Latest WNBA News

Latest WNBA News

More WNBA News

Sonia Citron Gets Candid on Playing Alongside Caitlin Clark in All-Star

Sonia Citron is very excited to share the court with Caitlin Clark once again after getting drafted to her All-Star team
Sonia Citron- Caitlin Clark

Caitlin Clark & Stephanie White Not ‘On the Same Page’ Amid Indiana’s 10th WNBA Loss, Says Reporter

Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White might have different ideas regarding Indiana's offense, but can that lead to a conflict?
WNBA: Preseason-Brazil National Team at Indiana Fever

2 Dallas Teammates Sound Alarm on Locker Room Failure After Paige Bueckers’ Series Loss to Angel Reese

The Dallas Wings have been struggling even with Paige Bueckers, and their most recent loss to Chicago raises some interesting questions.
Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese

WNBA Fans Buzz Over Marina Mabrey’s Future in Connecticut After Latest MLB Outing With Teammate

Marina Mabrey and Sun rookie spark dating rumors as fans wonder if their growing bond might keep Mabrey in Connecticut despite trade drama.
WNBA: Washington Mystics at Connecticut Sun

Major Lisa Bluder Update Headlines As Christine Brennan Makes Caitlin Clark Book Event Decision

Christine Brennan's new book on Caitlin Clark's journey features key guests on tour, including former coach Lisa Bluder.
Lisa Bluder , Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White

Phoenix Mercury Announces Major Locker Room Decision 16 Hours After DeWanna Bonner’s Return

The Phoenix Mercury have to reshuffle their roster once again. Is something big coming? Read to find out on EssentiallySports.
WNBA: Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury

Las Vegas Aces News: What Happened to A’ja Wilson and Why Didn’t She Play vs. Washington Mystics?

A’ja Wilson will miss the Aces’ game against the Mystics leaving her All-Star Game status uncertain. Here's what happened!
A’ja Wilson

Fresh Aces Intel Reveal Troubling A’ja Wilson Update 8 Hours Before Washington Game

Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson suffered a pretty bad fall on Tuesday. Read to know more about her injury updates.
A’ja Wilson

Why 11 AM Games Are the WNBA’s Secret Fan Engine Despite Some Backlash

While the WNBA continues to carry its traditions this season as well, let us try and understand how this helps the league prosper
Copy of Syndication: The Indianapolis Star

Minnesota Lynx Vs LA Sparks: Injury Report, Starting-5, Predictions, and More on WNBA Preview

The table toppers Minnesota Lynx are set to be challenged by Kelsey Plum's LA Sparks for their next matchup.
Kelsey Plum, Napheesa Collier

Caitlin Clark Gets Immediate Response From WNBA After the Indiana Star Suffers Sour Return

Caitlin Clark had a disappointing return from injury, but the WNBA has tried to get the Fever fandom going with their recent response.
WNBA: Golden State Valkyries at Indiana Fever

10,083 Americans’ Heartfelt Tribute to DeWanna Bonner Met With Troubling Phoenix Outlook

DeWanna Bonner received a warm welcome upon rerun in Phoenix but the WNBA community still not happy with the veteran.
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Washington Mystics

Paige Bueckers Photo Sparks Debate Over Caitlin Clark Comparison As Indiana Fever Star’s Shooting Slump Continues

Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark may share draft status, but their games are worlds apart. Here's why the constant comparisons miss the mark.
NCAA Womens Basketball: Final Four National Semifinal-Connecticut at UCLA

Fresh Off WNBA All-Star Draft Pick, Sabrina Inoescu Goes Viral For Heartwarming Moment With Young Fan

Sabrina Ionescu's heart warming moment with a fan goes viral just days after getting drafted for the All-Star game
Women?s National Basketball Association Playoffs Game 1 – Chicago Sky v New York Liberty Sabrina Ionescu (20 New York Li

Paige Bueckers Outlines Improvements Ahead Of Fever Clash Following Loss to Angel Reese’s Sky

Paige Bueckers gives out detailed explanation on what the Dallas Wings need to do to beat the Indiana Fever
Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese

Caitlin Clark Recreates Iconic Taylor Swift Look Again Ahead Of Valkyries Game

Caitlin Clark’s Swiftie status runs deep. See how the WNBA star channels her inner "tall It girl" on and off the court.
Caitlin Clark, Taylor Swift

What Is Murjanatu Musa’s Net Worth and Contract in 2025?

Find out Murjanatu Musa's net worth, contract details, her salary and career earnings, and more in the article.
49efe5bb-956e-4097-908a-ccac9252ae40

Why New York Liberty Might Be the First WNBA Team to Build a Fan Ecosystem

Is micromemberships era is upon us, and the New York Liberty are all set to lead the charge! Read more to find out
Sabrina Ionescu and New York Liberty Owner Collage

Dallas Wings HC Throws Paige Bueckers & Co. Under The Bus After Timid Loss To Chicago Sky

Dallas Wings leaned heavily on their rookie core raising questions about whether the coach is asking too much? Here's what HC gotta say!
Paige Bueckers Chris Koclanes

Walls Are Closing In On Caitlin Clark After Angel Reese’s Latest Outing vs Dallas Wings

Pressure mounts on Caitlin Clark as her shooting slump continues while Angel Reese continues to dominate on the court
Caitlin Clark Angel Reese female hooper

Rebecca Allen Calls Angel Reese ‘Wild’ for Post-Game Act As Sky Beat Wings

Angel Reese’s on-court dominance met off-court hilarity as she lifted both the scoreboard and teammate. Here's what happened!
Angel Reese and Rebecca Allen

Fever Coach Says Clark’s Return May Have Cost Team as WNBA Star Bemoans ‘Stinky’ Night vs Valkyries

Caitlin Clark returns, but trouble brews in Indiana Fever's camp. Coach White's postgame comments hint at deeper issues beyond just rust.
Caitlin Clark with Stephanie White

Why the WNBA Counter Proposal Was Rejected: Inside the Revenue Rift and Players’ Push for Fair Pay

As the WNBA's revenue soars, players push back against a rigid salary structure. Let's dive deep to get to the bottom of this tension.
WNBA: Finals-Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty

Analyst Flags Worrying Indiana Fever Body Language, Pinpoints HC Call That Cost Valkyries Game

The Indiana Fever's loss sparked criticism over bad body language, questionable rotations, and White's decisions, here are details...
Stephanie White and Caitlin Clark (2)

Chicago Sky Retires Allie Quigley’s Jersey In Classy Halftime Ceremony vs. Wings

Allie Quigley's jersey retirement became a heartfelt celebration of legacy, love, and loyalty. Here's how it happened!
Allie Quigley

Broadcasters Highlight Angel Reese’s ‘Ball Don’t Lie’ Moment After WNBA Officials Blunder Free Throw Call

Chicago Sky upset the Wings 87-76 behind Angel Reese’s double-double and Allen’s 27, ending with controversy, grit, and a postgame troll.
Angel Reese Chicago Sky

About WNBA

The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league, the women’s counterpart of the National Basketball Association (NBA). But unlike the men’s league, which has 30 teams, the WNBA is relatively newer and smaller with 12 teams.

Founded on April 24, 1996, the women’s basketball league began play in June 1997 after the NBA Board of Governors approved their concept. The WNBA now has a 5-month long regular season, played from May to September, with the All-Star game being played midway through the season in July. The playoffs usually begin in mid-September, with the WNBA Finals at the end of September until the beginning of October.

With names like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese popularizing the NCAA side of things, the rookies’ advent into the pro leagues has helped the sport reach wider audiences across the globe. But veterans like Sheryl Swoopes and legends like Diana Taurasi are impacting the game in their own way.

For all the news on major sports moments to niche storylines, we are a one-stop hub for all your WNBA-related questions. From the New York Liberty to the Indiana Fever, from the Las Vegas Aces to the Minnesota Lynx, we also explore game-unrelated content featuring the entities’ personal lives and families. You’ll be able to find posts related to Brittney Griner’s son and A’ja Wilson’s family to Aerial Powers’ dating life.

Regular Season format

The pre-season begins with training camps in May that allow the coaching staff to prepare the players for the regular season and determine the 12-woman roster with which they will begin the regular season. The last part before the actual season starts is a series of exhibition games.

The WNBA regular season then begins in May and goes on till late September/ early October. As of 2023, each team will play 40 regular season games, 20 each home and away. As in the NBA, each team hosts and visits every other team at least once every season.

The rules allow for a slight relaxation every four years when the Summer Olympics are held. The WNBA takes a month off in the middle of the season to allow players to practice and compete with their respective national teams. 

Similarly, during years in which the FIBA World Cup is held, the WNBA either takes a break for the World Cup or ends its season early, depending on the scheduling of the World Cup.

Postseason/Playoffs Format

The WNBA Playoffs usually begin in late September, with the only exception being the FIBA World Cup, when they begin in August. In the current system, the eight best teams by the regular-season record, without regard to conference alignment, qualify for the playoffs. Since 2022, the playoffs have been held in a standard knockout format, with the first round consisting of the best-of-three series and the semifinals and finals being best-of-five.

Leading the playoff standings and having a higher seed means several advantages - they will face weaker teams in the beginning and have home-court advantage in each round. In the current playoff format, all first-round matchups use a 2”“1 home-court pattern, which allows the higher seed the opportunity to win the series without having to visit the lower seed. This, in turn, means that a lower seed that wins one of the first two games will host the series decider.

The first round is bracketed in the normal manner for an 8-team tournament, with 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 on one side of the bracket and 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 on the other. The winners of each series advance to the semifinals, with the bracket not being reseeded. The semifinals use a 2”“2”“1 home-court pattern, meaning that the higher-seeded team will have home court in games 1, 2, and 5 while the other team plays at home in games 3 and 4. The Finals are also played in a 2”“2”“1 home-court pattern.

WNBA’s All-Star Game

In the middle of the season in July, the WNBA season takes a pause to host the annual WNBA All-Star Game. It’s a weekend-long event, held in a selected WNBA city each year.

Like numerous other sports, through the 2017 edition, the All-Star Game featured star players from the Western Conference facing star players from the Eastern Conference. But since 2018, conference affiliations have not influenced team selections.

During the season, voting for All-Star starters takes place among fans, WNBA players, and sports media members. The starters are selected by a weighted vote (fans 50%, players and media 25% each), while reserves are selected by the league's head coaches. The two players with the most fan votes are named team captains, who then fill out their teams in a draft format similar to that currently used for the NBA All-Star Game.

WNBA Teams which are counterparts of NBA teams

Five WNBA teams have direct NBA counterparts and normally play in the same arena: Indiana Fever (Indiana Pacers), New York Liberty (Brooklyn Nets), Minnesota Lynx (Minnesota Timberwolves), Los Angeles Sparks (Los Angeles Lakers), and Phoenix Mercury (Phoenix Suns).

The Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Seattle Storm, and Washington Mystics do not share an arena with a direct NBA counterpart.

WNBA expansion over the years

The WNBA originated with 8 teams in 1997, and through a sequence of expansions, contractions, and relocations currently consists of 12 teams. There have been a total of 18 franchises in WNBA history.

As of the league's most recent 2022 season, the Las Vegas Aces (formerly the Utah Starzz and San Antonio (Silver) Stars), Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, and Phoenix Mercury are the only remaining franchises that were founded in 1997.

Upcoming teams in the WNBA:

TeamCityArenaCapacityJoiningHead Coach
Golden State ValkyriesSan Francisco, CaliforniaChase Center18,0642025TBA
Toronto WNBA TeamToronto, OntarioCoca-Cola Coliseum87002026TBA

Teams with the most championships

TeamTotal Championships Year(s) Won
Minnesota Lynx42011, 2013, 2015, 2017
Houston Comets41997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Seattle Storm42004, 2010, 2018, 2020
Los Angeles Sparks32001, 2002, 2016
Phoenix Mercury32007, 2009, 2014
Detroit Shock (Now Dallas Wings)32003, 2006, 2008
Las Vegas Aces22022, 2023

Awards given in the WNBA

When the regular season ends in September (or August if it’s a FIBA year), the voting for individual awards begins. Performances in the playoffs have no bearing on all-season-long awards, as they have their own set of honors.

Beginning with Rookie of the Year, the award goes to the most outstanding first-year player. The Most Improved Player Award is given to the WNBA player who has undergone the most positive change in the last season.

The Sixth Player of the Year Award, previously known as the "Sixth Woman" award, is given to the best player coming off the bench. But they must have more games coming off the bench than actual games started.

Another prestigious honor is the Defensive Player of the Year Award, which goes to the league's best defender. There is also an award for the best sportsman, called the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

Coaches get recognized too with the Coach of the Year Award for making a significant difference to a team in a positive direction.

And finally, one of the most awaited awards, the Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed the most valuable for her team that season.

A new title that began in 2019 is a season-long version of the WNBA Community Assist Award given to a player for her exceptional contribution to community service.

Focusing on teams, there is the Basketball Executive of the Year Award, presented to the team executive most instrumental in his or her team's success in that season. Then there are also the All-WNBA Teams, the All-Defensive Teams, and the All-Rookie Team, consisting of 5 players each without regard to position. And lastly, there is also an All-Rookie team, consisting of the top five first-year players regardless of position.