🏆 Atlanta Overtakes Indiana for 1st in the East; Indiana Clinches a Playoff Spot

Six games Friday and Saturday. Saturday, New York beat Indiana 109-102 behind Breanna Stewart's 22 points (Kelsey Mitchell had 25 in the loss); Atlanta beat Phoenix 99-89 on Angel Reese's 31, assuring the Dream a top-eight postseason spot (Kahleah Copper had 38 for Phoenix); the LA Sparks beat Connecticut 77-68 behind Rae Burrell's 20. Friday, Minnesota beat Washington 94-84 as Olivia Miles scored 24 with Napheesa Collier resting — Minnesota's Courtney Williams left late with an apparent lower right leg injury; Toronto beat Portland 82-79 behind Isabelle Harrison's 25, a result that clinched a playoff berth for Indiana, the fourth team in; Chicago beat Golden State 73-70 on Natasha Cloud's 17. Atlanta (24-13) has now passed Indiana (24-14) for 1st in the East. Source: ESPN box scores / WNBA.com.

🏆 Kelsey Mitchell's Career Night in a Loss; Natasha Cloud Upsets New York

Nine games across Tuesday through Thursday. Thursday, Kelsey Mitchell scored a career-high 37 points in a losing effort as Dallas beat Indiana 91-85 (Arike Ogunbowale had 32 for the Wings); Las Vegas beat Connecticut 101-78 behind Jackie Young's 24; Atlanta routed the LA Sparks 124-88 on Rhyne Howard's 26. Wednesday, Washington beat Toronto 93-82 as rookie Kiki Rice, back from a Grade 3 ankle sprain, led the Tempo with 19 (Kiki Iriafen had 21 for Washington); Minnesota beat Golden State 77-66 on Olivia Miles' 20. Tuesday, Natasha Cloud scored 35 as Chicago upset New York 93-86; Atlanta beat Las Vegas 97-82 behind Rhyne Howard's 23; Indiana beat Toronto 101-95 on Kelsey Mitchell's 29; Connecticut beat the LA Sparks 85-77 behind Olivia Nelson-Ododa's 18. Dallas rookie Azzi Fudd did not play in this window and was later ruled out for the season with a right knee injury — full detail in the Injuries tab. Source: ESPN box scores / WNBA.com.

🏆 Indiana Escapes Atlanta in Overtime; Golden State Clinches a Playoff Spot

Four games across Sunday and Monday. Sunday, Indiana beat Atlanta 95-91 in overtime behind Caitlin Clark's 26 points (Allisha Gray answered with 32 for the Dream); Chicago beat Seattle 82-80 on Kamilla Cardoso's 22; Portland beat Phoenix 88-85 behind Carla Leite's 23. Monday, Golden State beat Dallas 78-70 on Gabby Williams' 23, clinching a 2026 playoff berth — the third team to qualify this season. Source: ESPN box scores / WNBA.com.

🏆 Lynx Outlast Aces in Likely Finals Preview; Fire Complete Sweep of Storm

Minnesota (29-7) held off Las Vegas (24-12) 92-87 on Saturday in a game that looked a lot like a possible WNBA Finals preview — Olivia Miles posted 23 points and 8 assists, while A'ja Wilson answered with 32/7 for the Aces in the loss. Elsewhere Saturday, Portland's 84-82 win at Seattle completed a four-game season sweep of the Storm, with Holly Winterburn scoring a career-high 20; New York beat Connecticut 82-75 behind Janelle Jones' 23/11, and Washington beat the LA Sparks 80-70 on Sonia Citron's 21/6/8 ast. Friday, Indiana beat Dallas 98-87 as Caitlin Clark went for 29/10 ast, the Fever's third straight win. Thursday, Las Vegas beat Washington 83-76 behind Jackie Young's 32, New York beat the LA Sparks 85-81 on Janelle Jones' 11/18 reb, and Atlanta routed Connecticut 104-69 behind Rhyne Howard's 29/3 stl. Off the court, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw were enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Springfield, Mass. Source: ESPN box scores / WNBA.com / AP.

🏆 Indiana Takes Sole Possession of First in the East

Indiana beat New York 106-92 on August 11 behind Kelsey Mitchell's 28 points, moving the Fever to 21-12 and into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference — Atlanta (20-12) was idle. Janelle Jones led New York with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in the loss. Elsewhere Tuesday, A'ja Wilson posted 26 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks as Las Vegas beat Washington 86-76, and Naz Brochant scored 24 with 5 steals as Phoenix beat the LA Sparks 94-87. Wednesday, Paige Bueckers went for 22/8/3 stl in Dallas' 94-88 win over Toronto — the Tempo's 10th straight loss — while Golden State beat Chicago 91-71 behind Tiffany Hayes' 22/6/3 stl, and Minnesota beat Portland 85-81 on Napheesa Collier's 20/9/3 blk to move to 28-7. Source: ESPN box scores / WNBA.com.

🏆 Kayla McBride Sets a WNBA Record — 10 Three-Pointers, Career-High 43 — Lynx Clinch First Playoff Berth

Kayla McBride made a WNBA-record 10 three-pointers (10-of-14 from deep, 16-of-21 overall) and finished with a career-high 43 points as Minnesota beat Dallas 103-90 on August 9. The previous record of nine made threes had been done eight times by six players, most recently by Toronto's Marina Mabrey on June 25. The Lynx (27-7) set a franchise record with 18 made 3-pointers as a team and became the first team to clinch a spot in the 2026 WNBA playoffs. Olivia Miles added 20 points and 13 assists, and Napheesa Collier scored 17. Paige Bueckers led Dallas with 23 points, 8 assists and 3 steals in the loss. Source: AP / CBS Sports / Yahoo Sports.

🏆 Kelsey Mitchell Sets a WNBA Single-Season Record — 16 Straight 20-Point Games

Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points on 11-of-22 shooting with three 3-pointers in Indiana's 90-86 win at Chicago on August 8, giving her 20 or more points in 16 consecutive games — a new WNBA single-season record. The overall league record remains A'ja Wilson's 20-game run, which spanned two seasons. Caitlin Clark added 26 points and 11 assists in the win, and Aliyah Boston finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Source: AP via The Washington Post / ESPN / Olympics.com.

🌍 Team USA Names FIBA World Cup Roster — Clark, Bueckers, Reese, Boston All Make Their Senior National Team Debuts

USA Basketball announced its 12-player roster for the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, being played September 4–13 in Berlin. Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Aliyah Boston will all make their first appearances in a major senior international competition, joining established national-team veterans A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. Clark was named MVP of the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament in March; Boston has been one of the WNBA's top bigs since entering the league. Source: ESPN / USA Basketball.

📅 Trade Deadline Fallout — Plum Debuts, Young Triple-Doubles, Seattle's Skid Hits 9

Three games, and the trade deadline was the backdrop for all of them. Kelsey Plum, dealt from the LA Sparks to the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday ahead of Sunday's 3 PM ET deadline, made her debut on a minutes restriction (lower-leg injury) and scored 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting — including the go-ahead corner three with 53 seconds left — as Phoenix beat Chicago 106-101. Kahleah Copper led all scorers with 31, and Alyssa Thomas logged a 19-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double — her 27th career, 2nd of the season. Las Vegas throttled Atlanta 109-87 behind Jackie Young's third career triple-double (28/11/10 ast); A'ja Wilson added 23 and passed Lauren Jackson for 6th on the WNBA's all-time blocks list. The Aces led by as many as 28 and snapped Atlanta's five-game win streak. New York beat Seattle 95-83 behind Breanna Stewart's 24 and Jonquel Jones's 20 — the Storm's ninth consecutive loss.

Standings after August 3: Las Vegas moves alone into 2nd at 21-9; Atlanta falls to 18-11 and yields the East's top spot to Indiana (19-11); New York improves to 18-13; Seattle falls to 6-26; Phoenix improves to 12-19; Chicago falls to 11-19. Full 15-team table in the WNBA tab. Source: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN box scores.

The WNBA's trade deadline passed at 3 PM ET on Sunday, August 2, with limited activity around the league. The headline move: the LA Sparks traded Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury on Saturday night in exchange for Monique Akoa Makani and draft assets, sending the five-time All-Star to a Phoenix team pushing for playoff positioning. Earlier in the week, the Toronto Tempo acquired Aneesah Morrow from the Connecticut Sun. Beyond those two moves, the deadline was largely quiet across the league. Source: WNBA.com official transactions, ESPN.

📅 The Weekend in One Read — Minnesota Keeps Rolling, Clark Triple-Doubles, Vegas Falls by One

Twelve games across four days. Minnesota won both of its games and pushed its win streak to 10 straight, moving to a league-best 25-6 — a 104-72 rout at Toronto on July 30 and a 108-100 win over Indiana on August 2 behind rookie Olivia Miles (28 PTS/6 AST). Caitlin Clark posted a 26-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Indiana's 112-98 win at Portland on July 31. A'ja Wilson had the weekend's two biggest individual lines — 33/10/6 ast in a 104-99 win over New York on July 30, then 36 points and 12 rebounds on August 1 — but Las Vegas still lost that one 84-83 at Chicago, where Sydney Taylor scored 29 and the Sky outscored the Aces 29-18 in the fourth. New York answered with a 94-92 win at Phoenix on Sabrina Ionescu's 27/7/10. Atlanta extended its streak to five with a 98-89 win over Seattle (Angel Reese 21/13), and Washington made it four in a row, beating Dallas 81-75 behind Shakira Austin's 28/10.

Standings after August 2: Minnesota 25-6; Las Vegas and Golden State tied at 20-9; Dallas and Indiana 19-11; Atlanta 18-10; New York 17-13; Washington 16-12. Full 15-team table in the WNBA tab. Source: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN box scores.

📅 Wednesday in One Read — Two Comebacks in the First Post-Break Slate

A short 2-game Wednesday slate delivered two comeback wins. Atlanta 82–81 Dallas — Allisha Gray scored 5 of her 25 points in the final 19 seconds, including the go-ahead jumper with 15 seconds left, as the Dream erased a 15-point deficit; Angel Reese added her 18th double-double (22 PTS/12 REB); Dallas got 24 from Arike Ogunbowale, 20 from Azzi Fudd and a league-leading 19th double-double from Jessica Shepard (16/14) but lost after Ogunbowale was called for a Flagrant Foul 1 on Gray's game-tying three with 18.7 seconds left. Atlanta has now won 4 straight. Phoenix 91–89 Golden State — Kahleah Copper (27 PTS), Alyssa Thomas (25/9/8 AST) and DeWanna Bonner (17/10/3 BLK) erased a 13-point deficit, outscoring the Valkyries 31-23 in the 4th; Golden State led 46-34 at the half before the collapse.

Standings after Wednesday: Atlanta rises to 17-10 (W4), Dallas falls to 18-10 (L1); Phoenix improves to 11-18 (W3), Golden State falls to 19-9 (L2). Minnesota (23-6), Las Vegas (19-8), Indiana (18-10), New York (16-12) and Washington (15-12) were idle Wednesday. Full standings in the WNBA tab. Source: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN box scores.

📅 Tuesday in One Read — Regular Season Resumes After the Break

The WNBA came back from its All-Star break with a 5-game Tuesday slate. Minnesota 100–93 Toronto — Olivia Miles (24 PTS/6 REB/8 AST) and Kayla McBride (18 PTS) pushed the Lynx's winning streak to eight games; Marina Mabrey had 25/8/6 in the loss. Las Vegas 98–83 Portland — A'ja Wilson bounced back from the pre-break loss with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists; Megan DiLeo led Portland with 20. Indiana 105–95 Seattle — Caitlin Clark (32 PTS/7 AST on 10-of-10 free throws) and Kelsey Mitchell (28 PTS) led the Fever; Natisha Hiedeman answered with 33 for Seattle. Washington 92–84 Connecticut — Sonia Citron (22 PTS) and Kiki Iriafen (20 PTS/10 REB) led the Mystics past Aneesah Morrow's 21 for the Sun. New York 113–109 LA Sparks — Breanna Stewart (29 PTS/7 AST/4 STL) and Sabrina Ionescu (27 PTS on 5-of-9 from three) outlasted Nneka Ogwumike's 21 PTS/9 AST for the Liberty.

Standings after Tuesday: Minnesota moves to 23-6 (W8), still the league's best record; Las Vegas (19-8) and Golden State (19-8) are tied for 2nd; Dallas holds at 18-9; Indiana rises to 18-10; Atlanta holds at 16-10; New York improves to 16-12; Washington improves to 15-12; Toronto falls to 10-17; LA Sparks fall to 10-17; Connecticut falls to 7-21; Seattle falls to 6-24. Full standings in the WNBA tab. Source: WNBA.com / ESPN official box scores.

⚠️ Also notable, held for manual review: Indiana did not make Caitlin Clark or Sophie Cunningham available for postgame media following a pregame rally tied to recent comments Cunningham made about transgender athletes in women's sports; the team has not issued a statement. Flagged here rather than expanded on — Yoli's call on whether to carry this further.

🏆 Skills Night — FINAL (Friday, July 24, Wintrust Arena)

3-Point Contest: Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd — the 2026 No. 1 overall pick — scored 30 points in the final round to beat Portland Fire's Bridget Carleton, becoming the first rookie in WNBA history to win the event; she's tied for the 2nd-highest final-round score ever. Shooting Stars Challenge (a brand-new event this year, replacing the old Skills Challenge): the team of Shakira Austin, Elena Delle Donne and 17-year-old prospect GG Banks beat Seattle 31-24 in the final to take the title. Full breakdown of all four Shooting Stars teams in the Spotlights tab. Source: WNBA.com, AP, ESPN.

🏆 All-Star Game — FINAL: Team Spoon 129, Team Coop 122 (Saturday, July 25, United Center)

Caitlin Clark's Team Spoon beat Paige Bueckers' Team Coop 129-122 in front of a sold-out, record 19,783 fans — the largest crowd in WNBA All-Star history, fitting for the league's 30th-season celebration. Jonquel Jones was named MVP, falling just short of a triple-double with 22 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Kelsey Mitchell scored a game-high 28 for Team Coop; she and Clark combined for 45 points and 10 threes. Olivia Miles nearly matched Jones with an 11/12/8 line, and Marina Mabrey scored 17 of her 23 points in the first quarter alone. Dominique Malonga threw down a 2nd-quarter dunk — the 7th in WNBA All-Star Game history and the youngest player ever to do it, at 20. Both Paige Bueckers (soreness) and Angel Reese (left knee, no official diagnosis issued) played through their earlier-week ailments with no setbacks reported. No regular-season games were played this cycle — standings and the Commissioner's Cup are unchanged from Wednesday, July 22 (see the WNBA tab). Full recaps on the legends, coaches, crowd and weekend discourse are in the Spotlights and Her Takes tabs. Source: ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, WNBA.com.

📅 Wednesday in One Read — First Half Closes

No games were played Tuesday, July 21; the league went straight to a 6-game slate Wednesday to close the first half. Washington 100–99 Las Vegas — Shakira Austin (25 PTS, 6 REB) and the Mystics held off a 38-point night from A'ja Wilson (7 REB, 3 STL) for the upset. Indiana 123–88 Connecticut — Caitlin Clark had 27 points and 11 assists in the blowout, but picked up her 7th technical foul of the season jawing with Connecticut's Saniya Rivers — one more ejects her for an automatic one-game suspension. Dallas 101–97 Portland — Jessica Shepard posted a triple-double (18 PTS/15 REB/10 AST), holding off a late Portland rally led by Maddy DiLeo's 21. New York 95–94 Chicago — Sabrina Ionescu's 29 outlasted Sydney Taylor's 31 in a one-point game. Minnesota 86–76 Seattle — Napheesa Collier (24 PTS, 10 REB) led the Lynx to a league-best 22-6; Dominique Malonga had 21/9 reb/4 blk for Seattle. Phoenix 86–82 LA Sparks — Alyssa Thomas nearly a triple-double at 19/11 reb/15 ast; DeWanna Bonner added 18/10 reb for LA.

Standings entering the break: Minnesota (22-6) holds the league's best record on a 7-game win streak; Golden State (19-8) is 2nd; Las Vegas (18-8) and Dallas (18-9) follow; Indiana rises to 17-10; Atlanta holds at 16-10; Washington improves to 14-12. All 15 teams are now off through the All-Star break (July 23–27); the regular season resumes Tuesday, July 28. Source: WNBA.com official standings.

📅 Monday in One Read

New York 99–98 Dallas (OT) — Breanna Stewart had 33 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, and Sabrina Ionescu scored 12 of her 21 points in overtime as the Liberty snapped a 4-game skid. Arike Ogunbowale led Dallas with 29 in the loss, playing without Paige Bueckers (held out with soreness, not a concussion, following Sunday's collision) — the defeat snapped the Wings' 6-game win streak. Las Vegas 109–83 Toronto — A'ja Wilson scored 26 and Jackie Young added a season-high 24 points with 12 assists. Washington 90–82 Golden State — Kiki Iriafen (23 PTS, 12 REB) and Shakira Austin (15/15) led a 17-2 closing run as the Mystics snapped the Valkyries' 9-game win streak; Sonia Citron added 15/6 ast for Washington, while Kaitlyn Chen (20/6 ast) and Kayla Thornton (15) led Golden State. Minnesota 105–102 Seattle — Kayla McBride hit six threes for 33 points and rookie Olivia Miles nearly posted a triple-double (32 PTS/8 REB/8 AST) as the Lynx held off Seattle's Flau'jae Johnson (26 PTS, 5 threes) and Natisha Hiedeman (12/10 ast).

Standings after Monday: Minnesota (21-6) extends the league's best record with a 6th straight win; Las Vegas (18-7) moves into 2nd; Golden State (19-8) and Dallas (17-9) both snap long win streaks; New York rises to 14-12; Washington improves to 13-12; Toronto falls to 10-16; Seattle falls to 6-22. All 15 teams now off through Wednesday, July 22's slate before the July 23–27 All-Star break. Source: WNBA.com official standings.

📅 Thursday–Sunday in One Read

Sunday, July 19 — Atlanta 93, Chicago 91: Jordin Canada's driving layup at the buzzer won it after Sydney Taylor's tying three with 5.5 seconds left; Allisha Gray led Atlanta with 29/6/3 ast, Azurá Stevens had 20/9 for Chicago. Dallas 90, LA Sparks 82: Paige Bueckers had 25 points before exiting with just over 3 minutes left after a hard collision with Nneka Ogwumike — she was in good spirits postgame, but her status for Monday was unclear; Arike Ogunbowale scored 20 as the Wings' win streak reached 6, tying a franchise record. Phoenix 72, Connecticut 63: DeWanna Bonner had a season-high 21 and Kahleah Copper added 18 as the Mercury snapped a 5-game losing streak. Saturday, July 18 — Indiana 108, New York 88: Kelsey Mitchell scored 33 on 10-of-14 shooting, and Caitlin Clark added 17, as Indiana overcame a double-digit deficit for its second straight win. Minnesota 107, Portland 74: the Lynx led by 14 after a hot-shooting first quarter and scored 60 first-half points on the way to the league's best record at 20-6. Golden State 99, Washington 62 — the Valkyries' 9th straight win. Friday, July 17 — Indiana 110, Seattle 107: Caitlin Clark set a career high with 45 points (11-18 FG, 6-10 3PT), adding 10 assists, 4 steals and 4 turnovers — the first 40-point/10-assist game in WNBA history. Atlanta 111, Toronto 92 · Chicago 96, LA Sparks 82 · Connecticut 96, Phoenix 83 — Leila Lacan career-high 26 for the Sun. Thursday, July 16 — Portland 75, Washington 56: Carla Leite (14), Serah Williams (12) and Sarah Ashlee Barker (10) led Portland to a win that avenged a quadruple-overtime loss to Washington on June 28; Shakira Austin had 19/9 for the Mystics in the loss.

Standings through Sunday, July 19 (all games final): Minnesota (20-6) leads the league; Golden State (19-7) is second on its 9-game win streak; Las Vegas (17-7) and Dallas (17-8) follow. Source: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN.

🏀 Also Friday — Atlanta 111, Toronto 92 · Chicago 96, LA Sparks 82

Atlanta beat a short-handed Toronto team 111-92. Chicago beat LA Sparks 96-82. Individual box-score leaders for both games were not confirmed by publish time — full stat lines will be added once verified. Source: ESPN.

📅 Tuesday–Wednesday in One Read

Wednesday, July 15: Golden State 88–75 Indiana — Kaitlyn Chen led the Valkyries with 14 points as Golden State won its 8th straight; Kelsey Mitchell topped Indiana with 20 in the loss. Caitlin Clark played through a quad contusion after a hard fall on a drive and was vocal postgame about a missed call on the play. Minnesota 96–87 LA Sparks — Naz Howard's all-around line (10/10/6 ast) paced the Lynx; Nneka Ogwumike had 23/12 for LA in the loss. Chicago 95–90 Seattle — Fatou Johnson 25/6/3 stl for Seattle, Aneesah Stevens 20/8 for the Sky. Tuesday, July 14: Washington 79–62 Toronto — Kiki Iriafen 25/14 for the Mystics against a Tempo team still without Kiki Rice, Brittney Sykes and Tolu Fagbenle. Connecticut 90–87 Portland — Brittney Griner 20/6 ast for the Sun.

Standings through Wednesday, July 15: Minnesota (19-6) leads the league; Golden State (18-7) is second on its win streak; Las Vegas (17-7) and Dallas (16-8) follow, both idle this stretch. Source: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN.

📅 Monday in One Read

Minnesota 104–100 Phoenix — rookie Olivia Miles put up a career-high 33 points (10-of-16 FG, 5-of-8 from three) with 3 rebounds and 8 assists, and Kayla McBride led all scorers with 37 (11-of-17 FG, 6 threes), as the Lynx held off Phoenix. Alyssa Thomas led the Mercury with 19/8/12 ast in the loss. Atlanta 101–92 LA Sparks — Angel Reese made her return from the leg injury that sidelined her since July 9, finishing 23 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals; Jordin Canada added 16 points and 9 assists for the Dream. Rae Burrell led LA with 18 points and 3 steals in the loss.

Standings after Monday: Minnesota (18-6) extends its lead to a full game over Las Vegas (17-7) and Golden State (17-7), both idle. Atlanta (14-10) moves within striking distance of Indiana (14-9) for the East's top seed; LA Sparks fall to 10-12; Phoenix falls to 8-17. Sources: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN.

📅 Sunday in One Read

Indiana 109–75 Las Vegas — the debut of NBC's "Sunday Night Basketball" turned into a blowout: Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 27 (8-of-16 FG), A. Boston added 19/11/3 stl, and Caitlin Clark played 24 minutes on a restriction in her return from a back injury, finishing 12/7/6 — the fastest player in WNBA history to 600 career assists. A. Wilson led Las Vegas with 20/12 in the loss. Toronto 93–91 New York — M. Mabrey 30 for the Tempo at Bell Centre, Montreal; S. Ionescu 28/8/3 stl for the Liberty in the loss. Washington 84–79 Seattle — S. Austin 27 for the Mystics; N. Hiedeman 31/3 stl for the Storm in the loss. Dallas 96–91 Chicago — P. Bueckers 22/6/11 ast for the Wings; A. Stevens 18/13 for the Sky in the loss.

Standings after Sunday: Minnesota (17-6) is alone in first; Las Vegas (17-7) and Golden State (17-7) are tied a half-game back. Indiana climbs to 14-9; New York falls to 13-11 (L4); Toronto and Portland are both 10-13 in the West/East split. Sources: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN.

📅 The Weekend in One Read

Thursday, July 9: Atlanta 89–78 Seattle — J. Canada 14/9/8 for the Dream, N. Hiedeman 20 for the Storm · Indiana 92–89 Phoenix — K. Mitchell 29/8 ast/3 stl for the Fever, A. Thomas (Alyssa) 22/6/7 for the Mercury in the loss · Las Vegas 88–80 at Portland — A'ja Wilson 32/10.

Friday, July 10: Golden State 79–64 Connecticut — V. Burton 17/6 ast · Dallas 108–95 Toronto — P. Bueckers 34/6/6, M. Mabrey 34 for the Tempo, WNBA regular-season attendance record (20,996) at Bell Centre, Montreal · LA Sparks 102–87 Chicago — N. Ogwumike 25/12.

Saturday, July 11: Minnesota 90–85 New York — K. McBride 25/4 stl, rookie O. Miles 23 in her return from a calf injury, S. Ionescu 25/8 for the Liberty in the loss · Portland 102–92 Atlanta — E. Engstler 14/11/3 stl for the Fire; Dream played without Angel Reese (leg, ruled out) · Las Vegas 106–58 Phoenix — A'ja Wilson 21/15 in 25 minutes, third-biggest win in WNBA history.

Standings after Saturday: Las Vegas (17-6) and Minnesota (17-6) tied atop the league; Golden State (17-7) close behind. New York falls to 13-10 (L3); Atlanta falls to 13-10 (L1). Sources: WNBA.com official standings / ESPN.

📅 Tuesday–Wednesday in One Read

Tuesday, July 7: Dallas 88–77 New York — J. Shepard 22 for the Wings, P. Bueckers 15/7 reb/6 ast; B. Stewart 29 for the Liberty in the loss · Chicago 77–66 Phoenix — S. Taylor 16 for the Sky, K. Copper 25 for the Mercury in the loss.

Wednesday, July 8: Golden State 83–75 Toronto — J. Salaun 26 for the Valkyries, now winners of six straight; I. Harrison 24 for the Tempo · Minnesota 86–80 Connecticut — K. McBride 23 for the Lynx, bouncing back from Monday's upset loss; L. Lacan 15 for the Sun · LA Sparks 106–92 Indiana — Caitlin Clark returned from her back injury on a minutes limit (9 PTS in 16 min, 4-of-12 FG, 4 TO); K. Mitchell scored 29 for the Fever in the loss; N. Ogwumike (24/8/5), R. Burrell (22) and D. Hamby (21/9) led the Sparks.

Standings after Wednesday: Minnesota (16-6) and Golden State (16-7) sit 1-2, with Las Vegas (15-6) close behind. Dallas moves to 14-8, New York falls to 13-9. Indiana falls to 12-9. Sources: WNBA.com / ESPN.

📅 Sunday–Monday in One Read

Sunday, July 5: Dallas 89–76 Toronto — P. Bueckers 22/7 ast for the Wings, M. Mabrey 19 for the Tempo (now 9-11) · Indiana 84–68 Las Vegas — K. Mitchell 27 and A. Boston 18/10 for the Fever, playing without Caitlin Clark (back); the Aces were held under 70 without A'ja Wilson (ankle), missing her third straight game.

Monday, July 6: Golden State 62–49 Washington — K. Stokes anchored the defense with 9 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Valkyries won their fifth straight; K. Iriafen led the Mystics (now 10-10) with 12/9 · Connecticut 90–89 Minnesota — B. Griner had 29/10 as the last-place Sun (5-16) upset the Lynx on the road, knocking Minnesota out of sole possession of first place; C. Williams had 23/9/6 in the loss · Seattle 82–64 LA Sparks — F. Johnson 23 for the Storm, snapping a two-game skid; N. Ogwumike had 14/11 for the Sparks.

Standings shakeup: Las Vegas and Minnesota both fell to 15-6 after Sunday/Monday losses, while Golden State (15-7) climbed into the league's No. 1 spot on a five-game winning streak. A'ja Wilson (ankle) and Caitlin Clark (back) both remain day-to-day with no Aces or Fever games July 6. Sources: WNBA.com / ESPN.

📅 The Holiday Weekend in One Read

Thursday, July 2: Washington 81–76 Atlanta — S. Austin 21/9/3 blk for the Mystics, R. Howard 24/4 stl for the Dream · Dallas 86–83 Connecticut — P. Bueckers 25/7/7 for the Wings, L. Lacan 18/3 stl for the Sun · Phoenix 90–67 Seattle — K. Copper 30/7 for the Mercury, A. Fam 13/6 for the Storm.

Friday, July 3: New York 99–86 Minnesota — B. Stewart scored 36 as the Liberty snapped the Lynx's win streak; C. Williams led Minnesota with 16 · Las Vegas 98–90 Chicago (OT) — N. Smith 29/8 and Chelsea Gray hit two late jumpers in overtime for the short-handed Aces, still without A'ja Wilson (ankle); K. Cardoso had 16/10 for the Sky.

Saturday, July 4: Golden State 88–83 Atlanta — V. Burton 21 for the Valkyries, their fourth straight win; A. Reese answered with 17/13/3 stl for the Dream, who have now lost five straight · Portland 77–72 Seattle — C. Leite 20 for the Fire, D. Malonga 22 for the Storm.

A'ja Wilson has now missed three straight games (June 30 Cup Championship, July 3 vs. Chicago, and is confirmed out July 5 vs. Indiana) with the ankle injury from the June 28 game at Chicago; Aces coach Becky Hammon continues to call her day-to-day with no firm return date. Las Vegas and Minnesota are tied for the league's best record at 15-5; Golden State (14-7) is the West's third seed on a four-game winning streak. Sources: WNBA.com / ESPN.

📅 Tuesday–Thursday AM in One Read

New York 93–85 Las Vegas — Commissioner's Cup Championship (June 30, Barclays Center): the Liberty won their second Cup title in franchise history (2023, 2026). Breanna Stewart was named Cup MVP with 25 points and 11 rebounds; Sabrina Ionescu added 26. Jackie Young led the Aces with 31, but Las Vegas played the entire game without A'ja Wilson, who sprained her ankle the prior weekend against Chicago. Source: WNBA.com / ESPN.

Wilson's timeline is unsettled: Aces coach Becky Hammon told reporters she'd need "just a few days," while CBS Sports reported Wilson is in a walking boot and could miss multiple weeks. Her status for the July 3 game (Chicago at Las Vegas) has not been confirmed — needs manual check. Source: WNBA.com / CBS Sports.

All-Star starters announced: the WNBA named Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell — all Indiana Fever — as All-Star starters; it's Clark's third consecutive starting nod. The All-Star Game is July 25 at the United Center in Chicago, teams TBD. Source: ESPN.

Lynx injury news: Napheesa Collier practiced with Minnesota for the first time this season on July 1 after offseason surgery on both ankles. The Lynx have not set a return timeline for their MVP runner-up, who has missed the season to date while Minnesota still holds the league's best record at 15–4. Source: WNBA.com.

No games were played Wednesday, July 1. Thursday's slate (Atlanta at Washington, Dallas at Connecticut, Seattle at Phoenix) tips off this evening — see the TV Guide tab for the full weekend schedule and where to watch.

📅 Sunday in One Read

Washington 124–123 Portland (4OT): a four-overtime instant classic in D.C. — M. Onyenwere scored 30 for the Mystics, who survived despite C. Leite's 32/6/9 for the Fire. Washington climbs to 9–9; Portland slips to 8–12.

Minnesota 85–77 Dallas: N. Howard went for 21 and 14 (3 steals) as the Lynx took sole possession of the league's best record at 15–4; P. Bueckers had 25 for the Wings (now 11–8).

Las Vegas 107–99 Chicago: A'ja Wilson 30/15 (4 steals) lifted the Aces to 14–5; K. Cardoso answered with 24 and 8 for the Sky. Golden State 76–67 New York: the Valkyries ground out a third straight win to reach 13–7; J. Jones had 21/7 for the Liberty, who fall to 12–8.

Off the court (Sun–Mon): A'ja Wilson rolled her right ankle late in Sunday's win at Chicago; the Aces listed her questionable Monday and ruled her out of the Commissioner's Cup Championship (officially a right leg injury). Coach Becky Hammon said she doesn't expect it to be long-term — likely a few days (Source: ESPN / CBS Sports). The WNBA held no games Monday, June 29 — the league's scheduled pause before the Cup final. In Unrivaled news, New York's Marine Johannes signed a multiyear deal for the 3-on-3 league's third season, announced Monday.

📅 The Weekend in One Read

Thursday, June 25 — a record night: Toronto 125–97 Los Angeles — Marina Mabrey scored 53 to tie the WNBA single-game record, hitting nine 3-pointers (also a record tie); her 113 points over three games is the most in league history · Las Vegas 99–84 Dallas — A'ja Wilson 32/9; Jessica Shepard 22/14 for the Wings · Seattle 99–88 New York — the Storm upset the Liberty behind rookie Flau'jae Johnson (28/9/3 stl); Jonquel Jones 26/8 for New York.

Friday, June 26: Chicago 124–94 Portland — Kamilla Cardoso went a perfect 13-of-13 from the field for a career-high 30, a WNBA record for field goals without a miss; rookie Sydney Taylor added 29 · Connecticut 68–57 Washington — Olivia Nelson-Ododa 12/9/3 blk · Golden State 78–75 Atlanta — Jordin Canada 23 for the Dream in defeat.

Saturday, June 27: Seattle 105–90 Atlanta — the Storm's second straight upset (Flau'jae Johnson 24/11, Awa Fam 21); Rhyne Howard 27 for Atlanta, which dropped a third in a row · Phoenix 89–80 Toronto — Kahleah Copper 27, with Alyssa Thomas serving a one-game suspension · Indiana 111–87 Los Angeles — Kelsey Mitchell 26.

Off the court: the WNBA suspended Phoenix's Alyssa Thomas one game for reckless contact to Caitlin Clark's throat in the June 24 game, and Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne and Cheryl Reeve were enshrined in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

💼 Off the Court — Unrivaled Builds Its 2027 Roster

Unrivaled — the women's 3-on-3 league founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart — has started locking in talent for its third season, which tips off in January 2027. Players are signing multiyear playing contracts now; team (club) assignments come later through the league's draft. The newest name: Minnesota's Kayla McBride, announced Tuesday, July 7 — a 5x WNBA All-Star and the 2025 All-Unrivaled First Team pick returning after averaging 22.4 PPG for Laces BC in Unrivaled's inaugural season. She joins Golden State's Kayla Thornton and Portland's Bridget Carleton, who signed in the two weeks prior. Below are the confirmed Season 3 newcomers as of this update. Source: Unrivaled.basketball.

📅 The Week So Far, In One Read

Sunday, June 21 — upset day: Los Angeles 98–97 New York — Nneka Ogwumike (24/6/3 stl) and the Sparks edged the Liberty by a point · Washington 84–79 Minnesota — the Mystics knocked off the league-leading Lynx, Sonia Citron 21 · Las Vegas 92–73 Golden State — Jackie Young 21 in a comfortable Aces win.

Monday, June 22: Dallas 112–110 OT Seattle — Paige Bueckers 27, but Seattle rookie Dominique Malonga went off for 37 & 12 in the loss · Indiana 86–77 Phoenix — Caitlin Clark bounced back with 24 & 9 assists · Connecticut 92–63 Chicago — the Sun's most lopsided win of the year · Atlanta 94–87 Toronto — Jordin Canada 11 pts/13 ast.

Tuesday, June 23: New York 87–76 Las Vegas — a Cup Final preview; Breanna Stewart (20/6/3 blk) helped the Liberty answer their Sunday loss.

Wednesday, June 24: Phoenix 111–109 Indiana — the Mercury returned the favor in a back-and-forth thriller (Alyssa Thomas 24/8; Kelsey Mitchell 30 for the Fever) · Minnesota 78–76 Washington — the Lynx held on this time · Chicago 101–78 Portland · Golden State 77–66 Atlanta.

📅 The Weekend in One Read

Cup field locked (June 17): Las Vegas beat Phoenix 86–76 behind A'ja Wilson's 33 points and 10 rebounds to edge Minnesota for the Western berth. The Aces meet New York — undefeated in Cup play — in the Championship on June 30.

Atlanta's weekend (June 18 & 20): the Dream swept the home-and-home with Indiana, winning 108–101 on Thursday and 113–96 on Saturday for a franchise scoring record. Angel Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to 1,000 career rebounds (79th game). Atlanta climbs to the top of the East at 11-4.

Friday, June 19: Toronto 101–97 Connecticut — Marina Mabrey scored a career-high 37 and tied the WNBA single-game record with nine 3-pointers, erasing a 16-point deficit · Washington 86–83 New York — Kiki Iriafen's go-ahead layup with 27 seconds left snapped the Liberty's eight-game win streak · Minnesota 81–75 Golden State — Nia Coffey (22) and Courtney Williams (21/12/5) ended the Valkyries' four-game streak; Cecilia Zandalasini answered with a career-high 23.

Saturday, June 20: Phoenix 93–73 Seattle — Valeriane Ayayi (18/10) and Kahleah Copper (17) snapped the Mercury's skid and handed Seattle a record-tying 10th straight loss. (Chicago at Dallas was still in progress at publish time — result rolls into the next update.)

📅 June 15, 2026 — The West Race Cracks Open

Dallas 96–66 Las Vegas — the Wings handed the Aces their first Commissioner's Cup loss in a 30-point rout · Jessica Shepard stuffed the sheet (15 PTS / 15 REB / 9 AST) and Jewell Loyd's 21 was the only bright spot for Las Vegas. The result left Las Vegas (5-1) and Minnesota (5-1) deadlocked atop the West Cup table.

Minnesota 107–74 Portland — the Lynx cruised behind a balanced effort — Coffey posted 15 points with 3 steals and 3 blocks — reclaiming the WNBA's best record at 11-3 · Golden State 78–58 Los Angeles — the Valkyries won a third straight, but the Sparks lost Cameron Brink to a left-ankle injury in the fourth quarter (she finished with 10 in 15 minutes).

📅 June 14, 2026 — Liberty Punch Their Cup Ticket

New York 86–64 Washington (Liberty clinch a Commissioner's Cup championship-game berth · Breanna Stewart 14/12 with a career-high 7 blocks · Jonquel Jones 20, 17 in the second half) · Atlanta 102–77 Toronto (Angel Reese 15 points, 17 rebounds — including a career-high 11 offensive rebounds, one shy of the WNBA single-game record).

📅 June 11–13, 2026 — Ten Commissioner's Cup Games, One Historic Saturday

June 13: LAS 100–97 MIN (Wilson 24/10 · Aces take West Cup lead, Lynx's 8-game streak ends · Olivia Miles career-high 29) · LA 111–102 PHX (OT) (Plum 43 & Copper 41 — first opposing players to each score 40+ in one WNBA game, ever 🏆) · IND 85–75 CON (Clark 25/5 · Cunningham scores Fever's final 11) · POR 84–83 DAL (Portland's first Cup win · Bueckers out, right ankle)  |  June 12: WAS 86–85 TOR (Citron buzzer-beater · rookie Lauren Betts 18 on 8-9 FG) · GSV 76–72 SEA (Salaun 22)  |  June 11: IND 114–106 CHI · DAL 85–70 PHX (Bueckers season-high 31) · NYL 104–90 ATL (Liberty 4-0 in Cup play) · LAS 105–89 POR (Wilson 32 · Chelsea Gray ties WNBA record with nine 3-pointers).

🏀 Earlier in the week — June 11 & 12

June 11 (Cup): New York 104–90 Atlanta — the Liberty moved to 4-0 in Cup play and stretched their win streak to six; Satou Sabally added 19 off the bench. · Dallas 85–70 Phoenix — Paige Bueckers poured in a season-high 31 (and briefly limped off before returning); Jessica Shepard had 17/10/7. · Las Vegas 105–89 Portland — A'ja Wilson 32, and Chelsea Gray tied a WNBA record with nine 3-pointers. · Indiana 114–106 Chicago.
June 12 (Cup): Washington 86–85 Toronto — Sonia Citron's buzzer-beater won it; No. 4 pick Lauren Betts went for 18 on 8-of-9 shooting starting for the injured Kiki Iriafen (ankle); Marina Mabrey scored 18 of her 27 in the fourth. · Golden State 76–72 Seattle — Janelle Salaun 22 (five threes), Gabby Williams 19 against her former team.

📅 June 8–9, 2026 — Five Games, Five Finals, One Historic Night

June 9: MIN Lynx 100–76 DAL Wings (League Pass · Miles 24/7/6 · McBride 22 · Howard 21 · Lynx become first team to 10 wins · 8-game streak 🔥) · ATL Dream 82–75 CHI Sky (NBC · Reese 17/17 back-to-back 17-REB games · Howard youngest to 2,500 pts/500 reb/500 ast) · GSV 87–81 PHX (League Pass)  |  June 8: IND 78–76 WAS (NBC · Clark 31-ft buzzer-beater · missed 2 FTs before it · 19 PTS) · NYL 89–80 CON (League Pass · Stewart 28 · Han Xu first career start 14 PTS · Liberty 5-game win streak) · LVA 101–91 SEA (USA Network · Wilson 34/12/9AST · fastest to 6,000 career pts in WNBA history 🏆).

📅 June 7, 2026 — Two Cup Games, Two Statement Wins

Two Commissioner's Cup games finalized Sunday: TOR Tempo 85–68 CHI Sky (League Pass · Sykes 25 PTS · Sabally 15 PTS · Tempo now 6-4) · LA Sparks 89–72 POR Fire (NBA TV · Hamby 22 PTS/12 REB · Nneka Ogwumike 20 PTS/17 REB · Sparks now 5-5).

📅 June 5–6, 2026 — Seven Confirmed Results Across Two Days

June 6: NY Liberty 83–75 IND Fever (CBS · Stewart 30 PTS/18-21 FT) · ATL Dream 109–77 WAS Mystics (League Pass · Reese 18/17 season-high · coach ejected) · MIN Lynx 88–68 SEA Storm (ABC) · LVA Aces 84–79 GSV Valkyries (ABC · Wilson 28/14)  |  June 5: DAL Wings 104–96 LA Sparks (ION) · CHI Sky 85–80 CON Sun (ION · Diggins 24 PTS · Sky snap 5-game skid) · PHX Mercury 78–72 POR Fire (ION · Bonner 19 PTS season-high · PHX snap skid).

🔥 HGW Bottom Line — What It All Means

The Fever are 5-5 and in a pattern they can't break. They beat Atlanta June 4 (83-71) and fans exhaled — then they blew a 12-point lead in New York June 6, losing 83-75 on a 19-4 Liberty run in the fourth quarter. Clark has committed 4+ fouls in four straight games. The coaching staff has no answer for what happens when she's forced to the bench late. The defensive targeting is real, the foul trouble is real, the free throw disparity (40-15) is catastrophic. Clark said it herself: "Just dumb. That's on me." But one player can't fix a systemic problem. This is the Fever's biggest crisis since the 2026 season began.

🔥 HGW Bottom Line — Chapter 4

The Fever won 78-76 on a Clark buzzer-beater, and that's great for Indiana. But the win came because she missed two free throws that should have made it unnecessary. You can celebrate the shot and still acknowledge the real story: late-game execution at the line remains a problem this franchise has not solved. A 31-footer from Clark is not a repeatable play. Making free throws is. The narrative of "clutch Clark" is convenient — the data behind it is not.

🔥 HGW Bottom Line — Chapter 5

Two losses to Atlanta in 48 hours — one at home, one on the road — and the same fingerprints on both: Indiana turned it over 17 times on June 18 and 12 more on June 20 (with Clark's career-worst five-turnover third quarter), and got outscored 15-0 in fast-break points in the finale. The Dream scored 108 and then a franchise-record 113 because live-ball turnovers handed them the open floor. The Fever had June 18 tied at 93 with five minutes left and still couldn't close. At 9-7, the message is blunt: stop turning it over, get back on defense, and the wins follow. Keep doing this, and "coming up short" stops being a stretch of bad nights and becomes who this team is.

📅 June 2, 2026 — Week 5 Commissioner's Cup Complete

All 4 June 2 Commissioner's Cup games are final. Atlanta Dream (5-2) lead the East — Howard dropped 36/8 3PT. Washington Mystics (4-3) blew out Chicago 90-72 behind Austin's dominant return. In the West, Golden State Valkyries (6-2) beat Portland to tie Minnesota Lynx (6-2) atop the standings. Las Vegas Aces (5-3) got revenge over LA Sparks behind Wilson's 25/15/5blk masterpiece.

📺 May 29 ION Friday Night — All 4 Finals

NY Liberty 75 – Phoenix Mercury 68 · Liberty hold on at Barclays Center  |  LA Sparks 92 – Washington Mystics 87 · Sparks edge Mystics in DC  |  Minnesota Lynx 79 – Chicago Sky 58 · Lynx blow out Sky at Wintrust  |  Atlanta Dream 86 – Portland Fire 66 · Dream win on the road in Portland. Also May 27: MIN Lynx 96 – ATL Dream 81 (Williams 25 PTS) · Portland Fire 71 – Connecticut Sun 61. May 30: Toronto Tempo 93 – Seattle Storm 72 (Mabrey 18, Rice 17, Sykes 15 vs former team 🍁).

📣 March Madness Gets Bigger

The NCAA announced on May 7 that both the men's and women's basketball tournaments will expand from 68 to 76 teams. The change adds eight more at-large bids, giving more programs a shot at the Big Dance and extending the excitement of March Madness. The expanded format is expected to take effect for the 2027 tournament.

📋 Agreement Overview

The WNBA and WNBPA ratified a landmark 7-year Collective Bargaining Agreement effective with the 2026 season, running through 2032 with a mutual opt-out after Year 6 (2031). The deal was ratified with over 90% player participation and unanimous approval — an unprecedented level of support. It is the most transformative labor agreement in women’s professional sports history, representing a fundamental shift from a league built on passion to one built on professional equity.

📈 Revenue Sharing — Historic First in Women’s Sports

For the first time in WNBA history, player salaries are directly tied to league revenue. Players receive 20% of gross league revenue — meaning as media deals grow, ticket sales rise, and sponsorship dollars increase, player pay automatically scales up with it. This is the most important structural change in the agreement: players are now true stakeholders in league growth. The total projected player compensation over the 7-year term exceeds $1 billion.

🌿 Developmental Player Contracts — New in 2026

Each team may sign up to 2 developmental players per season. These contracts do not count against the roster limit or salary cap. Developmental players can be activated for up to 12 games without converting to a formal contract. Beyond 12 games, a prorated minimum contract is required. Developmental players receive league-provided housing every year of the agreement — no salary threshold applies to them.

🩺 Injured Player Cap Exceptions

The new CBA provides additional salary cap exceptions for injured players, allowing teams to sign replacements without cap penalty when a rostered player is on the injured list. Under the old CBA, limited flexibility around injuries sometimes created pressure on players to return too quickly. The new protections remove that incentive and place long-term player health first. Separate cap exceptions also apply for pregnant players on leave.

🏦 Expanded Retirement Planning

The CBA includes significantly expanded team contributions to player 401(k) accounts — more than doubling the previous contribution levels. This directly addresses the financial reality that WNBA careers are shorter than men’s pro basketball careers, and players need accelerated retirement savings to build long-term financial security. Combined with the veteran recognition payments (up to $100,000 for 12+ year veterans), this agreement represents the first serious commitment to post-career financial wellbeing for WNBA players.