The No. 11 Dallas Wings put on a show on Monday, handing the No. 2 New York Liberty their second straight loss behind a combined 40 points from star guards Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.
Rocketing to a season-best 63-36 first-half lead, Dallas held off the reigning WNBA champions' fourth-quarter surge to secure the 92-82 upset win — the Wings' eighth victory of the year.
Ogunbowale tallied 14 assists in the win, becoming to first WNBA player to ever record 20+ points and 14+ assists in a single game while committing less than two turnovers.
While the WNBA standings remained relatively stable, Dallas's upswing brought further frustration for the Liberty, as they continue to struggle to keep all five starters healthy at the same time.
While previously injured center Jonquel Jones is back in the mix, New York missed 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart on Monday, with the star forward sidelined after suffering a blow to the leg during Saturday play.
"Just understanding the urgency we need to play with, understanding nobody feels bad for us down some people, we have to come out with a little more purpose," guard Sabrina Ionescu told reporters after Monday's loss.
How to watch the Dallas Wings and New York Liberty this week
New York's next trek is significantly steeper, as the Liberty take on the league-leading Minnesota Lynx at 8 PM ET on Wednesday. A rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals, the clash will air live on ESPN.
Dallas will be in action at the exact same time, when the Wings will hunt a ninth season win against the No. 4 Atlanta Dream, airing live on ESPN3.
While the last-place Connecticut Sun aren't exactly making a strong 2025 postseason run, they are playing spoiler, securing their fourth season victory in a 95-64 blowout win over a hungry No. 9 Golden State side on Sunday.
Eight-time All-Star Tina Charles — the WNBA's all-time top rebounder and second-best career scorer — led the game with 24 points, as the 36-year-old veteran continues to showcase her value.
"This season hasn't been the same as it always has for the Sun, but [fan] loyalty has really fueled us and we know that they're going to show up for us," said Connecticut guard Marina Mabrey after the win.
Monday's WNBA slate will see the Sun shoot for their first winning streak of the 2025 season, with Connecticut taking on a Seattle side they’ve humbled once already:
- No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 13 Connecticut Sun, 7 PM ET (ESPN3): The Storm is hunting consistency after splitting their last 10 games 5-5 — ceding ground in the WNBA standings — while the Sun aims to repeat their July 9th upset victory over Seattle.
- No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (ESPN): Injuries could impact Monday's showdown in Texas, as the Wings aim to benefit from a rested Paige Bueckers while the Liberty deal with a knock to star Breanna Stewart.
Higher ranked squads will always look to rebound, but Connecticut's trajectory proves that the underdogs can have their say on any given day.
The top WNBA titans showed some weakness this weekend, as both the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and No. 2 New York Liberty suffered unexpected upset losses at home.
First on Saturday, the No. 10 LA Sparks staged a 101-99 upset win over reigning WNBA champions New York, notching their fifth straight victory thanks to a dramatic buzzer-beater from guard Rickea Jackson.
Liberty standout Sabrina Ionescu led the game with 30 points, stepping up in the loss after star Breanna Stewart exited with a leg injury less than four minutes into the game.
Similarly, despite perennial MVP candidate Napheesa Collier putting Minnesota on her back with a 32-point performance on Sunday, the league-leading Lynx couldn't contain the No. 4 Atlanta Dream, falling 90-86 in their first home loss of the season.
The win helped the Dream shoot up the WNBA standings, overtaking fourth place from the Seattle Storm, whose 69-58 Saturday loss to the No. 8 Washington Mystics sent them stumbling into the No. 5 spot.
The No. 7 Las Vegas Aces have also been pushing, leapfrogging the Mystics with a 106-80 win over the No. 12 Dallas Wings on Sunday.
"One of the toughest things is going through hard things and remaining optimistic and positive," Aces head coach Becky Hammon said of her team's battle-ready mindset. "My main focus was just to keep everybody upbeat."
While multiple squads have consistently impressed this season, no single team has remained unanswered above the rest — a nod to the league's growing depth and subsequent parity.
Vibes were high and defense was optional at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, when Team Collier shattered records as they routed Team Clark 151-131.
Captain and game MVP Napheesa Collier set a new single-game WNBA All-Star record by notching 36 points, surpassing the 34-point mark posted by Arike Ogunbowale last year, while teammate Skylar Diggins claimed the first-ever triple-double in All-Star history.
Even more, the 151 points put up by the Minnesota forward's team are the most in All-Star Game history, knocking down the 143 points from Breanna Stewart's 2023 squad to second on the all-time list.
Players made use of the game's special four-point shots, with Collier hitting four of five attempts while her team went 12-for-28 from well-beyond the arc.
"I'm just all four-point shots, four-point shots. More, more, more," honorary coach — and injured All-Star captain — Caitlin Clark said at halftime.
All-Stars make a statement amid CBA negotiations
While the game itself proved more congenial than competitive, the players didn't mess around about the current CBA negotiations between the WNBPA and the WNBA.
All participating All-Stars took the court wearing T-shirts showcasing the slogan "Pay Us What You Owe Us," visually responding to the weekend's two meetings between the union and the league.
"The players are taking this seriously," Collier said of the collective action. "We're standing really firm in certain areas that we feel really strong that we need to improve on."
"The players are what is building this brand and this league. There is no league without the players," Collier added. "We're the ones that have put in the blood, sweat, and tears for this new money that's coming in, and we feel like we're owed a piece of that pie that we helped to create."
Ultimately, though All-Star Weekend is all fun and games, players will keep placing the behind-the-scenes issues in the spotlight until the parties agree on a new CBA.
Team Collier is looking locked and loaded for Saturday's 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, with captain Napheesa Collier heading up a roster stocked with talent from the league-leading Minnesota lineup.
The Lynx star will start the game alongside 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), and rookie phenom Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings).
Team Collier's bench showcases a balanced group of Courtney Williams (Minnesota Lynx), Skylar Diggins (Seattle Storm), Angel Reese (Chicago Sky), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury), and Kelsey Plum (LA Sparks).
Kayla McBride (Minnesota Lynx) will also join the squad, replacing the injured Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), boosting the team's Minnesota contingent to three players.
Adding to the Lynx representatives is Minnesota manager Cheryl Reeve, who will serve as the squad's head coach following a first-of-its-kind draft-day swap between the Collier and fellow All-Star captain Caitlin Clark.
"I'm just glad people are understanding Phee's greatness," Reeve said about Collier before the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend. "There's nothing else you can say at this point."
With a steady front and backcourt presence, Team Collier has experience on their side as they take on a youth-heavy Team Clark on Saturday.
How to watch Team Collier at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.
Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.
Team Clark will tip off the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend without its namesake captain, after superstar Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark announced she'll be sitting out of both the 3-Point Contest and the All-Star Game due to a lingering groin injury.
"I will still be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for all the action and I'm looking forward to helping Sandy [Brondello] coach our team to a win," Clark said in a statement.
In lieu of Clark as well as the previously injured Phoenix Mercury forward Satou Sabally, Team Clark added both Washington Mystics guard Brittney Sykes and Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones to Saturday's roster.
Meanwhile, Clark's fellow Fever guard Lexie Hull will take over her spot in Friday's 3-Point Contest.
The availability of another starter on the Indiana star's All-Star squad is currently up in the air, as a recent knock to the wrist has Las Vega Aces icon and reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's status listed as "to be determined."
As of Friday morning, there is no announcement for a replacement player should Wilson be unavailable on Saturday.
Roster shifts won't distract Team Clark
Despite the roster shakeups, Team Clark still boasts serious talent.
Along with Wilson, assuming she is playing, Saturday's tip-off will feature Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever) and Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), with Brondello set to name the team's two additional starters.
Team Clark's deep pool of reserves include Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm), Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics), Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics), Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces), Kayla Thornton (Golden State Valkyries), as well as the aforementioned Sykes and Jones.
Liberty boss Brondello will lead Clark's side, with the 2024 WNBA champion coach anticipating a little intra-team strife back in New York.
"I'm going to trap [Ionescu]," Team Collier forward — and Liberty star — Breanna Stewart joked earlier this week. "Full-court press on Sab [Ionescu] in the All-Star Game."
Though injuries are taking their toll, it would be unwise to count out a roster as young and hungry as Team Clark this weekend.
How to watch Team Clark at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.
Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.
The New York Liberty appear to be back on track, with the reigning champs leapfrogging the Phoenix Mercury to reclaim the No. 2 spot in the WNBA standings on Wednesday night.
Led by a 24-point, 11-rebound double-double from star forward Breanna Stewart, the Liberty punched a 98-77 win over a Caitlin Clark-less No. 6 Indiana Fever, as the 2025 WNBA All-Star captain remains day-to-day with a groin injury.
With Wednesday's victory, New York is now riding a three-game winning streak into All-Star weekend — and there's even more good news is on the horizon for the Liberty with starting center Jonquel Jones expected to return from her ankle injury after the break.
As for now-No. 3 Phoenix, New York's gain is the Mercury's loss, as their Wednesday clash with the league-leading Lynx ended 79-66 in Minnesota's favor while injured Phoenix stars Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper rode the bench.
Expansion upstart Golden State has also started to skid, leaving the Valkyries entering the break at No. 9 with three consecutive losses — including a 67-58 stumble against the No. 4 Seattle Storm on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, the No. 8 Las Vegas Aces have begun to regroup, entering the All-Star break on a two-game winning streak behind 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson and her combined 71 points and 26 rebounds over the last two games.
With the second half of the 2025 season tipping off following this weekend's All-Star festivities, momentum will be at a premium as early performances roll into postseason trajectories.
The 2025 WNBA All-Star teams are set, as captains Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark drafted the 20 other honored players into their final rosters live on ESPN on Tuesday night.
The draft began with the two captains selecting from the eight-player pool of fan-voted starters, before Clark and Collier each chose six athletes from the group of 12 All-Star reserves.
Both the Minnesota forward and the Indiana guard prioritized selecting their WNBA teammates, with Collier successfully grabbing Lynx guard Courtney Williams as one of her reserves while Clark's first picks in each category were fellow Fever players in starter Aliyah Boston and reserve player Kelsey Mitchell.
Collier also decided to keep her fellow UConn Huskies close, tapping alums Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers for her starting lineup — though she failed to pull off a trade for third alum Gabby Williams.
"I tried 😭 they didn't show that part lol," the Lynx star posted to X after the draft, referencing her attempt to roster Williams.
While Collier's strategy was to snag current and former teammates, as well as players with whom she has Unrivaled or collegiate ties, Clark approached the draft with less of a plan.
"I'm going on vibes. I'm picking whatever comes to mind. We're just having fun," joked Clark, promising "my team is going to be fun."
All-Star draft's lone trade sees head coach swap
Despite a handful of trade offers, the only swap of the Tuesday draft didn't end up involving players at all, as the All-Star leaders agreed to switch head coaches.
Coaching assignments follow fan votes and team records, with the top All-Star vote-getter paired with the coach of the league's No. 1 team, while the No. 2 team coach leads the squad captained by the player who garnered the second-most votes.
As such, Minnesota head coach Cheryl Reeve was initially assigned to Team Clark, with Collier's squad led by New York boss Sandy Brondello.
Following both Collier's strategy of prior connections and, perhaps, Clark's emphasis on vibes, the pair agreed to switch sideline leaders, keeping the Lynx lineup together and sending the reigning WNBA champion to helm Clark's crew.
The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game rosters
Team Clark:
- Starters: Aliyah Boston (Indiana), Sabrina Ionescu (New York), A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas), Satou Sabally (Phoenix)
- Reserves: Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana), Gabby Williams (Seattle), Sonia Citron (Washington), Kiki Iriafen (Washington), Jackie Young (Las Vegas), Kayla Thornton (Golden State)
- Head coach: Sandy Brondello (New York)
Team Collier:
- Starters: Breanna Stewart (New York), Allisha Gray (Atlanta), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle), Paige Bueckers (Dallas)
- Reserves: Courtney Williams (Minnesota), Skylar Diggins (Seattle), Angel Reese (Chicago), Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix), Kelsey Plum (LA), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta)
- Head coach: Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota)
How to watch the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
Team Collier and Team Clark will square off in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis at 8:30 PM ET on July 19th.
Live coverage of the game will air on ABC.
Basketball's biggest stars aren't holding back on criticizing the league's CBA proposal after the WNBA Player's Association (WNBPA) rejected last week's opening offer.
With the parties set to engage in CBA negotiations during next week's 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend, Phoenix Mercury forward and WNBPA representative Satou Sabally called the league's initial offer "a slap in the face."
Also weighing in was WNBPA vice president and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who echoed Sabally's sentiment by confirming her frustration with the league to reporters.
"Anytime you go back-and-forth, you're not expecting to hear that 'yes' on the first [proposal], but you're expecting to have a conversation," she added. "They kind of just ignored everything we said."
The WNBA's current CBA expires at the end of this season, with players upping their demands in light of the league's recent popularity boom and planned expansion.
"It's been made clear that [there's] this perception that the players don't understand the business," WNBPA president and Seattle forward Nneka Ogwumike told reporters on Saturday. "We want to have a growing portion of the revenue share. We want this league to be exactly what it is today and more. So I'm hoping that something positive [and] progressive yields from this meeting that we'll have in Indy."
The WNBPA will enter face-to-face CBA negotiations with the WNBA in Indianapolis later this month, with the union tapping Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin to assist in what Stewart predicts will be a "spicy" meeting.
The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.
In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.
Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).
A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.
For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.
As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.
Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.
Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.