WNBA power rankings: Are Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever top tier?

The superteam era of the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty continues, with those teams accounting for the last three WNBA championships.

But unlike the past two seasons, the league’s championship chase is considered wide open because of what the Minnesota Lynx accomplished last year as a non-superteam. Then, there’s the high-profile Indiana Fever, the team that arguably improved the most this offseason.

Where do these squads and rest of the W’s teams land in the first edition of Swish Appeal’s 2025 WNBA power rankings?

1. Las Vegas Aces

The big story in Vegas is replacing Kelsey Plum with Jewell Loyd. The Aces now have the past two WNBA scoring champions in Loyd and A’ja Wilson, and while Plum is arguably just as good a player as Loyd, Loyd brings all the flashiness that comes with being the Gold Mamba. Loyd is not just an illier scorer—she’s the illiest.

Loyd’s flashiness doesn’t win championships (though she’s won two); the chemistry that Plum, Wilson, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray had does. But the ceiling on what Loyd could accomplish offensively with Wilson is sky high, which sets the stage for some exciting basketball in Vegas. By putting the Aces first in my power rankings, I’m betting on the Loyd experiment.

Perhaps the Aces’ 2024 semifinal exit will allow them to refocus, shake off some of the pressure and get back to what won them championships in 2022 and 2023—that beautiful chemistry between Wilson, Young and Gray and the all-world coaching of Becky Hammon.

2. New York Liberty

I originally had the Liberty first when I drafted my power rankings, seeing as they have as much top-level talent as Vegas and must be respected as the defending champs. But Betnijah Laney-Hamilton being out for the regular season concerns me. When she returns for the playoffs, will the chemistry be there?

The Liberty still have three MVP-caliber players at the top in Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. They’ve also returned Leonie Fiebich, who was so key to the championship run. New York even has her and her fellow European Marine Johannès at the same time, bringing double the 3-point threat.

And the addition of Natasha Cloud should be huge, as Cloud has become a star point guard, averaging double-figure scoring and over six assists per game in each of the last three seasons.

3. Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx don’t have as many big-name players as the Aces and Liberty. Their biggest strengths are their intangibles, their chemistry and the coaching of four-time champion Cheryl Reeve.

However, they are better on paper than they’re often credited. Napheesa Collier does get the credit as a top-five player. Then, there’s Kayla McBride, who is considered a star. But it’s the next three players who are underrated. I’ve been saying for years that Courtney Williams is a top-30 player, having posted career bests of 16.5 points (2021), 6.3 assists (2023) and 7.2 rebounds (2020) across her 11-season WNBA career. And perhaps it’s time to give Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton the star label as well.

I know Swish Appeal editor-in-chief Cat Ariail has Minnesota at No. 1 on her list, and for good reason. They are one controversial call away from being the current defending champions, and perhaps their intangibles and chemistry will prove to be more reliable in the big moments than other teams’ talent.

4. Indiana Fever

Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston would be dangerous on their own—both are All-Stars already.

Now, the Fever have a whole other All-Star team to go along with that tandem, returning Kelsey Mitchell and adding DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham. They also added a very good rebounder and defender in Brianna Turner, who should be a solid role player, and the player who was the heart and soul of the championship Aces teams from a comedic standpoint in Sydney Colson. Surely, Colson’s comedy will ease the tension that comes from Clark’s fame, and that may very well be why Indiana was interested in acquiring her.

The Fever have a legitimate shot at the title in Clark’s second season; in fact, I have them in the top tier of the league, along with the three teams above them.

5. Atlanta Dream

The Dream start off the second tier of contenders, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a run at the title as well.

Brittney Griner still has a lot to give at age 34. I’m still in awe of the season and postseason she had in 2021, when she finished second in MVP voting for the second time in her career. If that Griner shows up in 2025, watch out, and even the 2024 version, when she shot a career-best 57.9 percent from the field, would be welcome in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, I feel like Rhyne Howard is due for some sort of crazy leap, the likes of which we may only see from her and Clark. Brionna Jones (a new addition) and Allisha Gray (a returner) form a legit “Big 4.” Then, there’s solid depth with Jordin Canada, Naz Hillmon, Haley Jones, Maya Caldwell, Nia Coffey and newcomer Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.

6. Chicago Sky

I really like the depth of the Dream, Sky, Storm (before season-ending ACL tears suffered by Jordan Horston and Katie Lou Samuelson) and Wings, which causes me to put those four teams ahead of the Mercury, who have the third-best big three in the league behind only the Aces and Liberty.

The Sky come in here at No. 6 because of their depth, but also because of their high-upside potential. What if Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso can both take big sophomore leaps? And if Courtney Vandersloot can find the fountain of youth? Then, Ariel Atkins is the elite Sky player who is squarely in her prime.

After those four, you’ve got Moriah Jefferson, Kia Nurse, Rebecca Allen, Michaela Onyenwere, Rachel Banham and Elizabeth Williams. Plus, I think 2025 draftee Hailey Van Lith has the potential to contribute as well. That’s a solid roster.

7. Seattle Storm

The injuries to Horston and Samuelson dropped the Storm behind the Sky in my rankings. Seattle also lost Loyd to Vegas, but I think they still have a “Big 3;” instead of Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins, it’s Ogwumike, Diggins and Ezi Magbegor. Remember, Magbegor was an All-Star in 2023.

I also think Dominique Malonga will one day be the best player to come out of this year’s draft. Yes, better than Paige Bueckers.

The Storm also have depth with Gabby Williams, Alysha Clark (back in Seattle!), Erica Wheeler and Lexie Brown. Williams is a great perimeter defender, and Clark was still a good player last year at ages 36 and 37. If Wheeler can return to her 2023 form, when she averaged 9.9 points and five assists, and if Brown can play her first full season since 2022, and shoot the lights out from 3 like she did that year, the Storm will be a dangerous team.

8. Dallas Wings

Arike Ogunbowale will continue to be Dallas’ go-to scorer, while Paige Bueckers will come in and be happy Geno Auriemma is no longer forcing her to be selfish. Bueckers likes to distribute and should form a good working relationship with Ogunbowale, who loves to score.

I see the Wings making the playoffs. I see Bueckers becoming one of their best players and a solid WNBA contributor as a rookie. I just don’t think Bueckers is going to immediately lift Dallas into contention, and she may not even be an All-Star right away.

NaLyssa Smith, Teaira McCowan and DiJonai Carrington round out a solid starting five. I think Myisha Hines-Allen and Ty Harris will be great off the bench, and if Maddy Siegrist can show up in the scoring column like she did last year (and in Athletes Unlimited), that would be huge.

9. Phoenix Mercury

I don’t want to disrespect the players on the Mercury’s roster. Natasha Mack and Celeste Taylor may turn out to be really good WNBA players and Kitija Laksa is certainly a lethal 3-point threat.

But Phoenix’s only supporting-cast players who have already put up solid stats in the WNBA are Sami Whitcomb and Kalani Brown, who may be the fourth and fifth starters after the scintillating trio of Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper.

If you’re getting the 2021 version of Whitcomb, who was nearly an All-Star, then this roster looks a little better, but Whitcomb turns 37 on July 20 and wasn’t as much of a factor for Seattle last year. Brown has great upside at 6-foot-7, but she’s yet to do anything spectacular in the league, while the rest of the roster has done virtually nothing.

10. Los Angeles Sparks

Much like Chicago, LA has a pair of frontcourt sophomores who could take big leaps and give their team a solid core. For the Sparks, that’s Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink, the latter of whom is coming back from a torn ACL that cut her rookie season short.

The two biggest stars for the Sparks will be Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby, who know each other well from their time together in San Antonio/Vegas.

Meanwhile, Odyssey Sims always seems to be overlooked despite her talent, and we saw Julie Allemand’s upside in the Wubble in 2020, when she shot 47.8 percent from distance. Azurá Stevens and Aari McDonald are good players as well, giving the Sparks a quietly solid team. But will it be good enough to compete with the loaded rosters elsewhere?

11. Connecticut Sun

Like Phoenix, the Sun suffer from a lack of depth, but I’ll give them the edge over the Mystics because of their “Big 3” of Marina Mabrey, Diamond DeShields and Tina Charles. That is, if Mabrey stays on the team despite the trade request she has put forth.

The pressure to win a championship may have gotten to Charles after her poor performance in the Storm’s 2022 playoff elimination game was a big reason Seattle failed to advance. She sat out the 2023 season, but bounced back with 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game for the Dream last year. After all, she’s still Tina Charles and isn’t going anywhere, for now.

DeShields is also über-talented. She is a former All-WNBA Second Teamer who could perhaps revive her career in Connecticut. Mabrey was crucial to the Sun’s playoff run last year, and it will be interesting to see her as a team’s primary option for a full season if she remains in Connecticut.

12. Washington Mystics

Brittney Sykes is the Mystics’ biggest star and is an excellent two-way player. She’s followed by Stefanie Dolson and two very intriguing young frontcourt players in Shakira Austin (year four) and Aaliyah Edwards (year two).

Washington also had the opportunity to walk away with the strongest 2025 draft of any team because they had three of the top six picks. They used the opportunity well, drafting Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore, but Amoore is now out for the year with an ACL injury.

The Mystics face an uphill battle to make the playoffs, but I’m excited to see what Austin and Edwards can begin to build in the nation’s capital.

13. Golden State Valkyries

The Valkyries aren’t too far behind the Sun and Mystics, but competing with the other 10 teams in the league will be difficult for this expansion franchise.

Before they signed Tiffany Hayes in free agency, things looked worse. Hayes is a legit best player, even at age 35. The next three most-experienced players on the squad—Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings and Stephanie Talbot—are all solid players. None of them screams star like Hayes does though, which is why after they were selected in the expansion draft, it felt like Golden State was lacking some excitement.

The Valkyries also have a few other proven contributors in Temi Fágbénlé, who averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds for the Fever last year, and Julie Vanloo, who averaged 7.4 points and 4.3 assists for the Mystics. Cecilia Zandalasini will likely be an X factor for the Valkyries after playing in all 40 games for the Lynx last year and shooting 44.3 percent from 3.