Winsidr‘25 Power Rankings — Volume 1 » Winsidr

We are a little over a week into the season, and each team has played a small handful of games. While significant assessments of each team will surely require more time, what fun would this be if we waited until then? 

As a reminder, the rankings below are an aggregate of the Winsidr team. We poll our team to vote regularly throughout the regular season on where each team stands. This week, I provide you one stat that helps explain why the team is ranked where they are. 

Enjoy!

13. Chicago Sky (0-3) — 70.0

The Sky have found their way to the basement of this week’s power rankings. The Sky score 70.0 points per game (PPG), sitting second-to-last in the league. They also own the worst net rating in the league, bottoming out at -29.8. 

Lots of turnover and a mismatched team leave a lot to be desired. Again, we are only a few games in, but Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith have played a whopping total of two minutes together. Things will take time to evolve in the Windy City, but it’s been a less-than-stellar beginning to the 2025 season.

12. Connecticut Sun (0-4) — 41.4

Nothing shocking here, as the Sun have struggled as most predicted entering the season. Losing all-everything Alyssa Thomas will do that to a team, but then losing DeWanna Bonner and Brionna Jones didn’t help. As a team, the Sun are last with a 41.4 percent effective field goal percentage (eFG%). It’s been an uphill battle for this team trying to find some positives to open the season.

11. Dallas Wings (0-3) — 21.5

Even with the number one overall pick and a decent draft just weeks ago, time was always going to be a requisite to start the season. While the offense has seemed stalled as Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale struggle to develop chemistry, it’s the all-too-familiar defensive issues that have plagued them in these early games. The Wings are last in the league in opponents’ assists per game, highlighting a lack of disruptive energy on the defensive side of the floor. Improving that side of the ball will be pivotal to the team’s growth this season and their rise from the basement level of our power rankings.

10. Los Angeles Sparks (2-3) — 31.2

The Sparks have demonstrated modest fight thus far this season, but when your two wins are against the aforementioned lowly Sky and the inaugural Golden State Valkyries, it’s hard to have you too far up the rankings. One of the biggest issues for the Sparks is their rebounding, coming in last with only 31.2 rebounds per game (RPG). That’s due for some positive regression simply by adding Cameron Brink back into the fold. For now, the Plum-led Sparks are going to be a mixed bag as they find their identity.

9. Washington Mystics (2-3) — 43.2/38.1

I gotta hand it to them—the Mystics have been a tough opponent every night of the week. They held a 12-point lead over the Las Vegas Aces on the road late in the fourth quarter and have kept themselves in games simply because they’re shooting lights out. They are fifth in the league in overall shooting, hitting on 43.2 percent of their field goals. They’re also first in the league in three-point shooting (3PT%), something that I did not see coming. Will this continue remains to be seen, but with the way the Mystics are playing, they may not be the doormat many of us expected them to be coming into the season.

8. Golden State Valkyries (2-1) — 93.1

Another team that has more chemistry than expected so far this season has been the Valkyries, who may simply be adopting the “band of misfits” mentality so many expansion teams love to embody. As such, they’re choosing not to make life easy on their opponents, currently second in the league in defensive rating (DRTG) at 93.1. Temi Fagbenle and Co. have been the gritty, upstart squad many of us hoped they would be. 

7. Atlanta Dream (3-2) — 54.5

Like so many teams, the Dream are working to incorporate not just a new head coach, but a gaggle of new faces from different places. By adding Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, it should surprise no one that this Dream iteration is leading the league in rebounding rate at 54.5 percent. They’re either first or second in other defensive and offensive rebounding categories, too, highlighting the tenacious effort they put forth in cleaning up the glass. That’s translated to a fourth overall spot in points per game. With more time comes more consistency, as they’ve jockeyed back and forth in the win-loss column each game so far this season.

6. Las Vegas Aces (2-2) — 81.1

The Aces are another team performing about where we expected them to be—still working to incorporate Jewell Loyd, a very different type of scorer than Kelsey Plum, who departed for the Sparks in the offseason trade. At the same time, the Aces are too talented to be down for long, and despite a 2-2 record, have shown glimpses of what this team is capable of when the lights are brightest.

Add to that the fact that, under the hood, much of what makes them so special is still happening. Their 81.1 percent defensive rebounding rate ranks second in the league, and although this hasn’t yet resulted in many fast break points (only 11th in the league with under eight per game), the Aces’ attention to detail proves their current ranking is justified.

5. Phoenix Mercury (3-1) — 27.2

The Mercury have embodied a specific roster makeup the past few seasons—stars at the top of the lineup with middling depth behind them. The 2025 Mercury are no exception, but it’s helped them get out to a fast start. The Mercury have made a concerted effort to defend, holding opponents to just 27.2 percent from deep, second in the league. As the schedule gets tougher, whether the Mercury can continue their backcourt lockdown will be an intriguing aspect to watch. 

4. Indiana Fever (2-2) — 37.9

The remade Fever are exactly where we expected them to be — a high-flying, run-and-gun style offense that can explode at any moment. And while there are warts to be sorted out, did you know the Fever are second in the league in opponents’ FG% at 37.9 percent? Yeah, defense is slowly becoming this team’s calling card. Okay, just kidding, but any attention given to that end of the court is a welcome sight for a team with championship aspirations.

3. Seattle Storm (3-1) — 16.3

The Storm, fresh off a thorough beating of the Aces, have proven they are coming together early on this season. After losing their opening game, they’ve rattled off three straight wins, and much of that comes down to their disciplined play. They commit the least amount of fouls per game, averaging a league-best 16.3 fouls per game. Keeping a team off the free-throw stripe puts more pressure on their offensive execution, and a team second in the league in opponents’ points per game highlights a veteran squad that’s making some early noise.

2. Minnesota Lynx (4-0) — 9.8

Are we headed for a finals rematch? Okay, fine, we’re a week plus into the season, no major assessments. And, the Lynx have picked up right where they left off, currently second in the league with a 9.8 net rating. The Lynx’s continued dominance on the court has been validating to anyone who thought last year was simply an anomaly. While they do have the most wins in the league and no losses, they simply cannot jump over the top team on the list, especially considering they haven’t lost yet either, and it’s who they lost the championship to last season. 

1. New York Liberty (3-0) — 0.95

For as well as the Lynx have played, the Liberty have played just as well, even if their bench at the moment is a bit thinner than it was last season. Other than that, nothing much else has changed, as they’re still dominating offensively and defensively. Their 0.95 opponents’ points per scoring attempt is rated tops in the league amongst a handful of other really fancy statistical markers. Until the Liberty have 2-3 more losses than the Lynx, or the Lynx beat them resoundingly, the Liberty may be setting up base camp in the top spot of our power rankings for the long haul.

All stats through May 25.  Unless otherwise noted, all stats courtesy of WNBA.com.