It’s opening week across the league, with the landmark 30th WNBA season tipping off May 8 and the entire weekend jam-packed with games.
Before the season officially gets underway, our Winsidr team is previewing each of the 15 teams, taking a look back on what took place this offseason, what the team will look like in 2026, and both the ceiling and floor for each squad.
Atlanta Dream — by Madisyn Cunningham
The Dream took the WNBA by storm this offseason when they traded for third-year phenom Angel Reese in April, bringing a new life and fanbase to Atlanta. The team had a strong 2025 campaign, ending with a 30-14 record as the third seed before losing to the Indiana Fever in the first round of the playoffs. Even in the aftermath of losing veteran center Brittney Griner, this Dream team looks like it might be among the best in the league.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Jordin Canada
G: Allisha Gray
F: Rhyne Howard
F: Angel Reese
C: Naz Hillmon
Brionna Jones underwent surgery in April for a torn meniscus suffered in January, so she will miss some time on the court to begin the season. It’ll be interesting to see where she fits in with this roster, but Naz Hillmon should be able to fill in on the starting unit.
Ceiling vs. Floor
The acquisition of Reese has the potential to make the Dream a serious title contender this season. Reese’s dominance down in the paint, paired with Howard and Gray’s lights-out shooting, means the Dream will be a nightmare to guard. The fact that the majority of the team’s core has returned this year means the players are truly buying into Atlanta’s system, and the team chemistry seems to be off the charts.
The worst the Dream would do is what they did last year—that is, secure a top seed just to be a first-round exit. Reese has never played in the playoffs, and Howard is only in her fourth year in the league, so the team is still young in many ways. The Dream will need to kick into another gear if it wants to bring its regular season success to the next level, or else they will continue to be stuck in this limbo of being good, but not good enough.
Chicago Sky — by Emmy Spersrud
We’re looking at a new—and maybe improved—Chicago Sky. Through trades and free agency, the Sky lost their top three leading scorers from 2025, but to say they did their best to replace what they lost would be an understatement. In 2026, we’re looking at a Chicago squad that has a plethora of elite talent. Will they mesh well and change the script of a team that has been struggling?
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Skylar Diggins
G: Dijonai Carrington
F: Rickea Jackson
F: Azurá Stevens
C: Kamilla Cardoso
What looked like a ‘rebuilding era’ for Chicago, especially after it traded away Angel Reese, has quickly turned into a transitional period. The Sky have added one of the best two-way guards in the league, seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins. After she signed, the conversation turned to speculation about who else the front office could pull in. Azurá Stevens will make her return to Chicago, Dijonai Carrington signed as a free agent, and Rickea Jackson was a part of a trade landing her with the Sky this season. Suddenly, the Sky have a starting lineup that, on paper, looks really threatening. With the newest addition of Natasha Cloud, this team has only become more experienced. She brings an unmatched energy on defense, as well.
Ceiling vs. Floor
Any team with Diggins leading the helm will be tough to face. She brings an energy and competitiveness that is unmatched into the locker room. Sky GM Jeff Pagliocca made it clear that when approaching this offseason, he and head coach Tyler Marsh wanted players who truly bought into their vision of this team. He told reporters, “We’re gonna remain in win-now mode as long as I’m here.” He later added, “Winning now, to me, is getting ultra competitive players here… that won’t live with anything less than success…we’re looking to compete with the best teams in the league.” Without having seen them play yet, we have no reason not to believe that this elite group of players won’t be showing up as the best versions of themselves. A lot of them hold that versatility factor that allows them to play well on both sides of the ball. When it’s all said and done, we could be looking at a playoff-contending team.
On the other hand, most of these players have never played together before. Stevens and Jackson have some familiarity from their time in Los Angeles together, but that’s really where it ends. A lot of the top-contending teams this season are relying on their familiarity factor, which could make beating them difficult for teams like the Sky. The floor for this Chicago team is higher than they finished last year. With other additions, like Jacy Sheldon and draftee Gabriela Jaquez, we’re looking at the team having more depth as those players continue to develop. Expect this roster to lean into reshaping the culture surrounding the Sky.
Connecticut Sun — by Jamauri Bowles
After a highly successful stretch in Connecticut Sun history that saw six straight semifinal appearances—with two WNBA Finals appearances during that time—the 2025 season marked the beginning of a new era for the franchise. Before last season, the team parted ways with players who were vital to their recent years of success—such as Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, and DiJonai Carrington—and began the first year of a rebuild under Rachid Meziane in his first year as the head coach.
The Sun finished 11-33 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. However, flashes of potential were on display from the young players on the roster, like Aneesah Morrow, Saniya Rivers, Leïla Lacan, and Aaliyah Edwards. The team was led by two productive veteran players in Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey, who were the two leading scorers last year.
This offseason was another one filled with change for the Sun. Charles is not on the roster and is currently unsigned by a WNBA team, and Mabrey was selected by the Toronto Tempo in the expansion draft. Lacan is the only player on the roster who averaged double-digit points for the Sun last season. However, the team did sign Brittney Griner, who is a strong frontcourt addition and will look to be a key piece in the continued development of a young Sun team. They also added Kennedy Burke, who is coming off a successful stint with the New York Liberty and provides shooting. The Sun also has multiple players they selected in the 2026 Draft.
Potential Starting Lineup:
G: Leïla Lacan
G: Saniya Rivers
F: Diamond Miller
F: Aneesah Morrow
C: Brittney Griner
Ceiling vs. Floor
For what is slated to be the franchise’s final year in Connecticut, the floor for the 2026 Sun looks like another year of being near the bottom of the league with one of the worst records, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. But the talent on the team has the potential to have an exciting ceiling; with consistency and an improvement in shooting, this team certainly has the ability to compete for a playoff spot, especially if some of the young players blossom into reliable go-to scorers.
Indiana Fever — by Brenden Potts
All eyes will be on the Indiana Fever this season, and not just because star guard Caitlin Clark is returning to the court after missing a majority of last season due to multiple injuries. Last year, the Fever finished a few missed shots away from the WNBA Finals after a regular season in which half of the roster was injured.
Although many of their hardship contracted players like Odyssey Sims and Chloe Bibby have signed with other teams, Indiana retained its core while filling out the depth of the roster. Adding forward Monique Billings from the Valkyries and Myisha Hines-Allen from the Wings adds depth in the frontcourt, while Shatori Walker-Kimbrough gives the Fever more guard depth. Indiana didn’t stop adding key pieces in free agency as they welcomed South Carolina guard Raven Johnson, Vanderbilt forward Justine Pissott, and Alabama’s Jessica Timmons. When the clock struck midnight on free agency, the Fever wasted no time re-signing guards Kelsey Mitchell, Lexie Hull, and Sophie Cunningham to supermax and max contracts, respectively.
Under head coach Stephanie White, Indiana will not only look to replicate last year’s success but also take the next step toward winning a WNBA championship.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Caitlin Clark
G: Kelsey Mitchell
F: Lexie Hull
F: Monique Billings
C: Aliyah Boston
The Fever’s starters will likely differ from the end of the season to opening day, hopefully not due to injuries. With the first three guards and Boston locked into their positions, White has a plethora of choices to go with at that fourth spot. Although Billings is new to the roster, Indiana thinks highly of her, given the contract she signed with the team. Of course, the Fever can play games with Cunningham in that spot with Billings coming off the bench, but the opposite would help them achieve more.
Often a forgotten asset to Indiana’s winning formula, Mitchell is a key x-factor this season. Coming off an All-Star caliber year last season, she will look to duplicate her production with the goal of finishing the job. With Johnson and Cunningham coming off the bench to start the year, Indiana’s depth is nothing to sneeze at and could make them very dangerous down the stretch.
Ceiling vs. Floor
After getting that taste of success last season, the Fever’s aim is to chase a championship unless someone carries them out. Despite the many injuries they suffered last season, they clawed their way to a near-Finals appearance when everyone doubted them. Now with a seemingly healthy roster, a championship is an attainable goal. While they have a good chance to win it all, they will still have to get through the big dogs like the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty, but they proved they can stand a chance. If Clark plays like her usual self and Indiana stays relatively healthy, there’s no reason to think the Fever can’t challenge anyone at the top of the mountain.
Both the Fever and the WNBA community would hate to see a repeat of the team’s season of injuries. However, that would be a key reason why Indiana has a disappointing year. Despite all of the key players missing most of the year, the Fever still made the playoffs as the sixth seed. With the lower-tier teams improving their rosters and two more expansion teams entering the fold, the margin for error becomes slimmer. Like last season, the worst Indiana season would likely still result in a playoff appearance. While the Fever would have to watch out for the surging Golden State Valkyries and a young Wings team if they did have an injury-riddled season, the talent around the roster is good enough for at least one round of postseason basketball.
New York Liberty — by Jannelle Moore
The New York Liberty have a receipt to give for how their 2025 season turned out. As defending champions entering last season, the Liberty spent the first half of the season on a collision course with the Lynx for a WNBA Finals rematch before getting eliminated by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round.
Despite the embarrassing exit, Liberty General Manager Jonathan Kolb’s moves suggested that the group needed to run it back by solidifying their championship core. Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones are all returning. New York also solidified its depth by signing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Rebecca Allen, Rebekah Gardner, and Han Xu. The addition of Satou Sabally gives New York a formidable inside presence, as well as her ball handling and shooting.
The biggest upgrade for the Liberty is a new head coach,Chris DeMarco. A longtime assistant for the Golden State Warriors, DeMarco looks to infuse more championship experience into a proven championship team. The Liberty finished fourth in the league in offensive rating. It will be interesting to see how efficient they can be and how they operate in space under DeMarco.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Sabrina Ionescu
G: Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
F: Satou Sabally
F: Breanna Stewart
C: Jonquel Jones
When it comes to individual accomplishments, the Liberty’s starting lineup may be the most decorated lineup we’ve seen in a long time. This lineup boasts 19 All-Star selections, 17 All-WNBA selections, and three MVPs combined. The addition of Sabally and the return of Laney-Hamilton make this lineup extremely dynamic and potent.
Ceiling vs. Floor
New York is a perennial contender. The Liberty’s collapse last season doesn’t negate this. It’s easy to picture coach DeMarco implementing a pace-and-space offense that will set its share of records in points scored and efficiency. The expectation here is avenging 2025, and the only way to do so is to win it all in 2026.
A realistic floor for the Liberty is no less than finishing near the top of the standings. Given the fact that the nucleus that won the title in 2024 is back, a two-way threat in Sabally, and a new coach with a championship pedigree, anything less than a title is a disappointment.
Toronto Tempo — by Emmy Spersrud
All of Canada will be watching as the Toronto Tempo take to the court for the first time. Looking to follow in the footsteps of the Golden State Valkyries’ successful inaugural season, Toronto has seemingly taken on a ‘win-now’ mindset and strategy. Can their veteran backcourt duo bring immediate success? Will we see some breakthrough seasons from players who have been waiting for their opportunity? Only time will tell.
Projected Starting Lineup:
G: Julie Allemand
G: Brittney Sykes
F: Marina Mabrey
F: Isabelle Harrison
C: Temi Fágbénlé
Selecting Marina Mabrey in the expansion draft and signing Brittney Sykes during free agency were telltale signs of the strategic route the Tempo was taking. Both are established veterans in this league who have played within winning systems before. Expect the offense to run through them. Not necessarily saying the team will live and die by this million-dollar backcourt duo, but they will need to remain consistent if the Tempo wants to reach their ceiling.
Ceiling vs. Floor
The expectation is not a championship season right off the bat, and this team knows that—but we should not be shocked if they’re competing for a playoff spot. After the first day of training camp, Mabrey told reporters, “I think that my main goal is to get us to a team that’s contending.” Sykes shared a similar sentiment, stating, “the Valkyries came in and did an amazing job…They made the playoffs in their first year…we can do that too.” With players like Mabrey and Sykes, expect the culture to be built on a fiery competitive spirit and a willingness to learn and grow together. They also have a highly experienced coach, Sandy Brondello, who knows what it takes to build a winning culture. She’s led two different teams to win WNBA Championships, most recently in 2024. So far, she has focused a lot on their toughness and defense, but has also emphasized building a strong foundation.
Through training camp, Brondello has made it clear that this team will need time to form chemistry. These players aren’t as familiar with each other as some of this year’s top contenders are. This could potentially be the Tempo’s downfall, leaving them on the losing side of things. They will likely play around with their starting lineup, finding which players play best together. Toronto’s roster has many pieces that have been looking for their moment to shine, like Nyara Sabally and Julie Allemand. Those types of players will be the ones who truly lift this squad off the floor.
Washington Mystics — by Emmy Spersrud
The Washington Mystics will continue to pour everything they have into their young squad. After missing the playoffs last season, will their developing roster and new additions be able to push them into contention this season?
Projected Starting Line-up:
G: Georgia Amoore
G: Sonia Citron
F: Angela Dugalić/Michaela Onyenwere
F: Kiki Iriafen
C: Shakira Austin
The most experienced player on this squad is free agency signing Michaela Onyewere, entering just her sixth year in the league. Twelve of the 18 players the Mystics carried on their training camp roster are rookies, with only four players entering their second professional year. It’s safe to say that Washington is really leaning into the long-term development of these players. They were in a similar position last year with Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, and it paid off. Despite missing the playoffs, both had All-Star seasons and worked together seamlessly. Washington will take the same risk this season with the wealth of talent it acquired at the draft.
Ceiling vs. Floor
Expect rookies like Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalić, and Cotie McMahon to get quality playing minutes. Along with Iriafen and Citron continuing to get better through their second year. If they all mesh well right off the bat, I’d say to expect the Mystics to improve from their 2025 standing and possibly be in playoff contention. Washington’s biggest difference maker this year could be last year’s No. 6 overall draft pick, Georgia Amoore. She sat back and watched from the sideline all of 2025 due to a torn ACL, soaking in all the movements and learning the Mystics’ system. She told reporters, “I know that we’re ‘young,’ but we brought great energy…I think the coolest thing is, we all played against each other at some point recently…It kind of makes it easier from a chemistry standpoint, off rip. You already know them.” This squad seems to be fully leaning into their inexperience with eagerness. They are excited to learn, grow, and develop together far past just this year.
While exciting and most likely entertaining, having a young, inexperienced squad is not always going to help you win games against some other WNBA top dogs with a starting five full of seasoned veterans. This may be another learning developmental year for the Mystics, but at the same time, we’re looking at some of the NCAA’s biggest, most recent talent, who, without a doubt, will be superstars in the WNBA within the next few years.
