The W Is for Wow 💥
The WNBA tips off today with more stars, more teams, and more wow than ever before.
Some seasons feel special from the start.
This one? It’s bursting at the seams.
With the WNBA season starting today, we’re previewing a league that’s expanding, evolving, and electrifying like never before.
There’s too much story here for one day. So we’re posting it all, but we recommend reading half today and saving the rest for Saturday.
But first, we had some firepower in the NBA playoffs last night, too.
📅 Scoreboard Snapshot
Only two of the four second-round series made it to Game 6. One played last night, and one hits the court tonight.
Will we get a Game 7? Let’s check the scoreboard…
⚡ Thunder at 🏔️ Nuggets
Have 3 minutes to see what happened? Here’s a link to the highlights!
Otherwise, keep reading below…
The Nuggets overcame SGA’s 32 points and won 119–107 to force a Game 7. Nikola Jokić led the way for the Nuggets with 29 points. Jamal Murray, battling an illness, added 25 points.
It’s the third straight playoff series the Nuggets have taken to a Game 7 — dating back to last year’s series against Minnesota and this year’s opening round vs. the Clippers.
One more game. Sunday decides it.
Today’s only playoff game: 🍀 Celtics at 🗽 Knicks
One win from the Eastern Finals, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks try to eliminate the defending champs. Can Boston keep the momentum going and force another Game 7… on the road and without Jayson Tatum?
Experts say 59% chance Knicks win
While the NBA playoff field narrows, the WNBA is just getting started. Let’s meet the stars and stories of a season we can’t wait to watch.
📈 Rookies, Rivalries, and a League on the Rise
There’s so much story heading into this season, it’s going to take us two halves just to tell it all.
🪄 The GOAT Passes the Torch
The WNBA turns 29 this season. And it enters that milestone without the greatest to ever do it. Diana Taurasi has played her last game with the Phoenix Mercury.
20 years. 3 championships. 5 Olympic golds.
The all-time leading scorer. The ultimate trash talker. The heartbeat of a franchise, a league, and a generation.
She didn’t just win. She redefined how winning could look… with flair, fire, and fearlessness. See for yourself:
So while a new era begins, this one ends with a roar: the legend saying goodbye, and the league she helped build rising to new heights.
🌟 Stars Worth Stopping For
The league may no longer have Diana, but it has plenty of dazzle.
Caitlin Clark… well, you remember her. (And if not, click here to catch up Smallball style!). Now watch Caitlin tell the story of the time she scored 22 points in 2 minutes… playing against boys.
A’ja Wilson is the reigning MVP and the face of the Las Vegas Aces. She’s a dominant scorer, elite defender, and now she’s got her own Nike shoe and a TV ad that’ll make you want to clap along.
Breanna Stewart, fresh off a championship with the New York Liberty, is the league’s most complete player… and one of its most amazing leaders.
Sabrina Ionescu is Stewart’s Liberty teammate and one of the league’s most creative guards. She’s a triple-double threat with deep range, sharp vision, and a flair for big moments.
Napheesa Collier is doing it all. She led the Minnesota Lynx to the WNBA Finals against the Liberty, came this close to a championship, and now returns for revenge. A two-way force who can guard every position and fill up every stat column, Collier enters this season with one goal: finish what she started.
And that’s just a few of the top stars.
The top rookies from the most recent WNBA Draft are ready to make a name for themselves.
Paige Bueckers went #1 to the Dallas Wings, a franchise in full reset mode and hungry for a new identity. A dynamic scorer and silky passer, Bueckers has the poise of a vet and the pull-up of a superstar. She's already turning heads in preseason… and along with Cooper Flagg, helping the city of Dallas dream again.
Dominique Malonga, a 19-year-old from France, was the #2 pick by the Seattle Storm for a reason. She’s 6'6", already has an Olympic silver medal, and moves like she’s on roller skates. Oh and she can THROW. IT. DOWN. She might be the most intriguing rookie the league has ever seen.
The WNBA isn’t just competitive… it’s crowded.
🎤 Let’s pretend you get to build a new WNBA team! You can pick any superstar. Who’s on your team. And what’s your team name? Tell us in the comments.
Now’s a good stopping point if you're reading in halves. Pick it back up tomorrow… the second part is just as fun!
⚖️ Parity, Power, and Possibility
New York and Las Vegas are still loaded.
Minnesota is deep and driven.
Indiana, Atlanta, Seattle, and Phoenix are all on the rise.
In a league this deep across 13 teams, there are no easy wins. No one’s “just happy to be here.” The regular season is just 44 games. So every game counts… and every night brings something wild.
Here’s who the experts think the top 5 teams are to start the season:
🚀 Growth Mode: Bigger, Bolder, Unrivaled
The WNBA’s 29th season is its most ambitious yet.
One new team debuts this week: the Golden State Valkyries.
Two more join next year in Toronto and Portland.
And cities from Nashville to Denver are raising their hands.
But the boldest growth? It’s coming from the players themselves.
Meet Unrivaled, the new, player-led 3-on-3 league born from a simple but powerful idea:
What if WNBA players didn’t have to fly far from home just to keep playing and take care of their families?
For years, most WNBA players couldn’t rely on their WNBA jobs alone to support themselves or their families. So after the W season ended, many had to go play overseas in places like Turkey, Russia, or Australia.
Unrivaled is changing that and showing what’s possible when the people who play the game also shape it.
Co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, Unrivaled was built by players, for players… with better pay, better support, and more say in how things work.
The league features fast-paced, full-court action with star-studded teams, vibrant visuals, and a family-first setup that includes things like on-site childcare. The vibe? Part playground, part pro league — and 100% thrilling.
This should give you the idea:
For the athletes, it’s more than a side gig.
It’s proof that women’s basketball can build and own something all its own.
Like what you’re hearing? This video brings the energy, the stories, and the magic of Unrivaled to life. Pop some popcorn… it’s worth the five minutes. 🍿👇
🧠 What We Learned Today
You can get a lucky bounce. But you don’t build greatness on luck.
You build it with heart, hustle, and doing what’s right… one day at a time.
That’s what the WNBA has done… and what Unrivaled is proving all over again.