banner-image
banner-image

Latest WNBA News

Latest WNBA News

More WNBA News

Who Is Brittney Sykes’ Partner Morghan Medlock? Meet Former Baylor Star Turned Chef and YouTuber

Get to know Brittney Skyes' partner Morghan Medlock's background, profession, and relation to women's basketball, right here!
Brittney Sykes’ Morghan Medlock

Fever Fans Praise Aliyah Boston After She Safeguards Caitlin Clark on StudBudz Live Stream

What happened between Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston on Twitch that has fans talking and guessing about them on X?
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun

Who is Caitlin Clark’s Replacement At The WNBA All-Star 3-Point Contest?

Caitlin Clark is out of the 2025 WNBA 3-Point Contest, so who’s stepping in to take her spot under the All-Star lights?
Syndication: The Indianapolis Star

Should the WNBA Have Hidden Caitlin Clark’s All-Star Absence? Inside the NBA’s LeBron Playbook

Caitlin Clark's withdrawal from the All-Star festivities was a strategic move, or is the WNBA following the NBA's LeBron playbook?
Caitlin Clark and LeBron James

All About Brittney Sykes’ Family: Meet Her Parents and Siblings Who Shaped Her WNBA Journey

Discover everything about Brittney Sykes’ background, including details about her parents and siblings, and how they supported her rise to W.
Brittney Sykes

What Is Brittney Sykes’ Ethnicity, Religion, and Nationality? Exploring Brittney Sykes Family Roots and Background

All you need to know about Brittney Sykes' ethnicity, nationality, and religious affiliation. Will she be able to fill CC's shoes?
WNBA: Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics

Fans Stunned by Minnesota Lynx HC’s Dance Moves as Studbudz Unites Entire WNBA Community

Fans had an unexpected video of the tough Cheryl Reeve along with the beloved StudBudz, Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedman.
Cheryl Reeve, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark

Paige Bueckers’ Ex-Teammate Makes Special Announcement Day after Turning Heads at ESPY 2025

Paige Bueckers' former teammate has a special announcement just a day after slaying at the 2025 ESPYs with the UConn team.
NCAA Womens Basketball: Louisville at Connecticut

Indiana Medical Staff Races Against Time as Caitlin Clark’s Injury Triggers Analyst’s NBA Plea

With Caitlin Clark set to miss the All-Star action, the spotlight is again on her injury, with fans questioning her treatment procedures.
Caitlin Clark injured

WNBA All-Star Game: Rookie Royalty Since 2013

Find out all the rookies that shined bright on their first time around and made to the WNBA All Star squad.
Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark

Napheesa Collier’s Teammate Makes Bold Claim on Caitlin Clark Ahead of WNBA All-Star Clash

Despite Caitlin Clark’s injury withdrawal from the 3-Point Contest, Collier's mate showed loyalty. Here's whom she picked!
Caitlin Clark- Napheesa Collier

Paige Bueckers Clears the Air on Azzi Fudd Relationship After Rapid-Fire Round at WNBA All-Star Event

Paige Bueckers during her first WNBA All-Star appearance has officially put fan speculation to rest about her dating life, Here's how!
Paige Bueckers- Azzi Fudd

Caitlin Clark’s Brother Comes Clean on WNBA Refs as Fever Star’s Wish Finally Fulfilled

Caitlin Clark's brother strikes again, this time with a little boost from his sister and another player to hit out at the WNBA.
September 22, 2024: Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on during game 1 of the first round of the WNBA, Basket

WNBA Fans Left Stunned after Marina Mabrey’s Latest Photoshoot with Connecticut Teammate Saniya Rivers

Marina Mabrey sent fans into a tizzy once again with her latest photoshoot with Connecticut teammate, Saniya Rivers.
Marina Mabrey, Saniya Rivers

WNBA Community Delivers Verdict on Team (Caitlin) Clark After All-Star Updated Roster Announcement

In a whirlwind of last-minute injuries, Caitlin Clark’s historic All-Star captaincy took an unexpected turn. But, her fans are still loyal!
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx

Insider Confirms WNBPA’s Statement after CBA Discussion with the League Representatives

The first CBA talks in person ended in a strong statement by the WNBA players union casting a shadow of doubt on the All-Star weekend.
Caitlin Clark and Cathy Engelbert

Natasha Howard’s Ironclad Defense: Redefining Elite Standards in the WNBA

Natasha Howard has put clamps on the best of the best in the WNBA. Read for a thorough breakdown of what makes her a special defender!
Natasha Howard (1)

Caitlin Clark’s ESPY Trophy Win Reaction From Fever GM Fails to Impress WNBA Fans

Caitlin Clark has won the ESPY Player of the Year and GM Amber Sox was under fire with her announcement causing fans to question Fever side.
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Minnesota Lynx

WNBA Wastes No Time Announcing Caitlin Clark’s Replacement for the All-Star Game

Caitlin Clark is out for the upcoming All Star festivities and the league wasted no time in replacing the star guard.
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Golden State Valkyries

Who Will Replace Caitlin Clark in WNBA Three-Point Contest?

While after recent events Caitlin Clark will sit out of the WNBA Three-Point Contest. Read more to find out who will be taking her place.
Caitlin Clark injured

WNBA Fans Assign Blame After Caitlin Clark Announces Heartbreaking All-Star Decision

Fans came in support of Caitlin Clark after the Indiana Fever superstar was declared OUT for the third time this season
Caitlin Clark (3)

Distressing Caitlin Clark News Breaks 48 Hours Before the WNBA All-Star Weekend

The fans looking forward to the all star weekend have just received a disapointing news regarding one of the captains, Caitlin Clark.
Caitlin Clark 2024 All star games

Angel Reese’s Ex-Coach Finds Solace Amid Distressing WNBA Announcement on Chicago Sky

The Chicago Sky have not been short of bad news in the recent weeks as WNBA players have given them an unwanted title.
WNBA: Golden State Valkyries at Minnesota Lynx

Caitlin Clark’s Injury Rooted in Indiana Coaching Blunder Amid Brother’s Allegations, Says Analyst

With Caitlin Clark sidelined for the third time this season, fans and family blame Indiana Fever's decisions behind the illness.
Caitlin Clark injured

Paige Bueckers & Co. Held to Strict Locker Room Demand Amid Dallas’ 4-Game Losing Streak

The Dallas Wings have fallen into a downward spiral once again and Coach Koclanes has clear message for the squad.
WNBA: Indiana Fever at Dallas Wings

What is Connecticut Sun’s Head Coach Rachid Meziane’s Salary And Contract?

Read about Rachid Meziane’s Net Worth, contract details, his salary and career earnings and more on Essentially Sports.
BASKET-EURO-WOMEN-BEL-SRB

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.