2025 WNBA Power Ranking Tiers (Post Free Agency)
Last year's contenders are still here (except the Sun), lots of teams got better (but how much?!), and a few already want to look towards 2026.
The WNBA offseason has been chaotic thus far but, as you’ll soon find out, I’m not sure there’s been too many moves that drastically change the list of title contenders from 2024 to 2025 (save for the implosion of the Connecticut Sun as we once knew them).
Therein lies one of the great struggles faced by a modern WNBA front office. In a league with 13 teams and talent everywhere, the addition of two all-star (or even all-WNBA) caliber players isn’t always enough to throw your team directly into the mix for a title. At the same time, the strong moves these front offices have been able to make this offseason still drastically alter the state of play when it comes to the chasing pack behind the established contenders. Let’s dive into the WNBA’s biggest risers and fallers now that the majority of the free agency dust has settled.
JUMP TO TEAM
ATL | CHI | CON | DAL | GS | IND | LA | LV | MIN | NY | PHO | SEA | WAS
Tier 1: Top Shelf Title Contenders
These teams are the best of the best. Only one of them can win a title, but all four will feel they’re in prime position entering the new season.
New York Liberty
Like most title-winning teams, the Liberty have lost some key pieces around the edges of their 2024 rotation with Courtney Vandersloot headed to Chicago and Kayla Thornton selected by Golden State in the expansion draft. Yet, the core 4 of the roster plus standout “rookie” Leonie Fiebich are all back in addition to some other key reserves like Nyara Sabally. Toss in a defensive standout (Jaylyn Sherrod), a breakout candidate (Marquesha Davis), another European gem ready for her WNBA debut (Raquel Carrera), and a key role player returning from injury (Rebekah Gardner), and I think this New York team will get enough valuable play from their bench to support what still looks like a stacked starting five. No one knows what will come of 2026 free agency when this entire roster could depart, but the Liberty look more than prepared to defend their crown this year despite missing out on their number one target (Satou Sabally) this winter.
Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx have changed little thus far beyond late season arrival Myisha Hines-Allen departing and standout shooter Cecilia Zandalasini joining Thornton as an expansion selection—meaning their roster feels primed to run back their chase for the WNBA title. Napheesa Collier has not lost a step in Unrivaled, Alanna Smith is a walking double-double in China, and key reserve Natisha Hiedeman was also retained by Cheryl Reeve and company. In short, the strong form this team and its individuals had at the end of last season is carrying over into ‘25 and it looks to be a wash, rinse, repeat season for the most consistent team in the league a year ago. In order for this roster to take a step forward one of their last two draft picks (Diamond Miller & Alissa Pili) or a keen selection in April’s draft (Minnesota will pick 11th) could improve and add the valuable rotational punch that Hines-Allen did after arriving from Washington late last year. With or without that, the Lynx still have plenty of bucket getters and the framework of a top 2-3 defense in the W—meaning they are a title or bust team yet again.
Las Vegas Aces
Now a full calendar year removed from their last title, the hunger for what was once the W’s biggest superpower will definitely have returned in full force in 2025. While keeping the band together after consecutive titles was always the goal, the refresh the organization has seen this offseason could serve to help extend the dynasty-esque run that had started to unfold before an off-balance 2024 season saw them slip to fourth in the standings and an unceremonious four-game exit to the Liberty in the semifinals. A’ja Wilson is still the best in the world, Chelsea Gray starts the season healthy (remember how much LV missed her during last year’s slow start), and Jewell Loyd should be revitalized by new surroundings after a difficult end to her time in the Pacific Northwest. Add in some interesting rotational additions like Tiffany Mitchell, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Dana Evans, and I feel this team has just enough talent to throw their hat into the ring for the WNBA title once again. Lots of change could lead to a slow start, but the Aces also have every chance to hit the ground running as they’ll still return four starters and the head coach of a team that have been in the title mix for the last four years together.
Indiana Fever
Like most young teams, the Fever still need to win a playoff series before they can truly start to think about contending for the WNBA title, but the strength of their existing roster coupled with their offseason changes mean they have every reason to believe they can make that leap this season. Returning a first-team all-WNBA player (Caitlin Clark) while adding the 2023 Coach of the Year (Stephanie White—who could’ve won that award in 2024 as well) and the 4th-leading scorer in WNBA history (DeWanna Bonner) should instantly make a team feel good about their chances, and the rest of the roster does little to deter those hopeful feelings. Kelsey Mitchell returns on a high-priced deal to complement Clark in the backcourt, Jaelyn Brown is a high-potential defensive option off of the bench and a trio of other veterans with championship experience will also help Bonner give this team a mature approach (Howard, Cunningham, Colson). Even if the Fever can’t make the leap in 2025, they’ll enter 2026 free agency in pole position as the two best players league-wide with a contract for 2026 (Clark + Aliyah Boston) are on their books.
Tier 2: Maybe Just Maybe
These teams seemingly have all the pieces, but—in today’s hyper-competitive WNBA—that’s not all it takes to win a title.
Phoenix Mercury
Last year, I drew parallels for much of the season between the Mercury and Mat Ishbia’s other pro basketball team in the Valley, and I still have some of the same concerns about the 2025 groups. However, the Mercury landed a move that the Suns (Jimmy Butler) couldn’t by adding one of the game’s great competitors (AT) and managed to collect the most high-profile free agent on the market (Satou) in the same winter. I still have reservations about the roster’s depth, but the vision is definitely there with those two joining a 2024 All-WNBA selection (Kahleah Copper) and fellow new acquisitions Kalani Brown and Sevgi Uzun in the first five. Elsewhere, the team have also brought in Sami Whitcomb who should be their most important bench player and fits Nate Tibbetts’ system to a tee.
Atlanta Dream
I want to rank the Dream higher, but I oversold what they could deliver a season ago and am cautiously approaching this year as a result. Brittney Griner is an upgrade on Tina Charles at the five, and Brionna Jones is definitely more gifted as a scorer than Cheyenne Parker-Tyus. The question is whether these upgrades in the front court are enough to bridge the gap between this talented Atlanta side and those just above them in the standings. The Dream certainly think it’s their best chance, and the addition of Karl Smesko as the team’s head coach will also breathe some new life into an offense that’s full of players who can fill it up. The team’s defense and Smesko’s ability to extract as much as possible from a few key bench players (especially Haley Jones) will likely be the difference between a good and great season for Atlanta.
Seattle Storm
The Storm never fully got over that same “good” hump to settle as a “great” team after their offseason retool last year, and they’ve now lost one of the top players from that team with primarily only the #2 pick to show for it. Now, I say only because of the difficulty a rookie usually has helping a team with title aspirations compete from the jump, but there’s still loads of potential for Seattle to land someone of massive value either by choosing Notre Dame guard Olivia Miles or dealing the pick to the highest bidder (of which there should be many). Regardless, I don’t see a world where Seattle acquires someone as valuable or impactful as Loyd was for them a year ago (6th in the W in scoring) either by making or trading that selection—meaning the objective has to be finding a player that is able to complement the other stars to a similar or better level than Loyd did. Even then, the Storm only have 7 healthy players currently under contract (Jordan Horston’s injury hurts); a bit of roster evolution is needed before any concrete judgement about this team’s final 2025 potential can be made.
Tier 3: Seeing is Believing
These teams have talent, no doubt, but it’s about seeing how all the jigsaw pieces fit before saying where their 2025 odds fall.
Dallas Wings
With rumors swirling about Paige Bueckers not wanting to join the franchise via the #1 pick in April’s draft and the anticipated loss of Sabally, it seemed that all hopes Dallas had of being competitive in 2025 (and, perhaps, retaining Arike Ogunbowale for 2026) were quickly evaporating. Yet, new GM Curt Miller—even while losing Uzun and Brown in the deal that sent Sabally to Phoenix—seems to have turned lemons into lemonade and put a solid roster in place around the 4x All-Star ahead of what could be a pivotal season for the future trajectory of this franchise. NaLyssa Smith and DiJonai Carrington are shrewd acquisitions, Tyasha Harris is back after two solid seasons (41.9% 3PT!) in Connecticut, and Myisha Hines-Allen can complement each of those players with her versatility off of the bench. Bueckers asking for a trade is still, seemingly, on the table, but Dallas has positioned itself relatively well to stomach that loss even if it does happen. Like most teams, the Wings have no one under contract (save for Maddy Siegrist who will likely see her team option for 2026 picked up before opening day) for next season, and an exodus is still very possible, but it won’t be for lack of trying on Miller and his staff’s part.
Los Angeles Sparks
I dove into the Spark’s move for Kelsey Plum back in January, and I’m still quite bullish about LA’s odds to be a much improved team. That said, their position this far down the list tells you just how hard it is to progress in the W. Plum, as I mentioned back then, offers the team huge possibilities in 2025 alongside Rickea Jackson and Dearica Hamby, but the uncertain return to play timeline for the much needed defensive anchor Cameron Brink could unsettle the team’s hopes of reaching it’s potential. With the race for the playoffs likely to be brutal, a slow start with a porous defense could largely bury LA’s playoff odds before Brink is back on the floor, and the result could deeply unsettle the front office ahead of a critical free agency period. Regardless, Brink and Jackson will return in 2026 and Plum’s early indicators are that she too plans to return. With that in mind, the big goals for LA in 2025 should be (1) understanding whether Hamby is the right fit long-term or if a more defensive option is needed and (2) pushing for any kind of playoff experience as they owe their 2026 pick to Seattle regardless.
Tier 4: Possibility vs. Probability
These are teams with cohesive, solid WNBA rosters who find themselves on the outside looking in due to the deep race for the playoffs but could still sneak in.
Chicago Sky
The Sky took the most practical steps towards improving their roster they could by adding a pair of wing players—Kia Nurse and Rebecca Allen—that can offer new coach Tyler Marsh defensive options and help space the floor around the team’s young front court duo, but GM Jeff Pagliocca stopped short of swinging for the fences in his second year in charge. In the end, that will likely be a wise move as, at present, this Sky team looks a few too many pieces away from being a serious contender to push in future chips and try to win now. With Minnesota owning a swap on the Sky’s 2026 first-round pick, there’s little incentive to tank for a lottery pick, and the addition of three veterans in free agency supports the idea that the Sky are carefully balancing the goal of winning as many games as they can and developing Reese and Cardoso for the long term. Two more first-round picks will arrive before the season starts and another two (likely the Lynx and Sun picks) are on the way in 2026; so, Chicago has a chance to swing for the fences next winter with a new practice facility and plenty of cap flexibility offered by so many young players on cost-controlled rookie contracts.
Washington Mystics
The Mystics look to be in a relatively similar position to the Sky though the hire of former Chicago assistant Sydney Johnson as the team’s new head coach has left a lot of unanswered questions about how this team will play. In any case, the roster—which is still built around proven guards (Sykes & Atkins) and promising young bigs (Edwards & Austin)—is too good to fully bottom out, and I wouldn’t be totally shocked to see the front office do some more maneuvering before opening day. Atkins and, especially, Sykes (a four-time all-defense pick) could hold huge value on the trade market this summer, and there’s reason to cash in with little promise that anyone will return when the free agency floodgates open. If the Mystics can get future draft capital from trading either/both, it will leave them in a similar position to Chicago as they have Edwards under contract for two more years, a pair of top six picks in this Aprils’ draft, and control of all their own picks in the 2026 and 2027 drafts. Also key for Washington’s new front office led by GM Jamila Wideman? Seeing Austin play as much as possible this season. Entering the final (option) year of her rookie deal, Austin has flashed all the potential she was drafted for, but has missed 49 of the team’s last 80 games. If she struggles with injuries again in 2025, a decision on a new contract will be amongst the toughest on Wideman’s agenda for next offseason.
Tier 5: Are You Sure Juju Isn’t 2026 Draft Eligible?
These teams have a long season ahead with even a push for the playoffs seeming like a big ask.
Connecticut Sun
The Sun were always in line to be threatened by a mass exodus this winter, but I had a feeling that the various veterans would decide to run it back one final time before a potential retirement by DeWanna Bonner. In the end, the departure of Bonner’s partner—Alyssa Thomas—to Phoenix registered as the straw to break the camel’s back. As has been the case for so many other W franchises in recent memory, one departure led to many others, and the team’s lack of progress on world-class facilities to rival the ones on offer in the Valley, Vegas, Brooklyn or Seattle came back to bite them. With all of the core pieces for the last several seasons gone (and even new arrival Marina Mabrey wanting a trade), the only motivation for the Sun now is to start over. On top of a deal that moves Mabrey, I’d expect the Sun to see if anyone is interested in Natasha Cloud, and no player on this roster will be safe if another WNBA team will offer future draft capital. Leïla Lacan, recently signed to a rookie contract after being drafted last April, will join any rookies drafted this year (the Sun have picks 8 and 25) as the only players under the age of 24 on the opening day roster, and it’s hard to tell where the Sun are going directionally with their 2026 first-rounder owed to the aforementioned swap with Chicago. A rare bright spot? New head coach Rachid Meziane who is amongst the brightest coaching prospects in the world after a brilliant run to the 2023 EuroBasket title with Belgium and the 2024 EuroLeague final with Villeneuve-d'Ascq in France.
Golden State Valkyries
Expansion teams are usually bad, but I think Golden State’s roster build so far suggests they won’t be that bad. The addition of Tiffany Hayes in free agency is handy for getting a very young, piecemeal roster up to speed while other vets (Thornton + Fagbenle) and intriguing young players (Martin + Rupert) will give the fanbase plenty to get excited about over the course of the season. At the end of the day, the Valkyries’ entrance one year before next year’s huge free agency shift could turn out to be a huge blessing. Renowned assistant Natalie Nakase will get a full season to show the league her abilities as a head coach, and that audition—regardless of the W/L record—will be able to leave free agents across the league with a positive impression of a team that will have all sorts of cap space on offer. Regardless, this is still an expansion team so it’s important to temper expectations of climbing too much higher in the standings. Depending on what the Sun and Mystics do with some of their tradable veteran assets, it’s definitely still possible for Golden State to climb from the bottom of the pile, but there’s no huge motivation to do so given all the possibilities this team has for 2026 and their chance to nab a top pick in a talented (though Juju-less) draft.