WNBA free agency is firing on all cylinders, as teams look to quickly pad their 2026 rosters with big-name stars and rising prospects alike.
Chicago has been one of the offseason’s most aggressive dealers, sending young centerpiece Angel Reese to Atlanta before signing vets Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, and Azurá Stevens and trading for 2024 draftees Rickea Jackson and Jacy Sheldon.
"Diggins is the kind of player who elevates everyone around her," Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said in a team statement.
"Skylar is a true veteran leader, and she possesses unmatched speed and shot creation potential. I can't wait to work with her."
Diggins grew up in South Bend, Indiana — just a few hours from Chicago — and subsequently attended Notre Dame, leading the women's basketball team to two NCAA finals.
Big Names Find New Teams as 2026 WNBA Free Agency Heats Up
As the new CBA ushers in the league’s first million-dollar contracts, both players and teams are taking advantage of a breakneck free agency market.
All-Star guard Gabby Williams joined Golden State, forward Nneka Ogwumike is returning to LA, and 2025 co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith is Dallas-bound alongside ex-Lynx teammate Jessica Shepard.
Texas-born center Brittney Griner is also on the move, signing with Connecticut as the Sun prepares to relocate to Houston in 2027.
Rickea Jackson has emerged as a central name in 2026 WNBA offseason movement, with reports linking the LA Sparks forward to a potential trade.
According to Front Office Sports, the Sparks and Sky are close to a deal that would send Jackson to Chicago in exchange for Chicago guard Ariel Atkins, though no agreement has been finalized.
The potential trade would mark one of the offseason's more notable transactions. Jackson, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, is coming off a strong second season in LA. She averaged 14.7 points per game in 2025 while finishing ninth in MVP voting.
That production positioned Jackson as a key piece for the Sparks moving forward. She earned All-Rookie honors in 2024 and showed steady growth, particularly in the 2025 WNBA season's second half.
Receiving Atkins would provide LA's roster with veteran experience. Atkins is a two-time WNBA All-Star and one of the league's top perimeter defenders, bringing tested shooting skills to a Sparks team that struggled from 3-point range.
Still, the rumored deal raises as many questions as it does answers for LA. Jackson departing would signal a shift away from building around a young scorer in favor of adding defensive stability.
For the Sky, timing matters. Chicago has already reshaped its roster this week, including young superstar Angel Reese's blockbuster trade, pointing to a broader team reset.
Whether or not the deal materializes, the Rickea Jackson trade rumors reflecs both her value as a player and teams' shifting priorities as they navigate a new WNBA CBA within a rapidly changing roster landscape.
Fresh faces are shining on the 3×3 basketball court, as Unrivaled newcomer Breeze BC holds their own against veteran competition, riding a 2-1 record through their first three games of the 2026 season.
First-year guard Paige Bueckers leads the team with 18.3 points per game, with the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year also sitting third in the offseason league in assists with 7.0 per game.
It's not only Bueckers impressing from the young Breeze squad, however, as second-year Unrivaled vet Rickea Jackson and league debutant Dominique Malonga are posting 17.3 points per game so far, putting the pair at Nos. 11 and 12 among the league's 45 star players — just behind Bueckers at No. 9.
"I feel like we just stick together," said Jackson. "Our chemistry is insane for us to just [now] be playing together."
Experience did win out on Sunday, though, as reigning champion Rose BC's Chelsea Gray dropped 37 points on the young stars to secure her team's 3-0 record with a 73-69 victory.
Gray currently leads Unrivaled with 31.7 points per game, hitting two game-winners in the first week of play as Rose BC tops the Season 2 standings.
How to watch Breeze BC in Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball
Breeze BC will return to the Unrivaled court next weekend, tipping off their Saturday matchup against Vinyl BC at 8:45 PM ET on truTV before taking on the Mist at 8 PM ET next Monday, airing live on TNT.
Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball is loading up on fresh talent, officially signing the Top 3 WNBA rookies as first-year Washington Mystics stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen join Dallas Wings superstar Paige Bueckers on the offseason league's expanded 2026 roster.
As the only rookie WNBA All-Stars in 2025, Bueckers, Citron, and Iriafen led their class in points per game, field goals made, and field goal percentage while breaking multiple rookie records along the way.
Connecticut Sun first-year Saniya Rivers will also be making her Unrivaled debut this winter, joining the league's second season after ranking sixth in WNBA rookie shooting while leading her class in blocks per game.
Unrivaled has already proven to be a springboard for young players, with 2024 newcomers Rickea Jackson (LA Sparks) and Aaliyah Edwards (Connecticut Sun) stepping into the 3×3 spotlight this past January.
Both Jackson and Edwards will return to the Miami-based competition in 2026, with fellow 2024 WNBA rookie Kate Martin of the Golden State Valkyries also entering the Unrivaled fray.
Unrivaled has also tapped future WNBA rookies in off-court deals, racking up more than a dozen big-name NIL signings ahead of its 2026 tip-off.
Unrivaled roster announcements will continue through October 1st, with the league set to tip off in January.
Unrivaled Basketball is stocking up ahead of the 3×3 offseason league's 2026 campaign, rolling out the first group of six players set to join its second season on Monday.
Officially returning to the league's Miami court this year are Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas and her Mercury teammate Satou Sabally, as well as LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson.
Joining the Unrivaled returnees will be a trio of newcomers, with Seattle Storm veteran guard Erica Wheeler set to log her first minutes in the new league alongside a pair of WNBA star freshmen in Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers and 2025 Rookie of the Year and Dallas Wings standout Paige Bueckers.
Unrivaled plans to announce six athletes every weekday through October 1st, as the league gears up for its first 54-player season, which tips off on January 5th.
Fueled by a successful debut year and significant additional investment, Unrivaled accelerated its salary growth and expansion plans, adding two new teams plus an additional development pool of players to the league's 2026 season.
"If we didn't expand rosters, there were going to be All-Stars who we didn't have space for," Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell recently told ESPN. "We want to be the home for all of the best players in the world."
Due to the increase to eight total teams, Unrivaled could see their rosters rearranged for the sophomore campaign — meaning returning players like Laces BC's Thomas, Mist BC's Jackson, and Phantom BC's Sabally could suit up for a different squad next year.
Following the reveal of the league's full lineup, Unrivaled plans to drop team assignments in November.
The No. 6 Seattle Storm continue to lose ground, sliding down the WNBA standings after falling to No. 1 Minnesota 91-87 on Tuesday night — even as injured Lynx star Napheesa Collier watched from the sidelines.
Sitting as high as No. 4 this season, the Storm are now on a three-game losing streak, despite a string of very narrow score lines.
"We know those deposits are going to pay dividends coming up, but yeah, I think this group needs to feel a win," Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said after Sunday's 78-74 loss to the No. 5 Indiana Fever.
While Seattle is skidding, another West Coast team is on the rise, as the No. 9 LA Sparks recorded their seventh win in eight games on Tuesday, snapping Indiana's five-game winning streak with a 100-91 LA victory.
The win lifted the Sparks over the No. 10 Washington Mystics in the standings.
Forward Rickea Jackson and guard Kelsey Plum combined for 50 points to book the win, while newly returned forward Cameron Brink tied her career-high with five registered blocks on the night.
Ultimately, while some teams are struggling, others are surging toward the postseason, leaving the lottery-likely to decide whether to throw their weight behind a playoff push or shift their focus to next year.
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.
Tuesday's WNBA tilts feature a season-first clash between two young pro cores, as the No. 11 LA Sparks host the No. 7 Washington Mystics in the teams' last tilt before the 2025 All-Star break.
While Washington is a consistent presence above the playoff line in this season's standings — thanks in large part to the Mystics' two All-Star rookies, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen — LA is still finding their way.
Led by champion veterans Kelsey Plum and Azurá Stevens, the Sparks' roster includes youthful talent like forward Rickea Jackson and rookie guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, with this month's return of guard Rae Burrell from injury also boosting the young LA lineup.
"She's just the energizer bunny," Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts said of Burrell. "She puts pressure on the defense. I feel like she's getting in a groove."
Even more, the Sparks are eyeing the return of their 2024 No. 2 overall draftee Cameron Brink, with the forward inching close to competitive play just over a year after an ACL tear ended her rookie campaign.
Currently sitting in a lottery position, LA will aim to dig out a win — and some much-needed midseason momentum — in their last game before the All-Star break:
- No. 7 Washington Mystics vs. No. 11 Los Angeles Sparks, Tuesday at 10 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Fresh off a Sunday victory over the No. 13 Connecticut Sun, the Sparks will look to claim their first back-to-back home wins this season when they try to upend a Mystics side that's comfortable playing in the clutch.
- No. 6 Indiana Fever vs. No. 13 Connecticut Sun, Tuesday at 8 PM ET (ESPN): The Fever are on a roll, hoping to tack on a third-straight win as they eye a deep post-All-Star run.
The WNBA announced Thursday that Indiana guard Caitlin Clark is the 2024 Rookie of the Year, giving the Fever back-to-back ROTYs after Aliyah Boston's 2023 win.
Nearly mirroring Boston's unanimous election, Clark garnered 66 of the 67 votes. Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, whose season was cut short due to a wrist injury, received the remaining first-place vote.
"I am incredibly honored to be named Rookie of the Year, but more than that, I am grateful to everyone that supported me throughout this past season – my family and friends, my teammates, the Fever organization and everyone that cheered us on all season," Clark said in the Fever's statement. "I am so proud of what we accomplished and so excited for what the future holds."
Clark's rookie season is one for the record books
This year has been all gas, no brakes for the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick. During the regular season, Clark led all rookies in scoring at 19.2 points per game and topped the league with 8.4 assists per game and with 122 total three-pointers.
In July, the 2024 All-Star became the first rookie in WNBA history to ever put up a triple-double. Not satisfied with that, Clark recorded a second one in early September.
She ultimately inked her name into the league's history books with multiple records, including single-season and single-game assists, and single-season rookie scoring.
In the Fever's first .500 season in eight years, Clark helped Indiana to a 20-20 record after a sputtering 1-8 season start. As a result, the Fever made their first postseason run since 2016.
The franchise also smashed viewership and attendance records thanks in large part to Clark's popularity. Indiana home games ultimately drew over 90,000 more fans than the league's previous home attendance season record, set at 250,565 by the Liberty in 2001.
First-year stars join Clark on WNBA All-Rookie Team
The 2024 All-Rookie Team also dropped on Thursday, with Clark, Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Rickea Jackson, and Leonie Fiebich all getting the nod.
Reese, Clark's biggest ROTY competition before her season-ending injury, claimed records of her own in her abbreviated first campaign. The 2024 All-Star now holds the league's record for consecutive double-doubles, the single-season rebound mark, and boasts the WNBA's highest rebound average in history.
Reese's Chicago teammate, center Cardoso, also put up stunning rookie season numbers, ultimately leading all first-year players with an impressive 52.1% field goal percentage. Meanwhile, forward Jackson made an immediate impact on the Sparks's stat sheet as the team's second leading scorer.
The Liberty's Fiebich is a WNBA rookie, but the 24-year-old German's overseas career already earned her MVP honors in Spain's pro league. Her All-Rookie Team honor is based on Fiebich's regular-season play, but she's still making key contributions in New York's ongoing WNBA postseason run.
With two weeks left in the regular season, former WNBA greats and fans alike are weighing in on this year's historic Rookie of the Year race.
"I don't care what comparisons you make both @Reese10Angel and @CaitlinClark22 deserve the Rookie of the Year award," basketball legend Lisa Leslie posted this week. "The pressure and the weight of this season has forever changed the @WNBA and both rookies rose to the top and exceeded all our expectations. Take a bow, ladies."
Rookies continue shattering league records
While only one player can win the award, both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have undoubtedly left their marks on the season.
Clark leads all rookies in scoring at 18.7 points per game, while her 8.4 assists per game tops the entire WNBA. Even more, she's on pace to surpass Seimone Augustus's rookie scoring record, and has already broken the record for most three-pointers in a rookie season while leading the league in three-pointers made.
For her part, Reese recently shattered Sylvia Fowles's single-season rebounding record and leads the league in rebounds per game. Plus, she holds the longest consecutive double-double streak in WNBA history, averaging 13.3 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.
Field goal percentage favors Clark
Despite the neck-and-neck competition, Clark does hold one major statistical advantage over Reese. Clark's field goal percentage sits at 42.4% while Reese's is 38.5% — a significant gap considering Reese makes most of her attempts close to the basket.
That same stat arguably makes Sparks guard Rickea Jackson a dark horse in this race: Shooting 46.6% from the field, she's currently the WNBA's most efficient rookie averaging over 10 points per game.
All to say, while Clark appears to be pulling away as the ROY frontrunner, the way this year's rookie class has performed in the face of huge expectations will impact the league far beyond 2024.