WHO CAN TAKE DOWN THE CHAMPS?

The WNBA is turning 30, and there’s one team everyone’s trying to catch.

The Las Vegas Aces have been the team of the 2020s and enter this season hoping to capture their fourth WNBA championship in five years.

Led by the game’s greatest player, A’ja Wilson, the Aces return a championship core that is looking to stay one step ahead of the competition. They brought Chennedy Carter back to the WNBA to shore up their second unit and help them score more in transition.

If you thought this group would rest on their championship laurels, think again.

“Hunger is still prevalent with this group, just because we’re chasing something that hasn’t been done before,” Aces guard Chelsea Gray said.

“I don’t think anybody’s ever gone back-to-back on two different occasions. It’s really, really hard to do. And to do it with this group would be extremely special.”

Who can take them down?

Three teams figure to be their biggest source of competition.

The 2024 WNBA champion New York Liberty retooled the roster and brought in All-WNBA caliber forward, Satou Sabally. Led by new head coach Chris DeMarco and a roster full of players eager to get back to the Finals, New York has the length, experience, and talent to give the Aces a ferocious battle. New York enters the season at less than full strength, but if they’re healthy in the Fall, they have a chance to bring the title back to Brooklyn.

The Dream made their big swing by acquiring Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky. The Dream took some major steps forward in 2025 and now that they have acquired the game’s best rebounder, they are looking to make it to the Finals for the first time since 2013. Atlanta has great rebounding, great scoring and playmaking from the wings, and coaching that gets the most out of the roster.

Following a miracle run to overtime of the WNBA semifinals, the Indiana Fever enter this season with a lot to prove. They selected Raven Johnson in the Draft and will have full seasons from Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Caitlin Clark along with newcomer Monique Billings. The franchise has a great idea on how to make the most out of the new CBA and with the eyes of the basketball universe once again on them, the Fever are looking to get back to the Finals for the first time since 2015.

The past two Finals runner ups aren’t expected to go on deep playoff runs, but the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx are solid playoff contenders and might sneak up on people if they’re taken lightly.

The fun thing about the WNBA is there’s always a team that exceeds expectations and breaks through when no one expects it. Could that be the Los Angeles Sparks?

They’ve made some big moves of their own and are looking to get back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. This is the longest postseason drought in team history for one of the WNBA’s original franchises and 2026 might be the year they get back on track.

So much is happening, and on the latest edition of We Need to Talk, Erica L. Ayala and Ty Carter broke it all down

It’s a great time to be a WNBA fan. We have icons chasing history every night. The level of competition rises each year and the games are becoming more accessible worldwide.

The road to the WNBA Finals will be a long one, and we’re excited to go on this journey with you.

Although there aren’t huge expectations for the Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics, their fans will have plenty to look forward to as their young players will get all the opportunity in the world to learn and grow on the job.

Here’s what you need to know today:

⚔️ Preparing for Year 2
The Golden State Valkyries look to take another step forward.

🎧The Extra Possession: Getting into the Liberty Offensive Identity

🐺 Looking to the future?
Napheesa Collier speaks of a possible future.

💰 Money moves
The business of Caitlin Clark is back

🗓 Upcoming games
The end of the WNBA preseason.

📰 What we’re reading
Some great writing that’s come across our desks.

WHAT CAN THE GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES DO FOR AN ENCORE?

After a magnificent debut season, the Golden State Valkyries are looking to keep the party going in year two. However, they’ve had some bumps in the road.

It began on Draft Night when they traded the eighth pick, which turned out to be Flau’jae Johnson, to the Seattle Storm for pick 16 (Marta Suarez) and a 2028 second round pick. The move was questioned across the basketball community, and those questions became even louder when the team waived Suarez before the end of training camp.

Throughout camp, we didn’t hear much from Valkyries leadership about their roster choices. Towards the end of camp, the team gave us some clarity on why they made the draft day trade as well as an idea on how they will build their rosters.

"My job is to make sure we maintain an understanding of what's happening today and then what could happen in the future,” Valkyries General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin said. “The flexibility that is needed to really be able to withstand whatever could happen in the future is something I hold near and dear to me."

As the team finalized their Opening Night roster, the team waived fan favorite Kate Martin and announced that starting center Iliana Rupert will be out indefinitely as she is pregnant. The Valkyries will enter the season with Kiah Stokes and Laeticia Amihere as their centers.

During free agency, they were able to acquire one of basketball’s most versatile players. They signed Gabby Williams away from the Seattle Storm and will look to have her take on a bigger role. We know of Williams’ excellent defensive history, but being on a team that pushes the tempo on offense is an exciting change of pace for her.

“I think the spacing and the kind of offense that Coach [Natalie Nakase] runs will really work in my favor,” Williams said. “I think I’ll be able to just add to what they’ve done last year, and I think it’ll give me some more opportunities to have maybe some better spacing, be surrounded by shooters, which will be right for me. Everyone is an excellent passer here, and I love being on teams that move the ball really well.”

Although the Valkyries led the WNBA in three point attempts in 2025, they were 11th in efficiency. They were also 12th on shots inside of the restricted area and tenth in efficiency. Williams solves both problems and can create plenty of opportunities for her teammates as well. If everything goes well, Balhalla will be rocking all year long.

The Valkyries have taken some hits. The team’s personnel decisions and general approach have been questions. However, they are coming off an amazing debut year and have new talent eager to build on the momentum. It’ll be fascinating to see how this team develops in 2026.

WHAT’S GOING ON WITH NAPHEESA COLLIER?

Although Napheesa Collier won’t be on the court to begin the season, she’s already had an impactful 2026.

In the winter, her league, Unrivaled, had two sold out games in Brooklyn and Philadelphia.

In the spring, the WNBA CBA was signed and Collier’s fierce advocacy in the run up to the deal’s expiration shook up professional sports.

Now that everyone else’s business is settled, she can focus on hers, Collier recently spoke with NPR’s Steve Inskeep and discussed a wide range of topics. Collier spoke about the levels of physicality in the WNBA, her current relationship with Cathy Engelbert, and most curiously, her own future. Inskeep noted that Collier only signed a one year contract in free agency, and NOT a multiyear agreement as some of her peers did. Inskeep asked Collier about it, and Phee put the focus elsewhere.

"I am so focused on the now,” Collier said. “Like, I just came off two ankle surgeries. I'm trying to get back on the court. And this was such a whirlwind. We had the CBA going on, and all these things, everything was happening so fast. I just wanted to be able to focus on getting on the court with my team this year and winning a championship.”

That response raised eyebrows, but among Lynx leadership, there was a respect and understanding of her decisions.

“Each player, each journey is different,” Lynx coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve said. “Maybe something different on their minds. It would have been really easy for Phee to say ‘Give me a super max for 4 years, and I’m set, financially.' It wasn’t the path she wanted, and we have to respect that. And plan accordingly.”

Napheesa Collier will be incredibly important in 2026. Her recovery from injury will define the Lynx season. The work she did in CBA talks will have long lasting ramifications. And her free agency decision will guide the rest of the league. Buckle up.

BACK IN BUSINESS

Caitlin Clark is back.

The Indiana Fever superstar was limited to just 13 games in 2025 as a series of injuries doomed her sophomore campaign. She returned to the court during the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament and was one of the best players for Team USA. Now that she’s back in the WNBA, all eyes will once again be on her.

This season, all 44 of the Fever’s games will be on national television. It’s the first time that’s ever happened in WNBA history, and with championship expectations on this group, it’ll be fascinating to see how they handle the new pressure.

In addition to that, Clark’s debut signature shoe is expected to be made available for purchase sometime this year. As one of the most marketable athletes in the world, Caitlin is just about everywhere you look. NBC. The LPGA. State Farm. Gatorade. For as bountiful as those opportunities are, Caitlin is keeping the main thing the main thing.

“If I don't play basketball well,” Clark said, “then none of this is going to come along with it. And that's what the fans love to watch. They love turning on the TV and watching us play the game. I think that's why the WNBA has grown so much. It is because people realize how good our craft is, how good the game is. That's why tickets are hard to get these days. People want to get in the stands, and when they do, they keep coming back for more. So if you don't take care of the main thing first, you're not going to have the rest of the opportunities.”

Caitlin Clark has to manage a lot at a young age. Every move is scrutinized and every word parsed for deeper meaning. On the court, she’s looking to return to her All WNBA form while exploring new aspects of her game. It’s a challenge, but she’s never been someone to run from a challenge.

Here’s the schedule for the next few days

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

Here’s what we’re reading:

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