The WNBA released its 2025 All-Defensive Teams on Wednesday, delaying the announcement more than a week amid the fallout from the viral takedown of league leadership by Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier.

Collier herself headlines the First Team, with Lynx teammate Alanna Smith, Phoenix Mercury standout Alyssa Thomas, Seattle Storm star Gabby Williams, and the Las Vegas Aces' four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson joining the Minnesota star on the 2025 WNBA All-Defensive roster.

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Second Team honors went to Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston, the Golden State Valkyries' 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player Veronica Burton, Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor, and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart.

The WNBA's first-ever co-Defensive Player of the Year award-winners Wilson and Smith put up leading individual stats throughout the 2025 season, with Wilson averaging a league-high 2.3 blocks along with 7.9 defensive rebounds per game while Smith averaged a team-high 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.

Collier averaged 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, contributing to Minnesota's league-best 97.5 defensive rating, while Williams tied for the second-most single-season steals with 99 — just one short of WNBA legend Teresa Weatherspoon's 1998 record.

In her debut year with the Mercury, Thomas became the first-ever WNBA player to average 15+ points, 8+ rebounds, 9+ assists, and 1+ steals per game while shooting over 50% from the field.

This year's Second Team featured three first-ever selections, with Boston, Burton, and Howard all making their All-Defensive Team debuts.

The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces are closing in on their third title in four years, taking down the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury 90-88 in Wednesday's Game 3 to push their 2025 WNBA Finals lead to 3-0.

A late surge kept the Mercury's do-or-die Game 3 dreams alive before 2025 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson scored the game-winner with just 2.2 seconds left on the clock, capping an impressive 34-point, 14-rebound performance en route to becoming the most prolific scorer in a single postseason in league history.

"Get the ball to A'ja, and get out of the way," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said afterwards, joking about calling her team's final play.

"We all had 100% confidence in A'ja," said guard Jewell Loyd. "Everyone on that bench was saying, 'We're winning this game.'"

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As for Phoenix, the Mercury's likelihood of bouncing back in the league's first-ever best-of-seven series is hard to predict — but basketball history is not on their side.

On the men's court, no NBA team has ever won a championship series after being down 3-0, and only four teams in the league's 159 total seven-game playoff series have ever forced a decisive Game 7.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat — we've got a tough road ahead," Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts said. "But we've got to take it one game at a time."

How to watch Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will get one last crack at survival in the 2025 WNBA Finals as they look to halt the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces' momentum in Game 4 on Friday.

The matchup will tip off live at 8 PM ET on ESPN.

The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces raced to a 2-0 series lead in the 2025 WNBA Finals over the weekend, opening with a close 89-86 Game 1 victory over the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury on Friday before pulling off a more dominant 91-78 Game 2 win on Sunday.

The Aces' offense ruled the court, with guards Dana Evans and Jewell Loyd putting up a momentum-shifting combined 39 points off the bench in Game 1 before Game 2 saw guard Jackie Young post 32 points — setting a WNBA Finals record with the most points by a player in a single quarter (21).

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Young and 2025 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson — who is averaging 24.5 points per game through the first two Finals matchups — also became the second-most prolific duo in a single Finals game in WNBA history by combining for 60 of Las Vegas's 91 points on Sunday.

"I am so proud of Jackie," Wilson said after Sunday's win. "I'm a pain in the ass sometimes when she's not doing her job, because I know that [potential] is there."

Hunting their third title in four years, Las Vegas veterans Wilson, Young, and guard Chelsea Gray are combining with new signings Evans and Loyd to make things difficult for the new-look Mercury.

"We have weapons," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said. "We want to use them all, because we're harder to guard that way."

"What gives me confidence is we've been down before," countered Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts. "We've been overlooked."

While no WNBA Finals team has ever bounced back from a 0-2 start, the league's new best-of-seven format gives the Mercury a little extra cushioning as the series travels to Phoenix for Game 3 on Wednesday.

How to watch Game 3 of the 2025 WNBA Finals

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury will hunt their first victory in the 2025 WNBA Finals on home court when they host the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces for Game 3 at 8 PM ET on Wednesday.

Live coverage will air on ESPN.

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury land in Las Vegas to tip off the first best-of-seven finals in league history on Friday night, leaning into a new-look roster as they take on the No. 2 Aces in Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals — the Mercury's first championship series since 2021.

"This is what it's all about," said Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas ahead of the matchup. "We play the whole season for playoffs and moments like this. I want to win. I've been chasing a championship for a long time, and I think this is our time."

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The Mercury found almost immediate success this year after picking up top free agents like Thomas and fellow forward Satou Sabally during a productive offseason.

"I'm really happy with the strides that we've made, how we're trying to build this team moving forward, because there were some players that took chances on us and you want it to go well," second-year Phoenix head coach Nate Tibbetts told JWS last month.

"It speaks volumes about the team and how we stay composed, how we can go on runs and ride the wave," Thomas said. "You don't know what each game is going to bring, but the biggest thing is us staying composed."

Phoenix will have their work cut out for them on Friday night, facing a Las Vegas home unit armed with significant postseason experience as Aces mainstays A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray shoot for their third title in four years.

"We've been here before, we have a team full of vets, but they do, too. I don't think you can take that for granted," said Young.

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How to watch Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Finals

The No. 4 Phoenix Mercury and No. 2 Las Vegas Aces will tip off the 2025 WNBA Finals at 8 PM ET on Friday, with Game 1 airing live on ESPN.

Game 2 will follow at 3 PM ET on Sunday, with live coverage airing on ABC.

The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces are headed to the 2025 WNBA Finals, surviving the No. 6 Indiana Fever's Game 5 upset bid with a 107-98 overtime win to close out the semifinal series 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and two-time league champion Jackie Young combined for 67 points in the victory, with Young and point guard Chelsea Gray additionally swapping clutch buckets to seal the deal as the clock ticked down.

"It's not just one person, it's not just five people, it's everybody. Everybody you see contributed to this game," Wilson said after leading the Aces to their third WNBA Finals in four years.

With six players already sidelined with injury, the Fever took another big hit in the third quarter, when leading scorer Kelsey Mitchell exited the game with lower-body cramps.

Short-staffed Indiana never let up, however, with former hardship signing Odyssey Sims contributing 27 points as the Fever pushed the home team to the brink of elimination.

"They're a great example to everybody of what it means to just put one foot in front of the other," Fever head coach Stephanie White said afterwards. "To persevere, to welcome people into the fold, to not give in to circumstance."

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How to watch the 2025 WNBA Finals

The 2025 WNBA Finals are officially a battle in the desert, with the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces hosting the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury for Game 1 of the best-of-seven series on Friday.

The first clash of the championship series will tip off live at 8 PM ET on ESPN.

The basketball world didn't hold back on Tuesday, with many of the sport's biggest names voicing support for Napheesa Collier after the Lynx star publicly criticized WNBA leadership in a now-viral press conference.

"I'm grateful to have those type of people to be able to continue to speak up for us," four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson told reporters after her Las Vegas Aces' Game 5 semifinal win. "I'm going to ride with Phee always…. Moving forward, we've gotta continue to stand on business as we talk about this CBA negotiation."

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"I agree with everything," said Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull prior to Tuesday's playoff decider. "We're at a really important time in the league and changes need to be made… really proud of [Collier] for making that statement today."

"It's the care for the human part for me. I'm still not sure if [WNBA commissioner] Cathy [Engelbert] knows I retired. Heard from everyone but her," two-time league MVP Elena Delle Donne wrote on Instagram.

"10/10. No notes!" tweeted Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, while 2025 Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers posted a photo of her and Collier to Instagram marked with the caption "Queen Phee."

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The WNBA Players Association also spoke out, releasing a statement backing Collier as a longtime union leader.

"When Phee speaks, people listen," the WNBPA wrote. "The leaders of the league and its teams would benefit from listening to her powerful statement. The players know their value even if the league does not."

"They are fighting for their legacy and the future of basketball."

Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson is hitting the small screen, teaming up with apparel sponsor Nike and LEGO to host the Danish toymaker's new YouTube Shorts series Clicked In.

According to a Saturday announcement for the series, "Wilson is getting together her closest LEGO Minifigure friends to talk sport, style, and tell unbelievable stories from her real life."

The 2025 WNBA MVP first joined the two brands' new multi-year partnership in May, teaming up to help "inspire kids everywhere to play both on and off the court."

"I have loved playing with LEGO bricks since I was a kid, and know that my creativity and play helped me not only in sports but also at school and in life," Wilson said in a press release last May. "I'm thrilled to be part of this partnership with Nike and the LEGO Group and know we can help to make a positive impact with kids and adults alike."

With new episodes dropping every Sunday through mid-November, LEGO is calling Wilson's upcoming YouTube Shorts series "the biggest mini sports show ever."

In addition to the streaming series, Nike and LEGO will also release the third installment of their kids' clothing and accessories line in less than two weeks, with the full collection set to drop on October 11th.

With one half of the WNBA Finals locked up, the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces will host the No. 6 Indiana Fever in a winner-take-all Game 5 semifinals battle on Tuesday night, as each team hopes to join the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury in the league's 2025 championship series.

"Our players understand what we have to do," said Indiana head coach Stephanie White. "We have to leave it all out on the floor."

"Honestly, you just do your work," Aces star A'ja Wilson said prior to Tuesday's decider. "You gotta do your work early and make it different."

Up and down performances on both sides led to the win-or-go-home Game 5, with Indiana opening the series by stealing a road victory before Las Vegas roared back with double-digit wins in Games 2 and 3.

However, the injury-riddled Fever don't know when to quit, scraping together a Game 4 victory on Sunday behind stellar play from guard Kelsey Mitchell plus 34 trips to the free-throw line — more than three times the Aces' tally.

"We didn't get a lot of stops. They shot a lot of free throws. We didn't," Las Vegas head coach Becky Hammon said after Sunday's loss. "That all affects the flow of the game, but it was us on the defensive end."

How to watch Indiana vs. Las Vegas in Game 5 of the semifinals

The No. 2 Aces and No. 6 Fever will close out the 2025 WNBA semifinals with a high-stakes Game 5 clash in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

The action tips off at 9:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.

The championship dreams of the injury-plagued Indiana Fever are still alive after the No. 6 seed held off the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces 90-83 in Sunday's Game 4, forcing a winner-take-all decider in the 2025 WNBA semifinals.

Following an 84-72 Game 3 loss that saw Indiana fall behind 2-1 in the best-of-five series last Friday, Fever center Aliyah Boston and guard Kelsey Mitchell stepped up on Sunday, putting up a combined 49 of Indiana's 90 points.

"The desperation and the urgency that we play with when we're in those positions has been exactly what we need," Fever head coach Stephanie White said postgame.

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As for Las Vegas, the fired-up Aces expressed frustration after Sunday's upset loss, with officiating issues continuing to take center stage throughout the 2025 WNBA postseason.

"[Indiana] shot 34 free throws, and we shot 11," Aces head coach Becky Hammon told reporters, with game-leading scorer A'ja Wilson adding that Boston alone shot 13 free throws — more than Las Vegas's entire team.

"I did appreciate it was a little tighter call, but tighter on both ends would have been nice," continued Hammon.

How to watch Indiana vs. Las Vegas in Game 5 of the semifinals

The No. 2 Aces and No. 6 Fever will close out the 2025 WNBA semifinals with a high-stakes Game 5 clash in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

The action tips off at 9:30 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.

The No. 2 Las Vegas Aces reclaimed their contender status in Game 2 on Tuesday night, taking down the No. 6 Indiana Fever in a 90-68 blowout victory to tie their best-of-five 2025 WNBA semifinals at 1-1.

Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson fueled the Aces' bounce-back performance with 25 points and nine rebounds, backed by 10 points apiece from reserves Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans.

"I just think we came to work," Wilson said following the win. "We didn't come to work in Game 1, and that's on all of us. I think Game 2, we just decided to come to work."

Physicality on the court — as well as the referees' response to it — has played a major role in the Aces vs. Fever series, with Las Vegas clearly upping the intensity to keep Indiana at bay on Tuesday.

"It's playoffs — very physical games," said Aces forward NaLyssa Smith afterwards. "I feel like we've got to match the energy, day in and day out."

"It's hard for us to find flow when there's a foul called every 10 seconds," Fever head coach Stephanie White lamented. "When they're at the free throw line, we can't get up and down the floor, and that's a challenge."

How to watch the Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever in Game 3

The 2025 WNBA semifinals next travels to Indiana for Game 3, with the No. 6 Fever hosting the No. 2 Aces at 7:30 PM ET on Friday, with live coverage airing on ESPN2.