WNBA rookies like Paige Bueckers — the overall No. 1 pick at the 2025 Draft — touched down in Dallas on Wednesday, tipping off a new era of Wings basketball ahead of next week's team training camp.
"There is a lot of new in this organization, so to be a part of something where we can build with each other and create a new sisterhood, we're really excited," Bueckers said at the Wings' introductory press conference.
"Plus, we got these hats, the cowboy boots — we're ready to invest all of ourselves into Dallas," she added, flanked by fellow Dallas rookies Aziaha James, Madison Scott, JJ Quinerly, and Aaronette Vonleh.
2025 WNBA rookies gear up for team training camps
The coming season's training camps officially begin on Sunday, with a new generation of WNBA stars landing in their pro markets this week.
"I'm excited to be with everyone on this team," said Bueckers. "We've got some dogs. I'm excited to build that in camp, build the passion, build the excitement of a new system, a new coaching staff, a new team."
"Everybody's been so welcoming," No. 3 overall pick Sonia Citron said about her new home with the Washington Mystics this week. "And you can really tell the culture that they have here."
"I'm not new to having to learn a new system, and a new coaching staff, and new teammates," said two-time NCAA transfer Hailey Van Lith, who went 11th overall to the Chicago Sky following a breakout final college season with TCU.
"My mindset going into any team is, 'How can I help this team win?'" added Van Lith. "I'll figure that out very quick, I'm assuming."
"I'm really grateful to be part of this organization, especially with so many people that have poured so much into this," said Kaitlyn Chen, a surprise third-round pick by 2025 expansion team Golden State. "And to have this much support coming into such a tough league means a lot."
The new pros will have to get their bearings quickly, as May 16th's season tip-off — and the unavoidable roster cuts that come before it — are fast approaching.
After UConn superstar Paige Bueckers set the tone as the overall No. 1 pick, the rest of Monday night’s 2025 WNBA Draft played out without too many surprises, as teams stocked up on fresh talent from both home and abroad.
The Seattle Storm selected French phenom Dominique Malonga second, before the Washington Mystics took Notre Dame guard Sonia Citron at No. 3 and USC forward Kiki Iriafen at No. 4.
Incoming expansion team Golden State threw the night’s initial curveball with their first-ever draft pick, adding Lithuanian forward Justé Jocyté to the Valkyries' inaugural roster at No. 5.
However, Jocyté's availability remains a question mark, with the 19-year-old confirming her intent to join her national team for this summer's EuroBasket.
Young stars earn first round selections at the 2025 WNBA Draft
The rest of Monday's first round showcased NCAA and international standouts alike, with teams prioritizing both skills, potential, and team fit as they strategized and vied to load their draft boards with top talent.
The exception to the original first-round lineup was Las Vegas, whose No. 10 pick was rescinded after a 2023 investigation found the Aces guilty of violating league policies.
- No. 6: Georgia Amoore (Kentucky) to the Washington Mystics
- No. 7: Aneesah Morrow (LSU) to the Connecticut Sun
- No. 8: Saniyah Rivers (NC State) to the Connecticut Sun
- No. 9: Sarah Ashlee Barker (Alabama) to the LA Sparks
- No. 10: Ajša Sivka (Slovenia) to the Chicago Sky
- No. 11: Hailey Van Lith (TCU) to the Chicago Sky
- No. 12: Aziaha James (NC State) to the Dallas Wings
With the 2025 WNBA season starting in just one month, the new draftees will soon be joining their pro teams in training camp, where final roster decisions will be made as franchises make difficult cuts en route to May 16th's opening tip-off.
"The WNBA is so unique with how powerful the talent is because it is so small," said Van Lith, who's set to link up with her former LSU teammate Angel Reese at the Chicago Sky this year. "It's a competition that I'm ready to embrace, that I'm excited to embrace."
Monday’s 2025 WNBA Draft could seriously shape the future for the three teams at the helm of this year’s lottery, as top pick-holders Dallas, Seattle, and Washington all prepare to make major moves after a rollercoaster offseason.
The Wings currently hold the overall No. 1 pick, while Seattle will select second after a blockbuster three-team trade with LA and Las Vegas sent star Jewell Loyd to the Aces and the No. 2 pick to the Storm.
Washington also wields significant draft capital following another series of trades, which sent top guard Ariel Atkins to Chicago in exchange for the No. 3 pick. Meanwhile, the Mystics also hold Monday's fourth and sixth first-round selections.
While Dallas and Seattle wield the highest picks, Washington’s wealth of selections gives them the most first-round influence — especially over expansion franchise Golden State’s No. 5 pick.
"I think it actually creates an opportunity for us to build strength in a couple of different ways," said Mystics GM Jamila Wideman.
Flexibility is key in navigating the WNBA Draft
Uncertainty has reigned supreme in recent months, as team executives find out alongside the public exactly which college stars are entering the WNBA’s talent pool as some eligible standouts opt to remain in the NCAA for one final season.
"We're always nimble as GMs in this league," Dallas GM Curt Miller told media on Thursday. "You don’t truly know who is declaring and coming into the draft until the very end."
As for teams outside of the lottery, they'll have to cross their fingers and wait patiently on Monday, as last year’s lowest record-holders raid the draft pool first.
Two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star Elena Delle Donne is officially retiring from pro basketball, with the 2016 Olympic gold medalist calling the decision "one of the hardest parts of my career" in a Friday announcement.
After the Chicago Sky chose Delle Donne as the overall No. 2 pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, she quickly established herself as a force on the court, winning her first MVP title with the Sky in 2015 before a trade sent her to the Washington Mystics in 2017.
Delle Donne thrived with Washington, earning her second MVP honor while leading the Mystics to their first-ever WNBA championship in 2019 — and recording the only 50-40-90 season (shooting over 50% from the field, over 40% from beyond the arc, and over 90% from the foul line) in league history along the way.
"She put us over the top," former Mystics head coach Mike Thibault told reporters on Friday. "We were trying to build to where we could have a team that somebody like her would want to play with and we could win the championship that she was seeking and that we were seeking."
Injuries and illness fueled Delle Donne's decision
At the same time, however, Delle Donne struggled with injuries, later undergoing back surgery after competing in that 2019 title run with three herniated disks. Those injuries, plus a chronic Lyme disease diagnosis, eventually led Delle Donne to sit out the 2024 season — despite earning a core tag from the Mystics.
Taking last season off gave Delle Donne the space to come to terms with retirement, with the 35-year-old stating "my body seemed to make this decision before my mind accepted it."
Despite exiting the competitive court, however, Delle Donne will remain close to the game, with the Mystics announcing that the star will serve as a special advisor to the WNBA team's ownership group, Monumental Sports.
"This game has been my life, and I am grateful for the memories and how much it’s given me," Delle Donne said on social media. "It feels good to close this chapter knowing I gave it my all and I can’t wait for what’s next!"
WNBA roster transactions have officially revved back up, with the Washington Mystics sending two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins to the Chicago Sky over the weekend. In exchange, the Mystics will receive the No. 3 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft — putting Washington in control of the April 14th Draft's third, fourth, and sixth picks.
Even more, the Mystics snagged both a 2027 second-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick swap while Chicago immediately rosters the Mystic’s last-remaining 2019 title-winner.
Atkins, who has spent her entire seven-year WNBA career with Washington, exits as the Mystics all-time three-point shooter with 397 shots drained from beyond the arc. She also ranks in the franchise's Top 5 for career steals, points, assists, field goals, free throws, and minutes played.
"Ariel has made a tremendous impact on this league since her rookie year," Chicago GM Jeff Pagliocca said in a team statement.
"As one of the league’s top defensive specialists and a consistent scorer, she is a threat on both ends of the floor who will help us build a playoff-contending team in Chicago."
WNBA trades showcase veteran vs. rookie roster decisions
With headline-making trades dominating the WNBA's news cycle and a game-changing CBA on the horizon, teams across the league have been weighing the potential upside of a high draft pick with speeding up postseason ambitions via a more experienced roster.
Chicago's move to acquire Atkins lends itself toward the latter, with the Sky seemingly aiming to pair the productive guard with the return of star Angel Reese to the lineup.
Washington, on the other hand, has racked up significant power in both this year's draft and future draws from the collegiate and international talent pools, perhaps signaling a more long-term development strategy.
Some squads, however, are attempting to do both. Seattle, for example, currently owns the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, yet the Storm still beefed up their roster by signing veteran forward Katie Lou Samuelson last week, after she mutually parted ways with the Indiana Fever.
Teams shooting for deep 2025 runs are now facing a key decision: Are they building toward the future, or is the future now?
The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) this week in Washington, DC
Founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, the organization held the first NGWSD 39 years ago. To "amplify the monumental moments being seen across women's sports," the WSF arranged local programming honoring the February 5th event.
This year's edition kicked off yesterday with a youth sports clinic led by the WNBA's Washington Mystics and AU student-athletes. Other activations included a panel discussion and workshops.
"For 50 years and counting, the Women's Sports Foundation's vast research has continued to prove that a powerful way to positively impact society's future is by investing in girls' and women's sports," said WSF CEO Danette Leighton.
"This National Girls & Women in Sports Day, we are back in the nation's capital to both celebrate the momentum throughout the women's sports ecosystem and to ensure progress continues, so that all girls and women have a chance to play and reap the lifelong benefits of sport."
WSF spends National Girls & Women in Sports Day on Capitol Hill
Today, WSF leadership, athletes, coaches, and industry pros met with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. They discussed the issues impacting women's sports athletes, proposed legislation to level the playing field, and the economic benefits of sports equity.
Participants across the week's events include: WSF president and Paralympian Scout Bassett; WNBA legend and Mystics Hall of Famer Alana Beard; Women's College World Series champion Rachel Garcia; Hall of Fame NCAA women's basketball head coach Muffet McGraw; and two-time NWSL champion Mana Shim, among others.
"As a Paralympian, I know more must be done to get additional girls and women in the game and advocate for policies that bolster inclusion and eliminate barriers, especially for those with disabilities," said Bassett. "It is my hope that National Girls & Women in Sports Day encourages positive conversations that will lead to lasting change so all girls and women can play, compete and lead — in sports and beyond."
Promoting inclusion for all women's sports athletes
WSF sets itself apart from recent political initiatives focused on prohibiting trans athletes from participating in sports in accordance with their gender identity. Instead, the foundation outspokenly advocates for the inclusion of trans and intersex women's sports athletes.
Accordingly, in a 2016 position statement, the foundation said that it "supports the right of all athletes, including transgender athletes, to participate in athletic competition that is fair, equitable, and respectful to all."
The WSF doubled down in 2022. They subsequently penned a letter to the NCAA imploring them to revise their exclusionary Transgender Athlete Participation Policy.
25 additional organizations endorsed the pro-inclusion letter. Together, they echoed the WSF motto "All girls. All women. All sports."
The WNBA coaching carousel has come to a standstill, with the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics both finalizing head coaching hires earlier this week.
Dallas GM Curt Miller brought on former Sun, Sparks, and USC assistant coach Chris Koclanes as head coach of the Wings.
"We are thrilled to welcome Chris Koclanes as the new head coach of the Dallas Wings," said Miller in a team statement. "Throughout our extensive search and interview process, Chris continued to rise to the top and check the boxes of our important pillars. He is a servant leader who places a high value on connection, collaboration, and a positive and consistent communication style with all those he coaches."
Mystics fill leadership vacancies
The Washington Mystics also made two key hires this week. The team appointed Jamila Wideman to GM and ex-Sky assistant Sydney Johnson to head coach.
"I have strong roots in the WNBA and have had the privilege of playing with, working alongside, and witnessing the incredible people who are the athletes at the center of the game," said Wideman afterwards. "The very best I have seen share some core qualities — curiosity, humility, and imagination. I look forward to building a Mystics team in partnership with the players, coaches, and staff that reflects this core."
WNBA teams enter 2025 with full staffs
Barring any unexpected twists, all 13 teams will now have head coaches in place going into the 2025 WNBA Draft and preseason.
Eight teams — including expansion side Golden State — enter 2025 armed with new bosses. Subsequently, seven of those candidates will be making their WNBA head coaching debuts.
Furthermore, Koclanes and Johnson are the third and fourth ex-assistants to get a shot at head coaching next season. The pair follows Natalie Nakase (Golden State) and Tyler Marsh (Chicago).
"Being named the head coach of the Golden State Valkyries is a lifelong dream come true," said Nakase. "We will strive to improve, compete, and ultimately bring home a championship for our fans and this organization."
Three more WNBA teams dropped their head coaches in the last week, leaving more than half of the league's 12 current squads without a sideline manager.
On Monday, the Connecticut Sun announced a reportedly mutual parting of ways with head coach Stephanie White, one day after the Indiana Fever announced the ousting of head coach Christie Sides. The news comes after the Washington Mystics dropped both head coach Eric Thibault and head coach-turned-GM Mike Thibault last Wednesday.
White took Sun to two straight WNBA semifinals
In just two seasons at Connecticut's helm, White led the Sun to two straight WNBA semifinals before ultimately falling to New York in 2023 and Minnesota in 2024.
The 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year departs Connecticut with an impressive 55-25 regular-season record, and is rumored to be the top candidate for Indiana's now-vacant head coach job.
If White does sign on to lead the Fever, it will be a homecoming. The Purdue alum played for the WNBA team from 2000 to 2004, and later spent six years on Indiana's sideline, first as an assistant coach before taking the reins for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Sides led Fever to first WNBA postseason in eight years
In her two seasons at the helm, Sides led the Fever to a 33-47 record, including a impressive 20-20 record this year.
After a 1-8 start through the league's toughest pre-Olympic break schedule, Indiana found its stride, finishing the regular season in sixth place. With a roster that boasts the last two Rookies of the Year, Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, Sides took her 2024 team to the franchise's first WNBA playoffs since 2016.
Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf, who called Sides "a resilient leader" and "a culture builder" in a seeming vote of confidence just a few weeks ago, said in a statement on Sunday that it's "imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana."
As for Sides, she addressed her ousting with a simple post on X, saying "Leave it better than you found it."
Between Krauskopf's September hiring, the addition of GM/COO Amber Cox earlier this month, and now the release of Sides, Indiana faces a 2025 season under entirely new leadership.
Washington Mystics show Thibaults the door
Washington's Thibault era has officially come to an end. With the ousting of the father-son leadership pair, the Mystics will face its 2025 campaign without a Thibault pacing the sideline for the first time since 2012.
After 10 years backing his father, Mike, as an assistant, Eric Thibault led the Mystics to a 33-47 record over two seasons as head coach. Washington advanced to the postseason in 2023, falling to New York in the first round. After a 0-12 start this year, the Mystics finished just below the postseason cutoff line in ninth place.
Before handing his head coaching role to his son, Mike Thibault led Washington as a dual coach and GM for 10 seasons. The 2013 WNBA Coach of the Year took the Mystics to eight postseasons and helped earn the franchise's first championship in 2019. He exits as the winningest coach in WNBA history with a 379-289 record over 20 seasons — 10 with Washington and 10 leading Connecticut.
"Coach Mike elevated the Mystics program to its proud status as a league leader in innovation, the standard bearer in player care, and a model franchise," Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger said in a team statement. "His fingerprints are all over this franchise and will be for years to come."
The WNBA's current flood of firings
Of the WNBA's 12 teams, seven have now parted ways with their head coaches. The LA Sparks and Chicago Sky bid adieu to Curt Miller and Teresa Weatherspoon, respectively, in September, with the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings following suit earlier this month, handing pink slips to Tanisha Wright and Latricia Trammell.
Personnel changes haven't been limited to the sidelines, either. Like Washington, the Las Vegas Aces and Dallas Wings also let their GMs go.
Between head coaches and GMs, only the Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm, 2024 runners-up Minnesota Lynx, and reigning champions New York Liberty have maintained their 2024 leadership.
Atlanta clinched the eighth and final 2024 WNBA playoff spot on Thursday by handing league-leaders New York a 78-67 home loss on the last night of regular-season play.
In the second of three simultaneous battles for playoff contention, a WNBA-record 20,711 fans showed up in DC to watch the Mystics narrowly defeat Indiana 92-91.
Unfortunately, Washington's season turn-around was too little, too late. The postseason help they needed from Chicago fell through with the Sky's 87-54 blowout loss to Connecticut.
Tina Charles claims two WNBA career records
As if a postseason ticket wasn't enough, Dream center Tina Charles also earned two league records in the win.
Just one month after becoming the WNBA's second all-time leading scorer, Charles surpassed Lynx legend Sylvia Fowles's 4,006 rebounds in Thursday's first quarter to ink herself as the league's all-time rebounds leader. She now has 4,014 career boards and counting.
After putting up 10 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday's win, Charles was also crowned the WNBA's career double-double leader. That 194th double-double lifted Charles just above Fowles on the stat sheet.
Reaching those milestones in New York is especially appropriate for Charles, who grew up in Queens and later played six seasons for the Liberty.
"It's special... [and] befitting that she got to break [those] record[s] here in front of friends and family," Dream coach Tanisha Wright noted.
How to watch the 2024 WNBA playoffs
The WNBA postseason tips off on Sunday, when the entire slate of first-round matchups will start their best-of-three series:
- No. 1 New York Liberty hosts No. 8 Atlanta (1 PM ET, ESPN).
- No. 2 Minnesota hosts No. 7 Phoenix (5 PM, ESPN).
- No. 3 Connecticut hosts No. 6 Indiana (3 PM, ABC).
- No. 4 Las Vegas hosts No. 5 Seattle (10 PM, ESPN).
Each series will follow a home-home-away structure. That means higher seeds could sweep at home, avoiding the risk of a decider away. Even so, lower seeds need just one road win for a shot at a major upset.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, Claire takes a snapshot look at the NWSL, where sometimes single games can tell you a whole lot more about a team than just the final score.
She goes on to chat about unbeaten streak-masters Orlando and Kansas City’s special success, Portland’s ongoing troubles, and which NWSL players — like the Washington Spirit's Trinity Rodman — lit up this week's highlight reel.
Pivoting to the basketball court, Claire talks through remarkable WNBA performances, why the expanded season is a good thing, and the Washington Mystics' late-season upswing.
Claire then rounds things out by responding to a few listener comments about volleyball, before sharing how she was hoodwinked by the U-20 USWNT last Tuesday.
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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