Way-Too-Early WNBA Power Rankings: Liberty, Lynx start on top
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Michael Voepel, ESPN Senior Writer
After 28 seasons, the New York Liberty have finally won a WNBA title. And they’ll start ESPN’s early look at next season on top, too.
While the champagne corks are still popping for the Liberty, let’s look at how things could stand in 2025, which will include the league’s first expansion team since 2008.
New York should have the bulk of its core back next season. Starters Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton are under contract through 2025. Breanna Stewart is an unrestricted free agent but said last week she will sign a one-year deal with New York. Courtney Vandersloot is also a free agent, and we’ll have to see how that works out.
“Continuity helps in this league,” said coach Sandy Brondello, who finished her third season with the Liberty. “The league keeps getting better and better, and going to a new team, it takes time to put your philosophy on a team. Every team changes somewhat every year, but I think we’ve got a really good core base.”
It will be a busy WNBA offseason. The draft lottery is Nov. 17, and the Golden State Valkyries’ expansion draft is Dec. 6. Both will be televised on ESPN. Free agency is in early 2025, plus four coaching jobs are vacant: Dallas, as of Friday, is the latest, joining Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Teams that already have locked down key parts of their rosters were given weight in the rankings. (Also, because of the potential that the players can opt out of their collective bargaining agreement after the 2025 season, you won’t see a lot of contracts past 2025 until a new CBA is in place.)
So much will happen between now and next spring, but the top two teams will likely stay put in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Power Rankings.
2024 rankings: Preseason | May 20 | May 27 | June 3 | June 10 | June 17 | June 24 | July 1 | July 8 | July 15 | Aug. 19 | Aug. 26 | Sept. 2 | Sept. 9 | Sept. 16
2024 finish: Won WNBA championship
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 2
The Liberty’s goal under new ownership in 2019 was to finally win a WNBA title — and they did that Sunday. They had the best record in the regular season and are expected to keep their core together for 2025. The Aces last year were the first team to win back-to-back WNBA championships since Los Angeles did it in 2001 and 2002. So it will be a challenge to repeat, but New York hopes to build on a landmark 2024 season.
2024 finish: Lost in WNBA Finals to New York
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 1
This season was a huge success for the Lynx. They were No. 9 in our preseason Power Rankings, jumped to No. 4 after the first week of games and then were one of four teams to spend time at No. 1 — along with Las Vegas, New York and Connecticut. All five of the Lynx’s starters are under contract for next season. “What we built this year has been really special,” Lynx guard Kayla McBride said. “I’m excited I get to spend time with this great group even longer.”
2024 finish: Lost in semifinals to New York
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 3
Winning back-to-back titles was hard enough. Trying for a three-peat proved a bridge too far for the Aces, who were the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. A’ja Wilson was the unanimous MVP, and she, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young are all under contract for next season. Kelsey Plum is the other core player for the Aces, and retaining her could make a big difference. The Aces also need another scoring threat inside to help Wilson.
2:29
Aj’a Wilson accepts her 3rd WNBA MVP award
Aces star A’ja Wilson gives a speech after accepting the MVP trophy from WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert.
2024 finish: Lost in first round to Connecticut
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 6
The Fever returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and were the biggest attendance draw in the WNBA, boosted by Rookie of the Year sensation Caitlin Clark. She was also a first-team All-WNBA selection. Clark and fellow No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston return for 2025. Will free agent Kelsey Mitchell stay in Indiana? She meshed well with Clark in the Fever’s backcourt. With Kelly Krauskopf returning as team president and Amber Cox coming in as new general manager, expect the Fever to be aggressive in addressing their needs in free agency and trades.
1:55
How Caitlin Clark paved her way as WNBA’s Rookie of the Year
Chiney Ogwumike looks back at Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking season that led her to becoming the WNBA Rookie of the Year.
2024 finish: Lost in first round to Las Vegas
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 5
The Storm seemed to have a few chemistry questions by the end of the playoffs, based on coach Noelle Quinn’s comments about effort. They had some really good moments this past season but face some uncertainty with All-Star forward Nneka Ogwumike entering free agency after one season in Seattle. If she returns, the Storm can build on the best of what they did in 2024.
2024 finish: Missed playoffs
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 8
The Mystics started 0-12 but rallied to contend for a playoff spot once the their health started to improve. We don’t know if Elena Delle Donne, who sat out 2024, will ever return to the WNBA, but with most of their 2024 starters set to return and rookie Aaliyah Edwards having a year under her belt, the Mystics could make decent jump next season.
2024 finish: Lost in semifinals to Minnesota
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 4
Somehow, it seems the Sun always get things done, so it’s hard to put them this low. However, it’s also somewhat tempting to put them lower because there are so many personnel questions for 2025. Are the Sun’s big three — Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones, who are all unrestricted free agents — returning? Might coach Stephanie White be lured away by another franchise?
2024 finish: Lost in first round to Minnesota
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 7
The Mercury never quite lived up to their promise in 2024, but they made the playoffs under first-year coach Nate Tibbetts. Future Hall of Famer Diana Taurasi has defined the franchise since she was drafted No. 1 in 2004. Is she retiring after 20 seasons? We don’t know yet. Taurasi and Brittney Griner are unrestricted free agents. Griner, who turned 34 on Friday, has said multiple times she has no intention of leaving Phoenix and believes she has a lot of basketball left.
2024 finish: Missed playoffs
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 12
The Sparks are still in rebuilding mode and now are also looking for a coach, as Curt Miller was fired after just two seasons. The season-ending injury to No. 2 draft pick Cameron Brink in June took a toll on the team, as the Sparks had the worst record in the league and missed the playoffs for the fourth season in a row. But No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson still had a good rookie year. And another big addition could be coming in the 2025 draft if the Sparks win the lottery and get the No. 1 pick, which is expected to be UConn guard Paige Bueckers.
2024 finish: Lost in first round to New York
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 9
Center Tina Charles, who turns 36 in December, told ESPN in September that she hopes to return to the WNBA in 2025. It seems likely the Dream will want her to stay, considering all she brought to Atlanta this season. Young franchise star Rhyne Howard has been consistent through all three of her WNBA seasons, which should continue. But the Dream are one of four franchises that currently don’t have a coach, as Tanisha Wright was fired after the season despite the Dream making the playoffs.
2024 finish: Missed playoffs
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 11
After reaching the WNBA semifinals in 2023 and having their best record since the franchise was still in Detroit, little went right for the Wings in 2024. Satou Sabally missed 25 games while recovering from a shoulder injury and playing with the German national team. Fellow forwards Natasha Howard and Maddy Siegrist each missed 13 games because of injuries. Guard Arika Ogunbowale had another big scoring year (22.2 points per game), but the Wings’ struggles cost coach Latricia Trammell her job after just two seasons, as she was fired Friday. The Wings now will go to their fifth coach since moving to Dallas in 2016.
2024 finish: Missed playoffs
Final 2024 regular-season ranking: 10
Post players Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were on the WNBA all-rookie team, guard Chennedy Carter made a strong return to the league after missing the 2023 season, and the Sky were in the playoff race until season’s end. But with Reese’s season cut short by a wrist injury — she missed the last six games — the Sky didn’t play well down the stretch. Still, it was a surprise when coach Teresa Weatherspoon was fired after one season, a move Reese reacted to with great dismay on social media.
13. Golden State Valkyries
Expansion team that begins WNBA competition in 2025
The Valkyries don’t have any players yet, but they have a new coach in Natalie Nakase, who spent the past three seasons as Becky Hammon’s assistant with the Aces and also has extensive NBA experience. With nothing else to go on, the Valkyries are in the last spot of the Power Rankings. For comparison’s sake, the past two WNBA expansion teams had the league’s worst record in their first seasons: Chicago was 5-29 in 2006, and Atlanta was 4-30 in 2008.
