The Portland Fire set off first-win fireworks on Tuesday, topping New York 98-96 behind a Sarah Ashlee Barker put-back buzzer-beater to cap a dramatic WNBA slate.
Liberty rookie Pauline Astier exploded for 24 points in the first half, before the 2026 expansion side stormed back to secure the debut victory.
“It’s very special,” Barker, who was dealing with undisclosed family issues before the game, said postgame. “But I think the thing that I’ll remember the most is how much we had each other’s backs.”
“What she has gone through the last 24 hours, it’s emotional,” Fire forward Bridget Carleton said of her teammate. “I’m really, really proud and happy that we can all be there for her and, and she gets to embrace this moment.”
WNBA Rookie Olivia Miles Lifts Minnesota Over Phoenix
Portland wasn’t the night’s only underdog, as Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles powered the Lynx over 2025 runner-up Phoenix 88-84.
With star Napheesa Collier sidelined, Minnesota saw six players hit double-digit scoring — including Miles’s 13 points, six rebounds, and seven assists — stifling Mercury guard Kahleah Copper’s 30-point performance.
“We’re happy with the overall response,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said. “To out-rebound these guys like we did was key to winning the game.”
Lynx vs. Wings, Liberty vs. Fire Headline WNBA on Prime
Both teams are at it again tomorrow on Prime, as Minnesota faces Dallas at 8 PM ET before New York has another run at Portland at 10 PM ET.
The WNBA injuries report is already starting to pile up, as new knocks and lengthy recoveries impact teams before they even step foot on a regular-season court.
New York star Sabrina Ionescu will miss at least two weeks of action. The star guard rolled her ankle during the Liberty’s preseason win over Connecticut.
"Obviously wasn't good to see," Liberty forward Jonquel Jones of Ionescu's fall. "I was able to check in with our [trainer] and stuff during the game to make sure she's OK."
The injury involves the same left foot that sidelined her for much of her 2020 WNBA rookie season. However, an MRI indicated Ionescu avoided major injury.
As teams continue trimming rosters, short-term WNBA injuries will likely spur leaner squads as key players make their way back to the court.
Chicago’s Azurá Stevens is expected to sit out the Sky’s opener. And Golden State could enter the regular season without Kate Martin due to a Grade 2 quad strain.
"Kate Martin has been diagnose with a grade two quad strain, per Valkyries. She will be diagnosed in one week (May 5)," tweeted ESPN's Kendra Andrews.
"Golden State doesn't have any more preseason games, but the Valks' season opens May 8, so depending on her what her evaluation says, Martin could be at risk at missing game play."
Indiana might also be short-staffed, as guard Lexie Hull continues to navigate a hamstring injury. And later, center Monique Billings exited the Fever’s final preseason game with an ankle knock.
"They're going to keep evaluating day-by-day and give her an opportunity to make sure she's as close to 100% as possible," Fever coach Stephanie White said, updating reporters on Billings's injury status.
Natasha Cloud remains one of the top unsigned players left in WNBA free agency — and New York Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb made that much clear this week.
With Cloud still unsigned as training camps open, Kolb publicly praised the veteran guard for her contributions on and off the court.
“She’s a phenomenal basketball player,” Kolb said at his annual preseason news conference. “She belongs in the WNBA.”
The comments came as questions surround Cloud's free agency, particularly after New York's pursuit of Satou Sabally effectively closed the door on a Liberty return. Reports indicated Cloud's return would likely have required a reduced role and pay cut, while the Liberty prioritized roster flexibility elsewhere.
Still, Kolb clarified that the decision wasn't a reflection of Cloud's value of a player or person.
“I just want to make that clear: What really happened here, for us, really wasn’t about fit,” Kolb said. “It’s about our targets in free agency and the condensed nature of free agency, how quickly things really move.”
The 10-year WNBA veteran averaged 10.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 2025 while helping New York get to a franchise-best 9-0 start.
“Tash is amazing. Look at what she did, she’s a New York legend in one year here because of who she is off the floor, but also on it,” Kolb added.
Cloud has built a reputation as an elite defender, organizer, and veteran leader — qualities that carry a lot of value for both title contenders and developing teams.
While there is no resolution on where she lands next, one thing seems to be clear: New York and Kolb still believe Cloud belongs on a roster.
WNBA preseason action tips off tomorrow, as reconfigured rosters hit the court for a sneak preview of 2026 — just two weeks before opening day.
Fever superstar Caitlin Clark headlines Saturday's WNBA preseason slate, as the guard prepares for her first matchup in more than nine months against the Liberty on Saturday.
Clark missed the second half of 2025 with an aggravated groin strain, sitting out injury-plagued Indiana’s unexpected playoff push.
The Fever doubled down on their core this offseason, re-signing veteran guard Kelsey Mitchell and young center Aliyah Boston, with Clark set for a payday upgrade under the new CBA next year.
Clark picked up MVP honors at Team USA’s FIBA World Cup Qualifying run last month, going on to report to WNBA training camp “100% healthy” as Indiana shifts its gameplan to avoid risking further injury.
“It is exhausting, bringing the ball up 94 feet versus pressure every single time,” Clark said of her new off-ball approach. “So, we certainly need to find somebody that can handle the ball a little bit and give me a little bit of a break.”
How to Watch Caitlin Clark Tip Off the 2026 WNBA Preseason
Tune in: Indiana visits New York tomorrow at 3 PM ET, free on WNBA League Pass.
Satou Sabally is heading to New York in 2026 after agreeing to a multiyear deal with the Liberty, delivering one of the biggest headlines in WNBA free agency.
Sabally entered the offseason as one of the top available players, and New York moved quickly to land her. The three-time All-Star joins a Liberty core that already includes Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, with Jones also agreeing to a new multiyear deal this week.
The fit is clear: Sabally gives New York another versatile frontcourt option who can create off the dribble, stretch the floor, and defend multiple positions. And at 6-foot-4, she adds size without sacrificing pace.
She is also coming off one of the strongest seasons of her career in Phoenix. The 27-year-old led the Mercury in scoring with 16.3 points per game while averaging 5.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals across 39 regular-season appearances.
Sabally leveled up in the WNBA playoffs, averaging 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 10 postseason games to help Phoenix oust both New York and Minnesota. She subsequently helped the franchise reach its first WNBA Finals birth since 2021 before suffering a concussion in the last game of the series.
The move carries another layer. Sabally is additionally reuniting with former Oregon teammate Sabrina Ionescu. The pair helped lead the Ducks to the program's first Final Four in 2019 before becoming the top two picks in the 2020 WNBA Draft.
How Satou Sabally Fits Into New York's 2026 WNBA Season
The Liberty are still operating in must-win mode after taking the 2024 title before falling short of another WNBA Finals run last season. With the signing, Sabally gives New York yet another proven All-Star as the team continues shaping one of the deepest rosters heading into the 2026 WNBA season.
New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart signed an exclusive multi-year autograph deal with Panini America this week, joining the company's expanding WNBA trading cards collection.
The seven-time WNBA All-Star and two-time champion is the latest Panini partner, alongside Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and Stewart's own Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball. The deal grants Panini exclusive rights to produce autographed Breanna Stewart trading cards across its women's basketball product lines.
"Seeing yourself on a trading card is still both a proud and humbling moment," Stewart said in Tuesday's statement. "Partnering up with Panini is very exciting, especially since fans will now have more opportunities to collect."
The deal extends Panini's dominance in the surging women's sports collectibles market. WNBA trading cards have exploded in value over recent years as women's basketball booms in popularity. A signed one-of-one Caitlin Clark rookie card sold for a record-breaking $660,000 last July, highlighting robust collector demand.
Panini has aggressively expanded its women's basketball portfolio, recognizing the category's potential. The company produces multiple WNBA product lines throughout the year, featuring rookies, veterans, and retired legends.
Stewart brings championship pedigree and global recognition to Panini's lineup. The 31-year-old forward won two WNBA titles with Seattle before joining New York, where she captured the 2024 championship.
How to Buy Panini WNBA Trading Cards Featuring Breanna Stewart
Collectors can purchase Breanna Stewart autographed cards and other WNBA trading cards at PaniniAmerica.net.
Sabrina Ionescu is staying with the New York Liberty despite entering WNBA free agency, reinforcing the team's core as it looks to contend again in 2026.
Ionescu confirmed her decision shortly after Breanna Stewart made her own announcement, signaling early stability for the 2024 WNBA champions. Both players entered the offseason as unrestricted free agents, making their choices a major storyline across the league.
Stewart first addressed her plans on her podcast Game Recognize Game with Stewie & Myles.
"I’m gonna just set the record straight here — I will be staying in New York,” she said. “I’m not planning on taking any free agency meetings… My family is set up here. We’re solid here. I’m going to be back in New York and that’s all there is to it.”
Hours later, Ionescu echoed that message to reporters via ESPN's Alexa Philippou.
“I’m where I’m supposed to be… so excited to be able to sign… and be able to start our season and get going in New York,” she said.
The move keeps the Liberty's foundation intact. Ionescu averaged 18.2 points and 5.7 assists last season. She'll continue to operate as the team's primary backcourt playmaker while contributing on both ends. Alongside Stewart and forward Jonquel Jones, she helped establish the Liberty as a WNBA powerhouse in recent years.
Free agency arrives at a pivotal moment, with both expansion and existing roster movement creating new pressure across the league. New York, however, is removing uncertainty early by retaining some of its top talent.
Now, the focus shifts to the rest of the roster. With Ionescu set to return, the Liberty move forward in free agency with a backcourt leader in place and expectations unchanged.
Kara Braxton, a two-time WNBA champion with the Detroit Shock, has died at age 43, the league announced Sunday. It did not disclose a cause of death.
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton," the WNBA said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time."
Braxton played college basketball at Georgia from 2001 to 2004, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors in 2002 as a 6-foot-6 center-forward. The Detroit Shock subsequently selected her No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft.
Braxton made an immediate impact in Detroit, making on the league's 2005 All-Rookie Team. She went on to win her first WNBA championship with the Shock in 2006 before capturing her second in 2008.
The 2007 WNBA All-Star averaged 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds during her 10-year pro career.
Kara Braxton's Post-Detroit Shock Journey
After winning two titles with Detroit, Braxton played her final seasons in New York after stints with three different WNBA teams.
Braxton spent part of the 2010 season in Tulsa after the Shock franchise relocated to Oklahoma, before the Phoenix Mercury acquired Braxton via trade later that year. She went on to join the New York Liberty during the 2011 season, where she finished her WNBA career in 2014.
Braxton's son, Jelani Thurman, played tight end at Ohio State for three years before transferring to North Carolina in January 2026. The college football player carries on his mother's athletic legacy.
In addition to her son, Braxton leaves behind a legacy as a league champion and respected veteran in the world of women's basketball.
WNBA star Breanna Stewart is making her voice heard, with the New York Liberty forward launching her Syracuse-focused Breanna Stewart Foundation one day after protesting Saturday's ICE shooting in Minneapolis on the Unrivaled 3×3 court.
First acknowledging the platform that basketball gave her, the Unrivaled co-founder said in her Monday social media post "my responsibility goes far beyond the game."
"This foundation starts where I'm from, Syracuse, and grows through New York because real impact has to begin at home," Stewart explained.
In partnership with Athletes for Impact, the Breanna Stewart Foundation aims to build "long-term, sustainable systems for women and youth in the community" to combat poverty through initiatives like healthcare services, education and mentoring opportunities, and sports programs.
The news came after Stewart held up a hand-written sign reading "Abolish ICE" during Sunday's Unrivaled introductions, with the Mist BC star calling attention to this month's fatal shootings at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota.
"I wanted to have a simple message of 'Abolish ICE,' which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence," Stewart said after Mist BC's win.
"All day yesterday, I was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news," she added. "It's scary.... You see it splitting up families and dissecting communities.... It's the worst in all ways."
"We're so fueled by hate right now instead of love."
The 2026 WNBA schedule has arrived, as the league released key dates on Wednesday despite ongoing CBA talks that threaten to delay the start of the upcoming season.
Opening day will be Friday, May 8th, when the WNBA tips off with a tripleheader featuring incoming expansion side Toronto Tempo against the Washington Mystics, the New York Liberty hosting the Connecticut Sun, and the Golden State Valkyries visiting the Seattle Storm.
Fellow 2026 addition Portland Fire will debut on Saturday, May 9th, hosting the Chicago Sky to close out another tripleheader that includes a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch between the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury, as well as a Rookie of the Year showdown between the Paige Bueckers-led Dallas Wings and Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever.
Other 2026 season highlights include the return of the annual WNBA Commissioner's Cup in June and the Chicago Sky-hosted All-Star Weekend in late July, with the league set to pause for a two-week break in early September to allow its stars to compete in the FIBA World Cup.
After the regular-season closes on Thursday, September 24th, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs will tip off on Sunday, September 27th, with a repeat of last year's best-of-three first round, best-of-five semifinals round, and best-of-seven Finals.
Notably, the 2026 WNBA schedule drop falls within the current status quo period, which allows the league to conduct certain aspects of its business as usual under the old CBA while continuing to negotiate new terms with the players union.
"I'm just starting to see [the light at the end of the tunnel]," New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart told Front Office Sports this week, hinting at a bargaining resolution while an official work stoppage remains on the table.