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The WNBA has once again had a wild offseason, with blockbuster trades and surprising free-agency signings. Though free agency is far from over, the dust has settled on some of the biggest moves. You might be wondering, “Wait, who is on which team now?” We’ve got you covered.
Atlanta Dream
Key additions: Brittney Griner, Brionna Jones
Key subtractions: Laeticia Amihere
Coach: The Dream hired women’s college basketball veteran Karl Smesko in the offseason after parting ways with Tanisha Wright.
What to expect once the season starts: Do not go into the paint in Atlanta. Don’t even go into a paint store in Fulton County. Brittney Griner or Brionna Jones just may smack the paint can out of your hand. Griner is one of the best big women to ever play the game, and she brings both size and experience to a talented Atlanta team. Jones was a key part of the Sun teams that almost won it all several times, so she is skilled and hungry.
With those two teamed up with Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, the Dream’s transition game will be, well, a dream. The biggest question will be how Smesko’s collegiate coaching experience translates to the WNBA.
Chicago Sky
Key additions: Courtney Vandersloot, Rebecca Allen, Kia Nurse
Key subtractions: Lindsay Allen, Chennedy Carter
Coach: Tyler Marsh, a former Las Vegas assistant who was hired in the offseason after the Sky parted ways with Teresa Weatherspoon after one season.
What to expect once the season starts: In 2024, the Sky’s young core, led by Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, showed flashes of brilliance. But they were a team that needed some direction and a true point guard who could lead the way on the court. To find that leader, Chicago brought back Courtney Vandersloot, the team’s all-time leader in assists and the heart of the 2021 championship squad. They also added veterans Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen, giving the team a leadership core.
Connecticut Sun
Key additions: Tina Charles, Natasha Cloud, Lindsay Allen, Jacy Sheldon, Diamond DeShields
Key subtractions: Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Dijonai Carrington, Brionna Jones, Ty Harris
Coach: Rachid Meziane, who will be in his first season with the Sun and the WNBA. He was most recently the coach of the Belgian national team, which took fourth at the Paris Olympics. Stephanie White, the team’s previous coach, moved to Indiana in the offseason.
What to expect once the season starts: After six straight seasons of the Sun getting to the semifinals or finals of the playoffs — but never winning it all — Connecticut dismantled the team. Every member of the 2024 starting five is now gone, and the roster is full of players who have been stars elsewhere. Tina Charles, the 2012 MVP, was drafted by Connecticut and is hoping to find some magic playing for the Sun again. Natasha Cloud and Diamond DeShields won titles in Washington and Chicago, respectively, and both want to prove what they can do on the court. Throw in a coach who is totally new to the WNBA, and everything is a question mark in Connecticut.
Indiana Fever
Key additions: DeWanna Bonner, Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Howard, Sydney Colson
Key subtractions: NaLyssa Smith
Coach: Stephanie White played at Purdue and for the Fever. She also coached the Fever from 2015-2016 before a stint with the Sun, but this version of White is more experienced and ready to design schemes for her young and talented team. She replaces Christie Sides.
What to expect once the season starts: With their offseason moves, the Fever made it clear that they want to win now. The team held onto Kelsey Mitchell and surrounded Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark with players who have the experience to take the Fever from a contender to make the playoffs to a contender to win it all. Howard’s defense can set up more scoring for Clark and Mitchell. Bonner has two WNBA titles and has played more WNBA playoff minutes than any other player in league history. The experience she will bring to the young Fever is invaluable.
New York Liberty
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: Courtney Vandersloot
Coach: Sandy Brondello is going into her fourth season as the Liberty’s head coach.
What to expect once the season starts: As the defending champions, the New York Liberty didn’t change too much in the offseason. Breanna Stewart was given a core designation, Kennedy Burke was re-signed, and they will have the seventh pick in the draft. They found a formula that works and chose not to mess with it.
Washington Mystics
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: None
Coach: Sydney Johnson will be in his first season as the Mystics’ head coach after Washington moved on from Eric Thibault. Johnson was an assistant with the Sky last season.
What to expect once the season starts: The Mystics just missed a playoff spot last season, and that was with young star Shakira Austin missing several games with a hip injury. Hopefully, we’ll see what Austin can do over the course of a full season with new coaching. The Mystics also have the fourth and sixth spots in the draft, so you could see more young talent playing in D.C. this summer.
Dallas Wings
Key additions: DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Myisha Hines-Allen
Key subtractions: Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, Natasha Howard
Coach: Chris Koclanes, a longtime assistant under Curt Miller, will take the helm in Dallas this season.
What to expect once the season starts: Not much will be the same in Dallas this season. Arike Ogunbowale will still be the heart of the team, but she will be joined by players known for their defense in DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith and Myisha Hines-Allen. The thing to remember is that the Wings have the No. 1 draft pick, so we will likely see UConn’s Paige Bueckers in a Dallas uniform this summer. This will not be a boring team to watch.
Golden State Valkyries
Key additions: Everybody is an addition on an expansion team.
Key subtractions: Good news! As an expansion franchise, the Valkyries didn’t lose anyone.
Coach: Natalie Nakase was named the franchise’s first head coach. She had served under Becky Hammon for several seasons in Las Vegas.
What to expect once the season starts: We truly have no idea what to expect as the season starts, except that Golden State already has a fanbase that is committed to their new team. Golden State failed to land any big-name free agents, and they have the No. 5 pick in the draft. They have a first-time coach, a young team and we truly don’t know what we will see. How fun!
Las Vegas Aces
Key additions: Jewell Loyd, Elizabeth Kitley
Key subtractions: Kelsey Plum
Coach: Becky Hammon is starting her fourth season and has a .750 winning percentage. But she’s also coaching without Marsh and Nakase, key assistants in the Aces’ championship years.
What to expect once the season starts: Near the end of the 2024 season, the Aces finally started to show the wear and tear a team should have after two championship runs, followed by a season where half the team played in the Olympics. Their loss to the Liberty in the semifinals showed that while the Aces still were a great team led by A’ja Wilson, the MVP who somehow gets better every season, a change needed to be made.
Enter the blockbuster trade that moved Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles and Jewell Loyd to Las Vegas. Loyd can score from anywhere on the court, and will now have Chelsea Gray facilitating her play. She’ll be getting passes from Wilson and Jackie Young. This is a team that can contend for a title again.
Los Angeles Sparks
Key additions: Kelsey Plum
Key subtractions: Kia Nurse, Li Yueru
Coach: Lynne Roberts, who was most recently head coach at the University of Utah, was named the team’s head coach in November. Former head coach Curt Miller is now the general manager in Dallas.
What to expect once the season starts: When Cameron Brink heard that Plum was traded to Los Angeles, she said, “I got a [point guard]! Thank goodness, because we needed that.” She’s right. The Sparks were ranked 10th in the league in assists in 2024; they need a facilitator with so much young talent on the court. Plum has two championship rings, two Olympic gold medals, and knows how to win. She’s the kind of player who knows how to push her team to a win.
Minnesota Lynx
Key additions: None
Key subtractions: Myisha Hines-Allen
Coach: Cheryl Reeve, by far the longest-serving head coach in the WNBA, is heading into her 15th season as Minnesota’s head coach.
What to expect once the season starts: With money tied up in the roster that brought the Lynx to the WNBA Finals in 2024, the Lynx weren’t really players in free agency. They will look much like the team they were last season, which means a really, really good team.
Phoenix Mercury
Key additions: Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally, Sami Whitcomb, Ty Harris
Key subtractions: Brittney Griner, Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Cloud
Coach: Nate Tibbetts is in his second season with Phoenix.
What to expect once the season starts: This message is directly for the X-Factor (what Phoenix Mercury fans call themselves).
Look, saying goodbye to Griner isn’t easy when she’s been at the heart of the Mercury for more than a decade. You also still don’t know Diana Taurasi’s status, though it seems like she’s leaning toward retiring. Even Cunningham has been a part of the Mercury since 2019. These are big changes! Big changes are hard.
But for a second, imagine a fast break play with Thomas dishing to Kahleah Copper. Think about how Sabally and Thomas will defend the rim. Think about the possibilities of these dynamic players playing together. That makes it a little bit easier, right?
Seattle Storm
Key additions: Li Yueru
Key subtractions: Jewell Loyd
Coach: After a turbulent offseason, with the Storm coaching staff being investigated and then cleared of bullying allegations, Noelle Quinn is starting her fifth season as the Storm’s coach.
What to expect once the season starts: The biggest news for the Storm this offseason wasn’t about new players; instead, it was that they re-signed 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike and put a core designation on Gabby Williams. Ogwumike found herself on the court again in Seattle while playing next to Skylar Diggins-Smith. A full season with Williams, who spent much of 2024 playing for the French national team, means Seattle can rely on her athleticism and defense in every game. The trade that sent Loyd to Las Vegas also resulted in Seattle getting the second overall draft pick, so the Storm will also have young talent bolstering the team. Last year, it took some time for the Storm to find chemistry. With Loyd gone and the possibility of a young star, the biggest question is, will it take time again this year?
