We’re about a quarter of the way through the 2026 WNBA season. Top contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the competition, while others are still working to iron out their kinks before it’s too late. There’s been some movement at the top of the rankings since our last volume!
Here are a few teams we’ve seen leap, a couple who’ve been knocked down, and one that is surprising us.
Teams on the Rise
New York Liberty
At the time of our last volume, the Liberty were just bouncing back from a three-game losing streak. It’s safe to say they’ve regained their footing and have restored their championship mindset. New York is currently on a seven-game winning streak — boosting them from eighth in our rankings to third. This team is only going to get better, as well. Sabrina Ionescu has returned from her second injury stint of the season — she recorded five points, three rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes on the court against the Washington Mystics on Sunday. As Ionescu regains her footing, expect this Liberty team to continue working towards what we all know they want: Another championship.
Perhaps their biggest win of the week came against the Atlanta Dream — a team everyone thought had one of the best shots at a title before the season began. Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Marine Johannès, Pauline Astier and Satou Sabally all scored 15+ points, securing the 104-90 dub. When this team is working in synergy, good things happen.
Las Vegas Aces
The Aces have reclaimed the top spot this week in our rankings! Similarly to the Liberty, Las Vegas has found itself back where they belong, right at the top of the contenders’ conversation. After losing two straight to close out May, the Aces have won their last six. They’ve had to battle some tough opponents over this stretch, as well. They overtook the Golden State Valkyries in two relatively close battles.
Although their biggest test of the season thus far was against the red-hot Minnesota Lynx, who were at the very top of our rankings in the last volume. The Aces took control of the game quickly, thanks to Chelsea Gray’s 3-point clinic in the first quarter. Despite Olivia Miles and Minnesota clawing back, Las Vegas sent them home with a 100-97 loss. A’ja Wilson is proving further why she’s a 4-time MVP — she recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds against the Lynx. She, alongside Gray and Jackie Young, is ensuring the Las Vegas ‘dynasty’ talk doesn’t end with just three rings.
Teams on the Decline
Portland Fire
The Fire have unfortunately hit a slump after quickly establishing themselves as one of the most entertaining teams to watch. In our last volume, they sat at sixth after a dominant win over the Indiana Fever. Since, they’ve gone 1-4 and have found themselves at tenth in our rankings.
Despite players like Megan Gustafson and Sarah Ashlee Barker having incredible performances, the team has just been unable to reignite that early-season spark. Even with Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper on the sidelines, they were unable to defeat a Phoenix Mercury squad that has looked, quite frankly, bad.
But this week, they look to turn things around. The Fire are fresh off an 84-83 win over a Bueckers-less Dallas Wings squad. Despite Arike Ogwunbowale and Azzi Fudd having great performances, Portland leaned back into what made them so entertaining to begin the season: their energy and ability to fight late in games. Bridget Carleton drained a career-high six 3-pointers to will her squad back into the winning column.
Toronto Tempo
The Tempo joins their expansion mate as another team we’ve seen dip since our last volume. In the last ranking, Toronto sat at seventh. They haven’t fallen too far yet, as we have them in ninth this week, but they will need to turn things around.
After an electric overtime win over the Connecticut Sun, the Tempo have dropped their last two. Their 86-85 loss to the Washington Mystics, at the very least, showed us what this team is capable of. They were able to get things close in the fourth quarter, thanks to Marina Mabrey’s 18-point quarter. The Tempo also finished the night with a whopping 18 steals. They just could not find an answer for Lauren Betts, who had a career-high 18 points, or Sonia Citron in the final seconds, as she hit the thrilling game-winner. Their second loss came against the Atlanta Dream. Brittney Sykes and Mabrey were unable to get anything going, and things seemed irredeemable after their leading scorer, Isabelle Harrison, was ejected.
If the Tempo wants to turn things around, it will be crucial for the bench — and frankly, anyone not named Sykes or Mabrey — to find their rhythm and increase production.
A Surprising Takeaway
Connecticut Sun
Listen, I know they’re still at the bottom of our rankings and have the worst record in the league. But if you’ve watched the Sun over the past couple of games, you have to admit you’ve seen some potential. In their last four losses, they’ve lost by an average of 7 points per game. Through the four losses before that, they were losing by an average of 17.8 points per game.
Over the last three games especially, they’ve managed to keep things close. First, with the New York Liberty, the Sun came within five points in the last minute of the game. They were in control throughout their matchup with the Tempo, taking things to overtime. In their most recent loss, they kept the battle tight with the Indiana Fever, even gaining the lead at one point in the fourth quarter.
Leïla Lacan has been a saving grace for this Sun squad. She and Aaliyah Edwards both put up career-high 24-point performances against the Tempo. Aneesah Morrow has been a walking double-double and is returning for more after a short injury stint. While the wins might not be rolling in, the Sun have proven this week that their individual pieces are valuable.
