WNBA: How high can the red-hot Phoenix Mercury rise?

As the 2025 WNBA season approaches its midpoint, here’s how all 13 teams stack up in another edition of Swish Appeal’s power rankings.

1. Minnesota Lynx (12-2)

The Lynx have played like the best team in basketball largely due to their balanced offensive attack and suffocating defense. This is mostly the same roster as last year, so it’s no surprise that their chemistry is amazing right now. Napheesa Collier continues to build her MVP case with consistent two-way excellence, Alanna Smith has put together another DPOY-caliber season and the supporting cast has stepped up.

Minnesota’s ability to switch everything on defense while generating some of the best shots in the league makes them built for the playoffs. If there’s any concern. it’s whether they’ll get consistent point guard play to compliment Collier’s ability to screen and roll. Other than that, the Minnesota Lynx’s chemistry on both ends of the floor suggests they’re built for a deep playoff run.

2. New York Liberty (11-3)

The defending champs remain a formidable force with repeat aspirations. They could easily be in the No. 1 spot, but due to Jonquel Jones’s injury keeping her out for four to six weeks, they will likely take a step back in the coming weeks. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu have both played like top five players and look better than they did last year, which is impressive given how the Liberty took the league by storm in 2024.

The Liberty have played this most recent stretch without a few key depth pieces, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting quality minutes from Natasha Cloud, Nyara Sabally and others. Their ability to win games in multiple ways—whether through their stars or balanced scoring—keeps them as a legitimate title contender.

3. Phoenix Mercury (11-4)

The Mercury’s small-ball lineup has wreaked havoc on teams this year. With Alyssa Thomas as the de facto point guard, she poses a serious mismatch problem for teams that decide to switch their inverted pick-and-roll actions. Combined with the impressive two-way performance of Satou Sabally, this team has been one of the most pleasant surprises—and that’s without all-star Kahleah Copper for most of the year.

4. Atlanta Dream (10-5)

The Dream have exceeded expectations with their new offensive approach. Head coach Karl Smesko has this team taking almost 11 more 3s per game compared to last year, which has made them a faster team in the process.

Their drop scheme on defense has been unlocked by the brilliant play of Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and their other guards whose screen navigation makes the coverage possible. Combined with the size of their frontcourt, this is another team that could pose serious matchup problems for opponents in the playoffs.

5. Golden State Valkyries (7-7)

In their inaugural season, the Valkyries have shown flashes of brilliance thanks to elite coaching and experienced veterans. Their commitment to a fast-paced offense and stifling defense has produced some spectacular moments. Usually, expansion teams are a few years behind the rest of the league, but this Valkyries teams looks like a potential playoff team already.

6. Indiana Fever (7-8)

The Fever have taken a small step back, but not anything to be overly concerned about. The defense has made improvements from last year, but the turnovers and poor shooting during certain stretches has stunted their growth.

Caitlin Clark is in a slump right now, but if the team can continue to get good play from Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell, then they’ll be in solid shape. The team’s offensive potential is undeniable when everything clicks.

7. Seattle Storm (9-6)

Seattle’s season has been defined by inconsistency, with flashes of their championship pedigree mixed with puzzling losses. Veteran leadership remains strong, but the supporting cast has struggled to find reliable rhythm on both ends of the floor.

Their offense will always be limited due to their poor shooting. Their over-reliance on forcing turnovers on defense to generate good scoring opportunities makes their ceiling lower than other teams with strong records. But, the Storm’s experience gives them the potential to make some noise later in the season, if they can find their groove.

8. Las Vegas Aces (7-8)

The two-time champs have faced unexpected challenges this season, dealing with an early-season injury to MVP A’ja Wilson and chemistry issues that have prevented them from reaching their typical, dominant form. The lack of reliable bench production and historically bad rim finishing has made them sometimes appear disjointed. The talent is still there for a late-season surge, but the margin for error continues to shrink.

9. Washington Mystics (8-8)

The Mystics, despite being the youngest team in the league, have battled in almost all of their games this season. Their young players have gained valuable experience, with several showing promise for future seasons.

Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron have both been amazing as rookies and Shakira Austin has finally found her groove as the team’s starting center. Their competitive spirit keeps them in games even when overmatched talent-wise, which is an amazing sign for a rebuilding squad.

10. Dallas Wings (4-12)

Dallas has struggled to find a consistent identity on either end of the floor, leading to frustrating stretches of poor play. But luckily they have Pagie Bueckers, who does her best to alleviate a lot of those issues. Individual bright spots exist within the organization as well, such as Azaiha James’ emergence over the last few games. So even though they are a long shot to make the playoffs, the Wings have found a few pieces worth keeping for the long term.

11. Chicago Sky (4-10)

The Sky entered this year with serious roster concerns, which have manifested themselves this season. The biggest question was gauging how Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso fit together. The fit doesn’t look promising, but their most recent performance against the Sparks could suggest something positive.

The bigger problem might be the lack of reliable guard play. With Courtney Vandersloot out for the season, they don’t have a trusted point guard to turn to. Even worse, they don’t own their first-round draft pick outright for the next two years, which makes tanking not really an option. On the bright side, Angel Reese has been phenomenal the last few games, which should give Sky fans something to smile about.

12. Los Angeles Sparks (5-11)

Make no mistake about it, this team is better than their ranking suggests. Their young core shows potential, but lacks the experience needed for sustained success. Kelsey Plum had been out of the lineup for a while and just recently returned; however, without Cam Brink and Rae Burrell on the floor, it’s hard to judge how good this team can really be. The Sparks are clearly building for future seasons rather than immediate contention.

13. Connecticut Sun (2-13)

The Sun have finally decided to commit to a full rebuild, and although the results have not been there in terms of wins, Saniya Rivers has been amazing. She’s one of the most athletic players in the league and her defense and passing make her one of the most unique prospects the W has seen. Jacy Sheldon has been a menace on defense in her second year and Aneesah Morrow has shown flashes of brilliance already. All of these are positive signs moving forward, despite the blowout losses.