The 2026 WNBA season is rolling right along. Tuesday was the mid-season cut-down date — which resulted in a major move for the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces — and the full All-Star pool was finalized with the announcement of the 12 reserves who will head to Chicago later this month.
By now, every team besides the Los Angeles Sparks has played at least 20 games. The Aces and Minnesota Lynx, who finished second and first in the regular season in 2025, respectively, are tied for the best record, and have established themselves as the teams to beat. But there is plenty of parity across the league this season, and the top seven teams are separated by just three games.
Ahead of the All-Star Game and the playoff push, let’s take a swing around the league with mid-season grades for all 15 teams.
Atlanta Dream: C
- Record: 12-9
- The basics: 7th in offense, 4th in defense, 6th in net rating (plus-4.6)
- Reason for optimism: Brionna Jones is expected to return soon
- Reason for pessimism: They’re 5-7 against teams above them in the standings
The Dream are fascinating. Only two five-player lineups have played more than 300 minutes this season; one of them is the Dream’s starting five, which has a remarkable plus-19 net rating. They are first in offensive rebounding rate (36.7%) and first in opponent turnover rate (21.1%), which allows them to dominate the possession battle. And yet they’ve lost five games in a row, have a terrible record against other contenders and sit in seventh place.
Brionna Jones’ impending return will help solve some of their depth issues, but she won’t fix their shaky shot-making. Like last season, they just don’t shoot the ball well enough to consistently beat top teams. They’re last in restricted area field goal percentage (58.3%), 11th in 3-point percentage (32.1%) and 11th in true shooting percentage (53.8%).
Chicago Sky: D
- Record: 7-14
- The basics: 12th in offense, 9th in defense, 10th in net rating (minus-3.0)
- Reason for optimism: Sydney Taylor has emerged as a real perimeter scoring threat
- Reason for pessimism: They dug themselves too big of a hole
The Sky have been in crisis mode all summer. Rickea Jackson tore her ACL four games into the season, they’ve been forced to rotate practice sites because their new training facility is months behind schedule and still doesn’t have an opening date and key free agent signing Skylar Diggins has been benched.
And despite going 3-2 in their last five games, they remain in 13th place, three and a half games out of the final playoff spot. Which, to add insult to injury, is held by the Mystics, who own swap rights to the Sky’s 2027 first-round pick. Plus, they were one of four teams to not have an All-Star and will not have an on-court representative when they host the mid-season showcase later this month. But other than that, Mr. Pagliocca, how is the season going?
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Connecticut Sun: C
- Record: 5-16
- The basics: 14th in offense, 12th in defense, 14th in net rating (minus-8.4)
- Reason for optimism: They will likely have the best odds for the No. 1 pick
- Reason for pessimism: There are still a lot of questions about their recent draft picks
The Sun remain in last place, but they are 3-1 in their last four games, including a win over the Lynx, and have been significantly better since Leila Lacan arrived Stateside. Even though Lacan has not shot the ball well (39.4% overall, 28% from 3), her playmaking and perimeter defense has improved the Sun’s structure and dramatically raised their floor. Prior to her arrival, they were 1-8 with a league-worst minus-17.6 net rating. With Lacan, they are 4-8 with a minus-1.6 net rating and have only lost by double digits twice.
It’s far too late for the Sun to make the playoffs, but that’s for the best. If they can continue to be this competitive, it will help them make more informed decisions about their future as they prepare to move to Houston.
Dallas Wings: A-
- Record: 14-8
- The basics: 5th in offense, 6th in defense, 5th in net rating (plus-4.8)
- Reason for optimism: They’re in fourth despite getting bad seasons from Arike Ogunbowale and Alanna Smith
- Reason for pessimism: Can the defense actually hold up in the playoffs?
The Wings took care of the Liberty – the preseason title favorites – on the road Tuesday to run their winning streak to three games and climb into fourth place. After going 19-65 in the last two seasons and tying the single-season losses record in 2025, the Wings would host a first-round playoff series if the season ended today. Are they a perfect team? No, but they have made a remarkable improvement and will soon surpass their combined win total from 2024 and 2025.
We know the Wings can score, but the most encouraging sign for their ability to actually make some noise in the playoffs has been their defensive improvements. Their defensive rating has declined each month thanks to excelling at the fundamentals. Dallas is second in turnover rate (14.9%), second in opponent offensive rebounding rate (28%) and fourth in opponent free throw rate (0.291), all of which prevent easy opportunities for opponents.
| Month | Def. Rtg. | Opp. eFG% | Opp. TO Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
|
May |
107.3 |
52.6% |
16.8% |
|
June |
104.6 |
52.2% |
17.2% |
|
July |
99.6 |
45.8% |
17.7% |
Golden State Valkyries: A
- Record: 15-7
- The basics: 8th in offense, 2nd in defense, 2nd in net rating (plus-6.3)
- Reason for optimism: The defense is unbelievable
- Reason for pessimism: They’re 0-5 against the Lynx and Aces
After a hot-shooting and high-scoring start to the season, the Valkyries have slowly transformed back into the team we saw in their inaugural campaign – one that overcomes its offensive limitations with depth, relentless physicality and a dominant defense. Their month-by-month splits are fascinating to look at.
While the Valkyries barely snuck into the playoffs last season with the same formula, Gabby Williams’ arrival in free agency has raised their ceiling and they’ve ridden a five-game winning streak into third place at the midway point. Their 0-5 record against the Aces and Lynx raises real questions about the championship viability of their style, but there’s no doubt they’re a major pain to play against. For the season, they’re second in defensive rating (101.1), second in opponent true shooting percentage (52.7%) and fourth in opponent turnover rate (18.3%).
Indiana Fever: C
- Record: 12-8
- The basics: 1st in offense, 8th in defense, 3rd in net rating (plus-5.6)
- Reason for optimism: They have the best offense in the league
- Reason for pessimism: Blowout wins over bad and short-handed teams have inflated their numbers
The story of the Fever’s season has once again been controversy and injuries. As always, Caitlin Clark has been at the center of it all. Currently, she is sidelined due to her balky back, which has cost her three-plus games so far and required constant maintenance. The Eastern Conference Player of the Month for June is expected back this week, however, and has largely been excellent when healthy. She’s averaging a career-high 21.2 points, four rebounds and 8.2 assists, and is fourth in the league in scoring and second in assists.
But while Clark and fellow All-Star starters Kelsey Mitchell (21.9 points) and Aliyah Boston (17.1 points, 8.6 rebounds) have had terrific individual seasons, the team has just a plus-1.6 net rating in 301 minutes with them on the floor together. That has to change for them to truly compete for a title.
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Las Vegas Aces: A-
- Record: 15-6
- The basics: 2nd in offense, 10th in defense, 7th in net rating (plus-4.3)
- Reason for optimism: A’ja Wilson is the best player in the world
- Reason for pessimism: They have the worst defense among teams in playoff position
The Aces are in first place at the midway point thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Lynx, and are putting together an impressive title defense. A’ja Wilson, the league’s leading scorer, is well on her way to a third consecutive MVP and record-extending fifth overall, and has led a high-powered offense. The Aces lead the league in overall field goal percentage (48.6%) and are efficient all over the floor. They are first in restricted area field goal percentage (73.9%), first in non-RA paint field goal percentage (51.4%) and fourth in 3-point percentage (35.4%).
Defensive consistency has been a concern, however, and they’ve faced some adversity in recent weeks. Wilson is currently sidelined with an ankle injury and the team waived Chennedy Carter, who had been their leading bench scorer at 12.2 points per game. They clearly felt they were better off without Carter, who has had a tumultuous career, but there will come a point when they miss her ability to get into the paint for easy baskets.
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Los Angeles Sparks: D-
- Record: 8-11
- The basics: 9th in offense, 15th in defense, 13th in net rating (minus-7.4)
- Reason for optimism: They’re 7-5 with Kelsey Plum on the floor
- Reason for pessimism: They have the worst defensive rating in WNBA history (113.5)
The Sparks are only one and a half games out of the playoffs, but it feels much worse than that. Their defense is a disaster, and Kelsey Plum, who was having an MVP-level season, hasn’t played since June 21, when she was ruled out for at least four weeks with a leg injury. Since then, the Sparks are 0-3 with losses by 28, 24 and 18 points. For the season, they have a minus-0.9 net rating in 414 minutes with Plum on the floor and a minus-13.9 net rating in 351 minutes without Plum.
They have at least seven more games until Plum comes back, and unless something drastic changes in the next few weeks, they could find themselves well outside of the playoff picture by the time she’s healthy. The only good news is they own their first-round selection in the vaunted 2027 draft, and may back their way into a top pick.
Minnesota Lynx: A
- Record: 15-6
- The basics: 3rd in offense, 1st in defense, 1st in net rating (plus-11.2)
- Reason for optimism: Napheesa Collier’s return is imminent
- Reason for pessimism: Olivia Miles has a calf injury
There were always questions about whether the Lynx could sustain their stunning start without Napheesa Collier, and cracks have started to show recently. Olivia Miles has picked up a calf injury, Courtney Williams and Nia Coffey have cooled off and their bench has been non-existent. (Their 15.1 bench points per game rank last.) While they’re still in a tie for first place, they just lost to the last-place Sun and are 5-4 (plus-5.9 net rating) since their 10-2 start (plus-15.1 net rating).
The good news is they won’t be without Collier much longer. The 2024 and 2025 MVP runner-up has been a full participant in practice for a week, and while the team has still not reported exactly when she’ll make her season debut, it should be soon. She will make their league-best defense even more fearsome.
New York Liberty: C
- Record: 13-9
- The basics: 4th in offense, 5th in defense, 4th in net rating (plus-5.1)
- Reason for optimism: They have the most talented roster in the league
- Reason for pessimism: What’s wrong with Sabrina Ionescu?
The Liberty’s season has been a roller coaster. They went 3-4 in their first seven games, then won eight games in a row, and are now 2-5 in their last seven games. Amid this newest skid, they beat the Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup championship and became the first team in WNBA history to win that competition multiple times. They’ve defeated the Lynx. Aces and Dream, but have lost to the Fire, Storm and Sparks. They’re one of two teams (along with the Lynx) in the top-five in both offensive and defensive rating, but are stuck in sixth place.
There’s no shortage of talent in Brooklyn, but will they be able to stay healthy and figure out the right lineup combinations by playoff time? Their highly-touted Big Four of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Satou Sabally has still only played six games together. Ionescu, in particular, has looked nothing like her usual self when she has been on the court and Sabally has missed the last five games due to concussion protocol, which is particularly concerning given how her 2025 season ended.
Phoenix Mercury: D+
- Record: 8-14
- The basics: 10th in offense, 11th in defense, 9th in net rating (minus-2.3)
- Reason for optimism: Kahleah Copper is averaging 23.6 points on 50% shooting in her last 10 games
- Reason for pessimism: Who do you really trust on this team besides Alyssa Thomas and Copper?
Only four teams in WNBA history have missed the playoffs in the season directly after a Finals appearance. The most recent to do so was the 2008 Mercury, and there’s a good chance history will repeat itself this season. Despite going 4-2 in their last six games, the Mercury remain in 12th place, three games behind the Mystics for the final playoff spot. Rookie Jovana Nogic, who was their third-leading scorer (10.4 points per game) behind Kahleah Copper and Alyssa Thomas, has left the team for the season due to personal reasons, and they have the fifth-hardest remaining schedule.
Kahleah Copper has rebounded from a very slow start to the season, and Valeriane Ayayi has been impressive lately – 15.5 points and five rebounds on 49% shooting in her last six games – but there’s just not enough talent in Phoenix after their strange offseason.
Portland Fire: C
- Record: 9-12
- The basics: 11th in offense, 14th in defense, 15th in net rating (minus-8.5)
- Reason for optimism: Carla Leite has emerged as one of the league’s top point guards
- Reason for pessimism: They’ve lost 10 games by 15-plus points
The Fire’s 6-4 start always seemed unsustainable given their level of talent and porous defense. Sure enough, the wheels have come off in recent weeks, and their record is now more reflective of the underlying data. Portland is 13th in opponent free throw rate (0.358), 14th in turnover rate (19.6%), 14th in opponent restricted area field goal percentage (66.7%), last in opponent offensive rebounding rate (36.4%), last in opponent second-chance points per game (15) and last in opponent fastbreak points per game (11.7). In short, it’s far too easy to score on the Fire.
While they’re still hanging around in the playoff race, that’s unlikely to last given their recent form and the fourth-hardest remaining schedule. Besides, a lottery pick would be for the best long-term.
Seattle Storm: B-
- Record: 6-17
- The basics: 13th in offense, 7th in defense, 12th in net rating (minus-6.0)
- Reason for optimism: They have the most exciting young core in the league
- Reason for pessimism: Their lottery odds will be hurt by their 23-21 record last season
Between injuries and overseas commitments, we didn’t learn much about the Storm over the first month of the season. Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam and Flau’jae Johnson are all up and running now, however. As expected, the Storm have been much more competitive since that trio has had some time to gel. They’re 3-2 in their last five games, with wins over the Dream and Liberty, and have a plus-5.3 net rating in 180 minutes with Malonga, Fam and Johnson on the floor together.
Of the 33 players 22 years old or younger that have appeared in a game this season, just eight are scoring in double figures. Three of them are in Seattle. Headlined by Malonga, who was named an All-Star for the first time in her career, the Storm have the best and most exciting young core in the league.
Highest-scoring players 22 and younger
| Player | Team | PPG |
|---|---|---|
|
Sonia Citron |
Mystics |
18.6 |
|
Dominique Malonga |
Storm |
15.9 |
|
Carla Leite |
Fire |
15.4 |
|
Kiki Iriafen |
Mystics |
15.3 |
|
Flau’jae Johnson |
Storm |
12.7 |
|
Kiki Rice |
Tempo |
12.7 |
|
Leïla Lacan |
Sun |
12.5 |
|
Awa Fam |
Storm |
11.7 |
Toronto Tempo: B
- Record: 9-11
- The basics: 6th in offense, 13th in defense, 8th in net rating (minus-2.1)
- Reason for optimism: Their offense, led by Marina Mabrey, is legit
- Reason for pessimism: They have the hardest remaining schedule
The Tempo got off to a 7-5 start, but have been without No. 6 pick Kiki Rice since June 3 due to a Grade 3 ankle sprain and key free agent signing Brittney Sykes since June 16 due to a plantar fascia injury. First-time All-Star Marina Mabrey, who tied the single-game scoring record with 53 points in a win over the Sparks and is averaging a career-high 21.1 points, has tried to put the team on her back. But no team can withstand the loss of their second- and third-leading scorers for that long of a period, especially one with as many defensive issues as the Tempo.
Without Rice and Sykes, the Tempo have predictably fallen apart and dropped below the Mystics, which currently has them outside of the playoff picture. To make matters worse, they have the hardest remaining schedule (.561 opponent winning percentage). They don’t play a team with a sub-.500 record again until Aug. 6.
Washington Mystics: B+
- Record: 10-10
- The basics: 15th in offense, 3rd in defense, 11th in net rating (minus-4.5)
- Reason for optimism: Their elite defense keeps them in almost every game
- Reason for pessimism: They have the worst offense in the league
The 2004 Lynx are the only team in WNBA history to finish last in offensive rating and still have a .500 or better record. The Mystics, with their 98.6 offensive rating, are currently on pace to join them. Washington has two of the three lowest-scoring games this season, and their 49-point effort against the Valkyries was just the fourth time in the 2020s that a team failed to reach 50 points in a game. They’re 14th in 3-point attempts per game (19.7), 14th in 3-point percentage (29%) and last in turnover rate (21%), and yet they would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
The Mystics are a poor man’s version of the Valkyries. They’re able to overcome their disastrous offense with size, toughness and defense, but only to an extent. If it wasn’t for a league-leading eight “clutch” wins, their record could easily be worse.
