Never has the WNBA been more popular.
But with that increased attention comes scrutiny, and as the WNBA opens its 29th season Friday, the league is nearing an exciting yet pivotal inflection point.
A lot has changed since the Liberty were crowned champions last October.
The league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries.
Diana Taurasi and Elena Delle Donne retired.
The coaching carousel included the hiring of eight first-time WNBA head coaches.
Rosters were overhauled. Some of the biggest names in the game — including Brittney Griner, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas and Kelsey Plum — moved to new teams.
The WNBA welcomed an exciting rookie class, headlined by UConn star Paige Bueckers.
The offseason stories will continue to shape the narratives around this WNBA season.
With Kahleah Copper, Sabally and Thomas as a big three, how good will the Mercury be?
Will Seattle’s new additions, including No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga, push the Storm into title contention?
What will the Dream look like with Griner and Brionna Jones sharing the floor while most of the league makes the shift to the modern four- or five-out offenses?
How scared should the league be of the Fever, featuring a beefed-up Caitlin Clark and her revamped ensemble?
But these storylines are only part of the full picture.
If you thought this past free agency cycle was wild, just wait for what 2026 has in store.
Not only will the WNBA be adding two more franchises — in Toronto and Portland — into the mix, but all but two veterans are going to be free agents at the end of this season.
“That just creates an interesting prism through which we are all going to be viewing this season,” ESPN play-by-play commentator Ryan Ruocco said. “There’s going to be just an intrigue and a tension there throughout the season that’s going to then end up leading into what will be the most consequential and exciting offseason that we’ve ever had in the history of this league.”
Mercury general manager Nick U’Ren compared next year’s free agency to a fantasy football draft.
Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said the optionality and unprecedented nature of what awaits next season is exciting.
“It’s incredibly rare to have an opportunity to reset,” Kolb said. “We’ll see what the league looks like from a rules perspective, a cap perspective, all of those things, and be able to make the best decision we can at that time once we have that information.”
All those questions that remain unanswered pertaining to the collective bargaining agreement will need to be fleshed out before any of that chaos can ensue. With that said, the next couple of months of negotiations are of heightened importance. The current CBA expires after this season.
Increased player salaries in the wake of the WNBA’s landmark media rights deal, valued at $2.2 billion, as well as improved player experiences, are top priorities for players.
And the Women’s National Basketball Player Association has made it clear it will stay at the negotiating table as long as it takes to get a deal that makes sense for both parties — even if that means a possible work stoppage.
It’s in the best interest of both the WNBA and its owners and the players union to reach a deal before a strike happens. And both sides have outwardly expressed optimism that a new CBA will be “transformational.”
It’s all gearing up for what may be one of the most anticipated WNBA seasons to date.
“You’re going to continue to see this level of excitement grow and grow,” ESPN WNBA analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “We had more interest in this past free agency than we ever had. The past two drafts have been our two highest-rated drafts that we’ve ever had on ESPN.
“It’s not just going to be about what’s happening on the court and what’s happening off the court with these players. It’s going to be about the future of this league, the CBA, what is this going to mean? … It just helps increase the level of excitement, you know, what we see on the floor, but also in a broader way, as well.”
