The Golden State Valkyries made a splash on Tuesday, as the 2025 expansion side debuted on Sportico's annual WNBA valuation list at the very top, leading all 13 league teams at $500 million.
With facility ownership and arena management playing major roles, that current estimate of the Valkyries' worth is 10 times the amount that the Golden State ownership group paid in expansion fees back in 2023.
Even more, the figure arguably puts Golden State atop all other women's sport teams worldwide, surpassing even the record-breaking $450 valuation set by the New York Liberty just last month. On Sportico's current list, the Liberty clock in with a $420 million value just behind the Valkyries.
The Sportico report also places the overall average value of a WNBA team at $269 million, a 180% increase over last season's average — and a figure that dwarfs even the $140 million valuation held by 2024 list-leaders Las Vegas.
Of all teams, the Fever saw the biggest leap, rising from sixth to third on the list with a valuation of $355 million — more than 270% higher than Indiana's $90 million mark in 2024.
Valkyries poised to win the 2025 WNBA revenue race
The Fever also led the league in revenue last year with $33.8 million, though the Valkyries are projected to run away with this season's revenue title, as Sportico estimates that Golden State will bring in more than $70 million in 2025.
The Bay Area side already set a single-game WNBA record for revenue generated, making $3 million in their 2025 home opener.
Current calculations put WNBA valuations at an average of 12 times their revenue — the highest revenue multiple among all major pro sports leagues, including the NBA (11.9), MLS (9.4), NFL (9.3), NHL (7.7), NWSL (6.8), and MLB (6.6).
Plus, new media deals with broadcasters like ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime — among others — are on track to generate an average of $260 million in annual revenue for the league starting next season.
With Golden State proving that expansion can be immediately profitable, business — and valuations — continues to boom in the WNBA, as the league eyes even more value with the 2026 additions of Toronto and Portland.
The WNBA proved that any team can win on any day on Tuesday night, when all four games ended in underdog upsets, rattling the league standings.
While No. 12 Dallas quieted No. 4 Atlanta 68-55, Chicago was swapping spots with now-No. 11 LA, as the Sky snapped a three-game skid with a 97-86 win over the Sparks to claim 10th place on the table.
At the same time, Washington inched up from No. 9 to No. 8 by handing the league-leading Lynx a 68-64 defeat — just the second loss suffered by Minnesota this season.
The Indiana Fever also claimed a one-spot rise to No. 7 after snapping a two-game losing streak with a 94-86 defeat of No. 5 Seattle.
Bigs lead the charge in Tuesday's WNBA upsets
The overall stars of Tuesday's show were the bigs, as Indiana center Aliyah Boston put up 31 points, Chicago center Kamilla Cardoso recorded 27 points, and Minnesota center Alanna Smith dropped 26 of her own.
Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell matched Boston's efforts with her own 26-point showing, as the pair helped Indiana overcome forward DeWanna Bonner's now-permanent absence from the team, as well as another off-night from Caitlin Clark.
Led by Arike Ogunbowale's 21 points, Dallas benefitted from an unexpectedly shaky Atlanta side that shot just 23.4% from the field — the Dream's lowest shooting performance in franchise history and the worst single-game showing league-wide since 2010.
After starting the 2025 WNBA season 1-11, the Wings have now won three of their last four games.
The Mystics also came to play, edging out the once-unbeatable Lynx in a defensive battle that saw center Shakira Austin lead Washington with 19 points while Minnesota mainstay Napheesa Collier rode the bench due to lower back stiffness.
Meanwhile, with 11 points with 11 rebounds on the night, Washington rookie Kiki Iriafen claimed her fifth career double-double — more than the rest of the WNBA's Class of 2025 combined.
How to watch Wednesday's WNBA action
Wednesday's late-night, two-game bill provides yet another chance to shake up the WNBA standings.
With both matchups tipping off at 10 PM ET, the ailing New York Liberty will visit the rising Golden State Valkyries, airing on WNBA League Pass, while the last-place Connecticut Sun take on the up-and-down Las Vegas Aces on NBA TV.
The WNBA is back in action on Tuesday night, as the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm headline a series of games that could make or break the current trajectories of several 2025 title contenders.
Seeking an especially strong Tuesday performance is the Fever, as Indiana tries to snap a two-game losing streak against the increasingly confident Storm.
"There are going to be stretches that are really good and there's going to be stretches that aren't as good," Fever guard Caitlin Clark said on Sunday, addressing her recent shooting slump.
While the Indiana and Seattle clash will lead the Tuesday charge, the night will also see young squads sizing up WNBA juggernauts as bottom-table teams look for a leg up:
- No. 8 Indiana Fever vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, 10 PM ET (NBA TV): The Fever need a win against a Storm side that can't seem to lose, as both teams eye the postseason.
- No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 9 Washington Mystics, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The up-and-coming Mystics will attempt to hand the Lynx a second season loss, as Minnesota star Napheesa Collier remains day-to-day with lower back stiffness.
- No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 12 Dallas Wings, 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Dream are on a tear, surging up the standings as the struggling Wings attempt to take flight.
- No. 10 LA Sparks vs. No. 11 Chicago Sky, 8 PM ET (NBA TV): The Sparks have cooled after a hot start while the Sky has yet to rev up, with both teams aiming to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday night.
Teams across the league are hoping to make the most of every minute while also managing injury concerns and absences as the WNBA All-Star break looms.
The WNBA Class of 2025 is already making its mark on the league, with first-year players stepping up and showing out while the Rookie of the Year race — and betting odds — heat up.
No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers has been just as good as advertised, with the Dallas Wings guard leading her class in both minutes played and points per game while also charting league-wide in assists per game, steals per game, and mid-range shots made.
DraftKings currently has Bueckers as the clear WNBA Rookie of the Year race frontrunner at -1,000, though the dynamic DC duo of guard Sonia Citron (+1,500) and forward Kiki Iriafen (+1,000) are quickly gaining traction.
Iriafen won May's WNBA Rookie of the Month award after a series of career-opening double-doubles, while her Washington Mystics teammate Citron has continued to execute in the clutch — most recently posting a career-high double-double performance of 27 points and 11 rebounds in last Sunday's 91-88 overtime win over Dallas.
"Not only is [Iriafen] holding her own, she's excelling," Citron told JWS earlier this month. "And seeing that is just incredible."
"Soni just does all the little things," Iriafen added. "She doesn't shortcut anything, she's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all."
Things got a little heated in the fourth quarter of last week's Washington Mystics win over Chicago.
The DC-based WNBA team held a slim 62-60 lead over the Sky, when a contested rebound turned into a jump ball that Chicago head coach Tyler Marsh strongly disagreed with — costing him a technical foul from the sideline.
Washington veteran Brittney Sykes could have taken the subsequent free throw, adding to a 32-point performance on a night when it felt like the 31-year-old couldn't miss. Fourth-year center Shakira Austin was also on the floor, as was third-year guard Sug Sutton.
Instead, the player stepping up to the stripe turned out to be rookie guard Sonia Citron. She calmly sank the shot for her 11th point of the game, giving Washington a little more daylight as they held on for their fifth win of the season.
Of course, Citron stepping up in the clutch is not exactly surprising. The Notre Dame alum has quickly made a name for herself in the early weeks of the 2025 WNBA season, alongside teammate and fellow first-round draft pick Kiki Iriafen — whose power was on full display Tuesday night as she battled with Sky forward Angel Reese.
"Kiki was in some foul trouble, but that didn't take away from her aggressiveness, and she played smart with fouls. You don't really get to see that with a lot of rookies," Sykes said after the game. "Soni came in. Soni does what she does."
And this past Sunday, they did it again. Taking the Dallas Wings to overtime, the Mystics rookies proved perfectly in sync. They executed a crucial jump-ball possession in the final seconds, before Citron hit the game-winner to top off a 27-point performance.
A little over a month in, Iriafen and Citron have already presented DC with a new dynamic duo. The pair embodies a new vision for the downtrodden Mystics — one that will hopefully return them to the WNBA's top ranks.
Washington's 2025 WNBA Draft night gamble
Following a breakthrough 2019 title win, Washington has sat in danger of spinning their wheels. They managed just two playoff berths in the last four seasons. They never failed to challenge opponents, but lacked the consistency necessary to keep up with the league's latest dynasties.
Then, in 2025, the Mystics took a risk. Faced with two paths — forge ahead with the status quo or attempt to start anew — they blew everything up. The team moved on from the father-son duo of general manager Mike and head coach Eric Thibault. Then, they brought on new GM Jamila Wideman and first-time WNBA head coach Sydney Johnson.
The team also doubled down on 2025 draft prospects, signing three first-rounders in No. 3 Citron, No. 5 Iriafen, and No. 6 Georgia Amoore, as well as retaining third-round pick Lucy Olsen out of Iowa. And despite hitting a setback after Amoore suffered a season-ending ACL injury during training camp, following the highs and lows of their youngest players has become the Mystics' new normal.
Thankfully, the trust in their rookies is paying off, with both Citron and Iriafen looking like naturals on the professional court — and averaging double-digit scoring along the way.
"They're going to move up in people's scouting reports. I'm pretty sure of that," Johnson said after the duo's first start, describing his rookies as simultaneously confident and coachable. Iriafen opened her career with a string of double-doubles, a feat that resulted in the 21-year-old's first Rookie of the Month award.
For her part, Citron trails only No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers in points per game among rookies. She also manages heavy minutes, recording more than 10 points in every game this season.
Suddenly, the Mystics' risky turnaround looks like a sure thing, thanks to a talented young pair who couldn't be more different from one another.
A smooth transition from college to the WNBA
Before the 2025 WNBA Draft, Iriafen and Citron only knew each other by force of reputation. They grew up on different coasts — Citron in New York, Iriafen in California — and only played each other once in college. That was during Iriafen's senior season as a USC transfer and Citron's final season at Notre Dame.
"I was kind of intimidated by her, I'm not gonna lie," Citron told Just Women's Sports with a smile, drawing a laugh from Iriafen. Even though, Iriafen admitted, she didn't know much about the Notre Dame guard either — other than that she was a beast on the court.
The two rookies didn't share much with one another on draft night. It was a hectic evening, filled with emotions, loved ones, and a very busy first round for the Mystics. But once the new recruits made their way into market, things began to lock into place.
"Since we got here, and I've been in DC, I feel like I've known her for years. We kind of just clicked instantly, along with Georgia and Lucy [Olsen]," Iriafen said.
The Mystics helped the newcomers transition from the college game to the pros. As Iriafen and Citron tell it, the entire organization made both rookies feel not just welcome but needed from the moment they stepped into training camp.
"One thing [Johnson] said early on was, 'With big opportunity comes big responsibility,'" Citron said. "And the fact that he trusted us and had confidence in us to say that and really believe it, I think it made us believe in ourselves."
"It feels like I'm a person," echoed Iriafen. "I don't feel like I'm just an athlete or just a business decision. I feel like this is my second family."
Mystics make room for the new kids
Washington has certainly tapped into their rookies' collective confidence, giving Iriafen and Citron far greater opportunities than many first-year players in the WNBA. The pair are trusted with both opening and closing rotations, leaning into the freedom to connect with players across the team.
Citron noted that her Notre Dame coaches were particularly excited for her to join the Mystics, knowing that she'd develop quickly through extended playing time. "Experience is the best way to learn. You're going to get thrown in the fire, and that's how you're going to become a great player," she recalls being told.
Iriafen voiced a similar feeling. "There's just so much opportunity here," she added. "That's why you're able to see a lot of success with us — we have the ability to play and make mistakes."
Far from intimidating, the pair say that their new teammates have embraced the rookie class with excitement and full support. And there seems to be few insecurities around the prospect of draftees walking in and taking their spots.
"We're not alone at all. It's not like we felt it's us versus them," said Citron. "In no way did it ever feel like it was [all] on our shoulders."
"I think that's really the essence of the Mystics as a family," said Iriafen. "You fight with your siblings, you don't always get along with your siblings. But at the end of the day, we're one family."
Iriafen and Citron learned to lean on their vets
Both players point to veterans on the Mystics squad who have stepped up to provide advice and encouragement — for Iriafen, it's Austin, and for Citron it's Sykes. Though they've also gotten plenty of help beyond Washington's roster.
"One thing that I've really appreciated being in the league so far is [how] the vets are talking to me even though we're on opposing teams," Iriafen said. "BG, Stewie, they're giving me advice on, 'Hey, I'm able to get you on this because of this and this.'"
"Kiki came in and she's not playing like a rookie," Atlanta Dream center Britney Griner confirmed after the Dream's June 15th win over the Mystics. "She wasn't scared of any of us out there. She's coming right at us. You see her working. She seems like an amazing person."
Washington's rookie performances have clearly been noticed throughout the league, with mutual respect mounting in every corner. The learning curve for a WNBA first-year is steep, and sometimes praise is hard to come by. But their hard work has set Citron and Iriafen apart from the pack.
"Sonia, her poise has always stuck out. Even when she was at Notre Dame," said Chicago's Marsh. "One of her greatest attributes is her ability to play at her own pace and not get sped up. And she's carried that with her into her early career here in W."
"And Kiki — her aggressiveness, offensively and defensively," he continued. "She's not afraid of the moment. She's not afraid of the matchups."
With Washington behind them, the rookies find their groove
With so many players and staff already firmly in their camp, it's easy for Citron and Iriafen to gas each other up. Iriafen describes Citron as "stone cold" and a "silent assassin," joking about how different they are when the competition heats up.
"I can be a little bit extra when I play, which I like," Iriafen laughed. "Soni's the opposite. The only time Soni makes a face is if her teammates do something."
On the other hand, Citron thinks Iriafen's passing ability is underrated, and notes that her teammate doesn't get guarded like a rookie — not a small feat considering the WNBA's elite post player lineup.
"People on the free throw line have to pinch her," Citron said. "We do that to the vets [when] we need help, like we can't do it on our own. And they're doing that to her as a rookie. That says something."
"Not only is she holding her own, she's excelling," she continued. "And seeing that is just incredible."
Occupying complementary positions on the court, fans can see the connection building between the pair as they evolve from executing set plays to moving instinctively around one another. Their chemistry is palpable on the pick-and-roll, stifling defenses with backdoor cuts in the post, trusting the exact right pass will arrive.
"It's not even something that I'm thinking about, my body's just doing it," said Iriafen. "I feel like she's always in the right spot."
"Soni just does all the little things," she continued. "She doesn't shortcut anything. She's doing the fundamentals, she doesn't cheat the game at all. And I think that's why she's able to be so successful."
Playing with joy, Iriafen and Citron eye the WNBA postseason
For all of Washington's early success, the organization understands that rebuilding is a process that takes longer than a single season. The Mystics currently sit at No. 9 in the WNBA standings with a 6-8 record, with the hope of turning close losses into wins as the year progresses.
That perspective hasn't deterred Citron and Iriafen, though, with the rookies making it clear they'd like to see Washington in the playoffs this season — while also knowing to measure success beyond wins and losses.
"It's about the sisterhood that we have, and the joy that we have playing together," said Citron. "So after 44 games, we want to still be able to be around each other, love each other like a family. Like sisters."
Iriafen said she wanted to remember her rookie year as one filled with joy. She defined the term as "when even in the tough moments, you're able to find the good in it."
"If I can look back and be like, this was such a joyful season, I was around so many people that brought me joy every single day, that would be a success," she said.
The biggest victors in the WNBA last weekend were the Seattle Storm, as the fifth-place contenders took down the last two league champions to record six wins in their last seven games.
The Storm first took down 2022 and 2023 champs Las Vegas 90-83 on Friday before toppling reigning title-winners New York 89-79 on Sunday.
Guard Skylar Diggins and forward Nneka Ogwumike powered Seattle's two games, putting up 44 and 51 points, respectively, over the weekend.
Forward Gabby Williams also helped fuel the Storm's weekend with two double-double performances.
Seattle is now just one game behind the similarly surging fourth-place Atlanta Dream, while trailing the red-hot No. 3 Phoenix Mercury by 1.5 games.
"Staying ready is what the group is," Storm head coach Noelle Quinn told reporters on Friday. "They're professionals, they're vets."
Teams at the top of the WNBA standings aren't the only squads that saw weekend success, as the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries snagged their second win in a row with Sunday's 87-63 thrashing of the last-place Connecticut Sun.
Despite registering Friday losses, both No. 7 Las Vegas and the No. 9 Washington Mystics finished the weekend on a high note, earning big Sunday wins over the No. 8 Indiana Fever and No. 12 Dallas Wings, respectively.
How to watch the Seattle Storm this week
The Storm will suit back up for another tricky WNBA test on Tuesday, when Seattle hosts the always-dangerous Indiana Fever at 10 PM ET.
The game will air live on NBA TV.
The reigning champion New York Liberty battled through injury and absences over the weekend, narrowly retaining their second-place spot in the WNBA standings despite seeing their losing streak extend to two games with Sunday's 89-79 stumble against the Seattle Storm.
Already missing starting guard Leonie Fiebich, who is overseas competing at the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket tournament, the Liberty also played without center Jonquel Jones and guard Sabrina Ionescu.
While Ionescu is day-to-day with a neck issue, Jones will miss four to six weeks of action due to an ankle injury, the team announced on Saturday.
Despite dropping three of their last four matchups, the champs appear to be taking their recent downturn in stride.
"This isn't going to be the hardest thing that we face all season," said forward Breanna Stewart after Sunday's loss. "We have to kind of embrace the adversity a little bit, whether it's we're down players or things happen in the middle of the game."
New York wasn't the only team in trouble this weekend, though, as the Indiana Fever followed up last Thursday's stumble against the Golden State Valkyries with an 89-81 Sunday loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
Fever guard Caitlin Clark is now one-for-17 from behind the arc in her last two games, as Indiana struggles to break out of their eighth-place standing.
How to watch the New York Liberty this week
New York will hope for added firepower in order to snap their losing streak on Wednesday, when they'll face a rising Golden State squad at 10 PM ET.
Coverage of the game will air live on WNBA League Pass.
Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.
The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.
Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.
Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.
Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.
Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.
How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend
Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.
Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.
In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.
A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.
Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.
- No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.
- No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.
- No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.
Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.
The Indiana Fever advanced to the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship on Tuesday night, clinching their franchise-first Cup final berth following a tense battle with the Connecticut Sun that saw three ejections and two flagrant fouls.
In the game's first half, Sun guard Jacy Sheldon committed a Flagrant 1 on Fever guard Caitlin Clark, with Sheldon and teammate Marina Mabrey receiving a pair of technicals for shoving after the call.
With Indiana dominating late in the matchup, Fever guard Sophie Cunningham committed a Flagrant 2 on Sheldon, spurring a scuffle that ended with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Sun guard Lindsey Allen all being ejected.
The rest of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup action played out mostly as expected, with New York securing an 86-81 comeback victory over the Atlanta Dream. However, because of the Fever's victory, the Liberty fell just short of returning to the Cup final.
The Minnesota Lynx also launched a comeback to take down Las Vegas 76-62, successfully punching their ticket to defend their 2024 Cup title — despite star forward Napheesa Collier exiting the showdown with an apparent back injury.
Ultimately, while on-court performances should have driven the narrative, lack of referee control overshadowed the night.
"Everyone is getting better but the officials," Indiana head coach Stephanie White said after the Fever's win. "We need to remedy that. I mean, we've heard every coach talk about it. I don't know what the answer is."
How to watch the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship
The grand finale of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx will tip off at 8 PM ET on July 1st, with live coverage on Prime.