The WNBA free agency carousel started spinning this week, with teams evaluating rosters and coring athletes to either retain talent or trade players for a return.
Thus far, cored players include Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum, New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally, and Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams.
Squads employ single-use coring on WNBA stars
Each of the WNBA's teams can core one unrestricted free agent on their roster, ensuring them exclusive rights to that cored athlete. Cored players receive an offer for a one-year, supermax salary contract, along with the option to negotiate different terms.
Cored athletes are unable to directly sign with another franchise, but they can be part of a trade offer by their coring team.
New York cored Stewart after she expressed interest in remaining with her 2024 WNBA Championship-winning squad. Sabally, on the other hand, will likely be part of a sign-and-trade deal after telling media late last week that she is looking to leave Dallas in 2025.
Plum's situation with the Aces is less clear-cut: The two-time WNBA champion could re-sign with her team, though Las Vegas could be exploring opportunities to cash in should she want to compete elsewhere.
Other offers spark WNBA free agent negotiations
In addition to coring, WNBA teams have also begun sending qualifying offers to certain restricted free agents, allowing them to initiate negotiations with those players.
Most notably, despite making Monday offers to three players — guard Dana Evans, forward Michaela Onyenwere, and forward Nikolina Milić — Chicago has yet to extend a qualifying offer to the Sky's 2024 points-leader Chennedy Carter.
Ultimately, while negotiations kick off next week, WNBA contracts cannot be finalized until free agency revs up in February, meaning more shuffling is on deck as teams gear up for the longest and most competitive roster-building season in recent memory.
The WNBA dropped its 2025 schedule on Monday, with the league's 29th season set to tip off on May 16th and run through September 11th.
With the Golden State Valkyries debuting as the league’s first expansion franchise since 2008, all 13 teams will now play 44 games (22 home, 22 away), up from 40 in 2024. Despite the additional games, the season's calendar has not increased, as 2025 will not require an extended international break like last summer's Paris Olympics necessitated.
The fifth-annual Commissioner's Cup competition will begin in June, when the six Eastern Conference teams and seven Western Conference squads will play five and six round-robin games, respectively, to determine the two conference leaders who will contend for the in-season tournament's title — and the $500,000 purse — on July 1st.
Also on the 2025 WNBA schedule is the 21st annual All-Star Game, which will take over the Indiana Fever's Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 19th.
"We look forward to... continuing to build on the success of last season, when the WNBA delivered its most-watched Draft and All-Star Game, and set records for viewership, attendance, digital consumption, and merchandise sales," commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in Monday's release.
2025 WNBA season to tip off with all teams
All 13 teams will play on opening weekend, with the Valkyries logging their first minutes when they host an in-state battle against the LA Sparks on Friday, May 16th.
Other season-opener highlights include the Friday bout between 2024 runners-up Minnesota and Dallas, who are expected to debut UConn star Paige Bueckers as their 2025 No. 1 Draft pick, and Saturday's battle between the last two league champions — 2023 title-winners Las Vegas and reigning champs New York.
Indiana will also kick off their campaign against Chicago on May 17th, with both teams adding new head coaches to their rosters last month. Home to the the last two Rookies of the Year, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, the Fever will face a Sky side made stronger by Angel Reese's return from injury in the first of five 2025 regular-season meetings.
Fans eager for a 2024 Finals rematch between the reigning champions Liberty and the Lynx will have their patience tested by the 2025 schedule. Unless they meet again in the July 1st Commissioner's Cup championship, the pair won't face off until the first of their four regular-season battles on July 30th.
The WNBA's next steps
The road to the first-ever seven-game WNBA Finals series next fall begins on May 16th, but the league has a significant to-do list to tackle before stepping to the 2025 season's starting line. The WNBA must handle February's free agency signing period, April's draft, and the ongoing process of filling the league's multiple coaching vacancies — all while concurrently negotiating a new CBA with the WNBPA.
While the 2025 game calendar is set, the league's broadcast scheduled is still being hammered out and will be announced at a later date.
The WNBA's first step, however, is Friday’s expansion draft, when Golden State will begin to fill their inaugural roster by selecting players from the league's other 12 rosters live on ESPN at 6:30 PM ET.
In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the USWNT and their 3-1 win over Iceland, including shouting out the match's top performers before examining where the US could still improve. Plus, Watkins chats about how head coach Emma Hayes is continuing to put her stamp on the team.
Then, Watkins gives her take on the Chicago Red Stars' rebrand, and how the NWSL is shedding some of its history in a bid toward the future.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts recap the 2024 WNBA Finals, including the officiating controversy. Lisa also breaks down a similar situation from her playing days.
"You feel like it was stolen from you," Leslie explained. "It felt like the exact same thing, that they could be really physical with us. We go down and just touch and it was a foul. It felt like they were just taking this game from us, so I get it. I understand it. But what do you have to do? Suck it up, buttercup."
"One of the things I know is that the officials do they best job that they can do," she added. "It is a thankless job."
Then, Kelley and Lisa chat about Kelley's Gotham FC retirement celebration before diving into who can grab the final two NWSL playoff spots. Plus, Lisa learns all about soccer's nonstop schedule, and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
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In today’s episode of the Late Sub, host Claire Watkins goes long on the epic final game that saw the New York Liberty clinch their first-ever WNBA title. Breaking down defense, officiating, rotations, and a little bit of luck, Watkins wraps up this monumental W season.
Later, Watkins offers up a quick wish list of what she’d like to see from the final NWSL regular-season weekend as teams tune up for the 2024 playoffs.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Capping their sixth WNBA Finals campaign, the New York Liberty earned their first-ever championship in Sunday’s 67-62 winner-take-all overtime thriller.
As the last original WNBA franchise still playing to book a title, the Libs — who won the league’s inaugural game in 1997 — lifted the WNBA’s 28th trophy in front of a record-breaking sellout home crowd in Brooklyn.
"It means everything to me," said New York star Breanna Stewart, who grew up in Syracuse and attended Liberty games as a kid. "I wanted to come here and I wanted to be the first."
"I can't wait to continue to celebrate with the city," Stewart said after the game. "It's going to be bonkers."
The path to the WNBA Championship
Fueled by last year’s disappointing championship loss to the Las Vegas Aces, New York led the league in the regular season with an impressive franchise-tying record of 32-8.
After sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the first round, New York redemptively ousted the Aces in four semifinals games. The Liberty's Finals foe was the only team to defeat them multiple times this year — 2024 Commissioners Cup winners Minnesota.
In what was arguably the most competitive series to date, the 2024 Finals were marked by record-setting come-from-behind wins, game-winning shots seemingly scripted in Hollywood, and, after offensive power in the first four tilts, a defensive masterclass in the deciding Game 5.
Liberty stars show out in Championship win
Behind her team-leading 17-point, six-rebound Game 5 performance, Jonquel Jones earned the Finals MVP crown.
"I could never dream of this," said Jones after the game. "You know how many times I've been denied, it was delayed. I am so happy to do it here."
Co-signed by the Barclays Center crowd chanting her name, the championship-clinching game’s unofficial sixth player was Nyara Sabally. In her biggest showing ever in a Liberty uniform, Sabally’s spark off the bench added 13 clutch points and seven rebounds to New York’s total.
Minnesota’s defense did a lot to stifle the Liberty, holding New York to a 10-point first quarter — their most dismal opening all year. The Lynx also kept New York shooters to just two-for-23 from behind the arc.
A large part of suppressing the Libs came from Minnesota’s success in keeping New York’s Game 3 heroes Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu decidedly quiet on Sunday, smothering their respective efforts to 4-for-15 and 1-for-19 from the field.
Despite their offensive struggles, both contributed elsewhere. Ionescu added eight assists and seven rebounds to her five points and Stewart showed out on defense with 15 rebounds alongside her 13 points.
New York’s gritty 7-2 overtime run ultimately put the game out of Minnesota's reach. Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who posted an historic playoff run, fouled out in the game’s final seconds.
Lynx coach Reeve slams officiating in Finals loss
After the loss, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve had words for the officials that kept the Lynx from clinching in regulation play.
In a game that saw New York outshoot the Lynx 25-8 from the free throw line, the Lynx unsuccessfully challenged a controversial shooting foul called on Alanna Smith at the end of regulation. That ruling gave New York's Stewart the pair of free throws that sent the game into overtime.
"I know all the headlines will be 'Reeve cries foul,'" she told reporters. "Bring it on. Bring it on. Because this s--- was stolen from us."
"If we would have turned that clip in, they would have told us that it was marginal contact, no foul. Guaranteed. Guaranteed," Reeve remarked.
Notably, complaints about officiating and lopsided foul calls have been raised throughout the Finals. And not just from Reeve, who also spoke on the disparity after Game 3.
New York head coach Sandy Brondello made the same plea after Friday’s Game 4 saw foul calls favor Minnesota, saying "I know Cheryl talked about it last time, but we got no calls today... All we want is fair, OK. So if we are getting hit, that’s a foul."
Ultimately, while acknowledging Minnesota's disappointment, Reeve's appeal focused on the need for fair calls to ensure fair play. "This is for a championship," Reeve said. "For both teams, let [the players] decide it."
"This s--- ain’t that hard,” she added. “Officiating, it’s not that hard."
Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu became New York's hero on Wednesday, sinking a 28-foot buzzer-beating logo three to notch the WNBA Finals Game 3 win.
The bucket silenced Minnesota's 19,521 record-breaking home crowd and securing a 2-1 series advantage over the Lynx.
“Definitely the biggest shot of my career,” Ionescu said post-game. “And, hopefully, not the last.”
The most-watched Finals game in 23 years was defined by dramatic momentum swings. The Liberty flipped the script on their Game 1 loss, with Ionescu overcoming a tough shooting night to avoid another overtime finish.
The first half saw Minnesota lead by as many as 15 points. But New York superstar Breanna Stewart's monster 30-point, 11-rebound double-double boosted the Libs to the tight 80-77 victory.
In total, the Liberty only led for 2 minutes and 19 seconds on Wednesday, the second-shortest amount of lead time for a winning team in an WNBA Finals game.
"Obviously, Stewie got us back in there," Liberty coach Sandy Brondello remarked after the game. "But I thought, '[at] the right time, this is Sabrina.' She's a great shooter. What I love about her is that she backs herself. Not everyone can take those big shots and make them. She can."
Can New York go all the way tonight?
In their sixth WNBA Finals trip, the Liberty are on the brink of clinching their first-ever championship this evening — assuming they avoid a winner-take-all Game 5 in Brooklyn on Sunday.
"Just knowing that we're one win away, that's what's the most motivating," Stewart said on Thursday. "The fact that we have an opportunity to finish this thing tomorrow night."
On the flip side, this is Minnesota's last chance to turn things around. Tonight's Game 4 is now a must-win for the Lynx, who are in danger of falling short of what would be a WNBA record-setting fifth league title. Battling back from a 2-1 series deficit isn't an impossible feat, having been done four previous times in WNBA Finals history, including by Minnesota in 2017.
"It's win or go home at this point," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters. "So we have to come in with the mindset that we’re going to be just as aggressive and then just have faith in that we're going to execute better down the stretch."
How to watch Liberty vs. Lynx in Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals
New York and Minnesota will tip off Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals at 8 PM ET Friday. Live coverage will air on ESPN.
In today’s episode, host Claire Watkins runs down the October roster for the USWNT, discussing comments from head coach Emma Hayes that lays out her vision for the team's long preparation ahead of the 2027 Women's World Cup.
Later, Watkins marvels at yet another incredible 2024 WNBA Finals showdown, as the Liberty take a crucial 2-1 series advantage in their search for the franchise's first WNBA Championship title.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
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Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!
In today's episode, our hosts chat through the all-tied-up WNBA Finals, including the Liberty's Game 1 collapse, Game 2's response, and what the Lynx can do to snag a win at home.
Calling Game 1 "silk slipping through the fingers," Leslie said much of New York's implosion came because "the Liberty have some really silly turnovers."
Then, Kelley and Lisa talk all things NWSL, from the Portland Thorns getting back on track to Temwa Chawinga's record-setting goal to Bay FC's playoff chances and much more!
Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.
Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.
In today’s episode, host Claire Watkins talks through whether she needs to amend her 2024 WNBA Finals prediction, and notes both the resiliency of the Lynx and the mentality of the Liberty.
She then hits all the major storylines of the NWSL weekend action, including broken individual NWSL records, streaks both snapped and saved, playoff spots clinched and lost, and off the field happenings that shape the larger NWSL conversation.
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.