that the league's postseason offensive leader is a defender, as the Frost's Lee Stecklein has burned up the ice with three goals and three assists in the playoffs so far.

Calling her "outstanding" and "world-class," Klee sang Stecklein's praises while acknowledging that the postseason means Minnesota must "find different ways to score goals and different people have to contribute."

"[Stecklein] knows that, she exemplifies that, and that's why she's one of our leaders and one of our best players."

How to watch Minnesota vs. Toronto in the PWHL Semifinals

The defending champion Frost will hope to secure their spot in the 2025 PWHL Finals while the Sceptres aim to stave off elimination in the pair's next semifinals game on Wednesday.

The puck drops on Game 4 of the best-of-five series at 7 PM ET, with live coverage streaming on the PWHL YouTube channel.

Marta Comes Out of Retirement to Join Brazil National Team Roster

Marta looks up before the 2024 Olympic gold-medal match between Brazil and the USWNT.
Despite her 2024 international retirement, Marta will return to the Brazil team this month. (Cao Can/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Soccer legend Marta is officially returning to the canary yellow kit, earning a Brazil national team call-up just over nine months after her planned retirement from international duty.

Brazil head coach Arthur Elias named Marta to the world No. 8 Seleção's roster on Tuesday, with the 39-year-old icon returning for the team's upcoming home friendlies against No. 5 Japan on May 30th and June 2nd.

"I was with Marta recently and spoke with her," Elias told reporters on Tuesday. "She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now."

Stellar club form fuels Marta's Brazil return

Marta, who hung up her international boots after snagging a third silver Olympic medal at the 2024 Paris Games, hasn't missed a beat since, captaining the Orlando Pride to the club's first-ever NWSL Shield and Championship last fall.

In the process, the scoring phenom claimed the league's Best XI First Team honors, as well as finalist nods for both the 2024 NWSL MVP and Midfielder of the Year awards.

Unsurprisingly, the Pride inked Marta to a two-year contract extension in January.

While Marta's consistently impressive form fueled Elias's request to lure her out of retirement, the manager is also hoping her unmatched leadership will bolster younger athletes as Brazil takes aim at a record-extending ninth Copa América title this summer — and, as the host nation, a deep 2027 World Cup run.

Joining the legend on Tuesday's roster are fellow Brazil veterans Lorena and Debinha, from the NWSL-leading Kansas City Current, and Marta's Orlando teammate Angelina.

"[Marta's] presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team," explained Elias. "We really want expectations to rise for the women's national team and for football in our country."

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