Special Edition: Mercury’s not in retrograde

The W’s 13 teams are divided into two conferences — the six-team Eastern Conference (EC) and the seven-team Western Conference (WC). Each squad will play a league-record 44 regular-season games, beginning tonight and running through September 11th.

• From there, the eight best regular-season teams (regardless of conference) advance to a revamped three-round postseason, tipping off on September 14th. The first round is a best-of-three series, while the semis are best-of-five and finals are finally best-of-seven.

In addition to the regularly scheduled programming, the in-season Commissioner’s Cup will grace screens for a fifth year, the second edition under its new format. Running from June 1st to the 17th, every EC team will play five games, one against each of their in-conference opponents, while the seven WC squads hit the hardwood for six games each.

• This 36-game slate counts towards each team’s regular-season record and will culminate with the top teams from each conference squaring off for a cool $500K prize pool in the July 1st final.

• Four different teams have won the in-season tourney since its 2021 debut — the Seattle Storm, Las Vegas Aces, NY Liberty, and Minnesota Lynx — with the Lynx and Libs both reaching the Finals after their respective wins. Is it a Cup or a crystal ball?

Fresh off Unrivaled’s successful debut season, women’s hoops continues to build on the sport’s unprecedented momentum. ICYMI, here’s what’s happened since the 2024 WNBA season wrapped, plus a few spicy storylines to keep an eye on as the 2025 season tips off.

📈 League expansion: The WNBA has reached lucky number 13 with the newest squad, the Golden State Valkyries, officially hitting the hardwood tonight. And that’s not all: The Toronto Tempo and WNBA Portland are waiting in the wings ahead of their 2026 debut.

👶 The new kids on the block: Though this year’s rookie class doesn’t boast the firepower of last season’s, it is headlined by Bueckers and the Storm’s Dominique Malonga, who made a statement at her first W practice. Next on the Frenchwoman’s to-do list? Becoming the ninth hooper in WNBA history to dunk in-game. Book it.

👀 No sophomore slump here: Speaking of the 2024 rooks, it’s not just Clark and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese who are expected to level up in year two. Keep an eye on Reese’s teammate, Kamilla Cardoso, and the LA Sparks’ dynamic duo of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, who should hit the court together in June as Brink continues to rehab a torn ACL.

• And then there’s Washington Mystic Aaliyah Edwards, who defied gravity (and Liberty legend Breanna Stewart) at Unrivaled’s 1-on-1 tourney this summer. Unlimited.

👋 Waving goodbye to two legends: For the first time in two decades, the iconic Diana Taurasi won’t be lacing up her sneakers for the Phoenix Mercury, while two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne, who didn’t play in 2024 because of injury, also called game on her hoops career after 11 seasons.

💰 Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations: The WNBA Players’ Association (WNBPA, the longest-running union in women’s sports) raised the bar with their player-first 2020 CBA — and these businesswomen are back for more, especially after Unrivaled set an even higher standard this summer.

• With the league’s current deal expiring at the end of the 2025 campaign, conversations surrounding player pay structure, pregnancy protection, revenue deals, and more will continue throughout the season. Stay tuned.

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🗽 NY Liberty: With their three-pronged attack of friend of The GIST Stewie, reigning Finals MVP Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu as sharp as ever — plus the addition of gritty, do-it-all point guard Natasha Cloud — the defending champs are starting 2025 where they left off: on top.

🐈‍ Minnesota Lynx: In an offseason jam-packed with movement, last year’s runners-up have consistency in their favor…oh, and a Statue of Liberty–sized chip on their shoulder. Minny has championship expectations, and two-way superstar Napheesa Collier won’t settle for anything less.

🃏 Las Vegas Aces: Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson has literally done it all this offseason, including continuing to improve her game. A scary thought for the rest of the W, especially with the Aces acquiring 2023 league-leading scorer and two-time champ Jewell Loyd in a blockbuster trade.

🥵 Indiana Fever: Fresh off a historic rookie season, Clark is one of the league’s top hoopers, but there’s so much more to this team. The biggest offseason inking? Six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, the perfect veteran presence to complement Clark and 2023 No. 1 pick Aliyah Boston.

⛈️ Seattle Storm: Batten the hatches — there’s a storm brewing in Seattle. Loyd may be gone, but with a full season from Gabby Williams, the addition of Malonga, and the experience of veterans Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike, the Storm are so back after a tumultuous 2024 season.

☄️ Phoenix Mercury: It’s a new dawn in Phoenix, but that doesn’t mean the Mercury are in retrograde — they replaced their longtime All-WNBA duo of Taurasi and Brittney Griner with…another All-WNBA duo in Alyssa “The Engine” Thomas and Satou Sabally.

😴 Atlanta Dream: The last time the Dream won a postseason game? Seven years ago. Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Jordin Canada have held the line in Hotlanta, but the additions of the aforementioned BG and Brionna Jones could help the Dream pick up that elusive playoff dub.

☁️ Chicago Sky: If there’s one thing we know about the Sky, it’s that they love a good reunion. 2025 No. 11 overall pick Hailey Van Lith will have her biggest cheerleader back in her corner in former LSU teammate Reese, while assist maestro (and new mom) Courtney Vandersloot, a 2021 champ with Chi-town, is back like she never left.

🦄 Dallas Wings: The Wings’ front office really took the adage “out with the old, in with the new” to heart. They have a new head coach and general manager, a generational talent in Bueckers, and a little bit of love and basketball. The one constant in a sea of change? Certified bucket Arike Ogunbowale.

✨ LA Sparks: The Sparks were down bad last season, logging single-digit wins for the first time in franchise history. Brink and Jackson are key pieces in LA’s resurgence, but new addition Kelsey Plum could be the catalyst — the veteran guard has that dawg in her and the championship pedigree to prove it.

🪄 Washington Mystics: You already know Edwards’ potential was on full display at Unrivaled, but the rebuilding ’Stics might be without their second-year sensation for a little longer. That means all eyes will be on the squad’s (healthy) first-round draft picks: No. 3 Sonia Citron and No. 4 Kiki Iriafen.

☀️ Connecticut Sun: Relocation rumors are swirling, and that’s likely the closest the Sun will come to moving the needle for the foreseeable future. The only key contributor left from last year’s semis run is Marina Mabrey, but at least the ageless Tina Charles’ full-circle moment is a storyline worth rooting for.

💜 Golden State Valkyries: Pop the bubbly — the Valkyries have officially arrived. This roster is chockfull of international talent (and the incomparable Kate Martin), but building a team through an expansion draft hasn’t been a recipe for success. Beef trifle aside, the growth of women’s sports is always something to celebrate.

It all begins with tonight’s three-game slate: First, the Mystics host the Dream at 7:30 p.m. ET, while Buecker’s Wings battle her hometown Lynx at the same time. The opening day slate wraps up with the Valkyries making their debut vs. the Sparks at 10 p.m. ET. Ball is life.

• If you call the U.S. home, catch all the action on ESPN and CBS networks, ION, WNBA League Pass, and more, while Canadians can enjoy most games on TSN and Sportsnet.

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