5 Tales To Watch Heading Into The WNBA Season

The 2025 WNBA season is correct across the nook, with preseason tipping off on Friday, Might 2, and the common season beginning Might 16. With contemporary expertise becoming a member of the league and prime groups able to compete, this yr guarantees to be filled with motion and pleasure. Listed here are 5 key tales to look at:

1. Chicago Sky, Hailey Van Lith Joins Angel Reese – Hailey Van Lith enters her rookie season with the Chicago Sky able to show herself as each a playmaker and chief.
2. Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers Groups Up With Arike Ogunbowale – The arrival of Paige Bueckers brings steadiness and playmaking to the Wings, pairing with Arike Ogunbowale’s scoring to create a dynamic backcourt able to tackle the league.
3. LA Sparks Rebuild With Kelsey Plum – With Kelsey Plum main the best way, bringing a aggressive edge and championship expertise to a roster filled with potential.
4. Indiana Fever – Revamped roster, together with DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham. Caitlin Clark and the Fever purpose for a deep playoff run.
5. New York Liberty – Natasha Cloud strengthens the Liberty’s protection, including to a dominant roster led by Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones, making New York the workforce to beat.

WNBA: Chicago Sky, Hailey Van Lith Joins Angel Reese

Recognized for her shot-making prowess and talent to play each level and taking pictures guard positions, Van Lith has expressed a want to showcase her playmaking talents and management on the court docket at Chicago.

Reuniting with former LSU teammate Angel Reese, Van Lith advantages from a longtime rapport that may translate into on-court synergy. Reese’s steering, emphasizing composure and poise, helps Van Lith’s transition into the skilled league. Their complementary types—Reese’s dominance within the paint and Van Lith’s perimeter abilities—provide the Sky a multifaceted offensive strategy.

Throughout a current interview with WGN Information, Van Lith opened up about her reunion with Reese and highlighted a aspect of her teammate that always will get missed.
“Me and Angel picked up proper the place we left off,” Van Lith mentioned. “We had, like, a workforce dinner final night time and we had been cracking jokes all dinner. She’s nice power. I feel one factor about Angel that lots of people do not give her credit score for is… she does have, like, a selfless chief mindset. Like, she has went out of her approach to make it possible for my mindset is correct, that my power is correct. That I am feeling comfy.”

That assist issues—particularly as Van Lith enters a league identified for its pace, physicality, and steep studying curve. “So yeah, it was nice to get on the market with Angel once more,” she added. “All of the vets have been, like, tremendous encouraging to me.”

Van Lith with a useful alternative to be taught from a seasoned veteran, Ariel Atkins. Atkins, a WNBA Champion, Olympic gold medalist, and two-time All-Star, is famend for her defensive tenacity, having been named to the All-Defensive Staff in every of her first 5 seasons—a league file. Her expertise and management can function a mannequin for Van Lith, significantly in creating defensive abilities and understanding the nuances {of professional} play.

With the Sky’s strategic acquisitions, together with Atkins and different key gamers, the workforce is poised for a aggressive season. Van Lith’s integration into this veteran-laden roster, alongside her chemistry with Reese, positions her to make vital contributions. Observing how Van Lith adapts to the WNBA’s calls for and leverages mentorship from gamers like Reese and Atkins might be essential in assessing her impression on the workforce’s success.

WNBA: Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers Groups Up With Arike Ogunbowale

Bueckers is strictly what Dallas wants proper now: a gradual, high-IQ playmaker who can management the tempo, elevate these round her, and take stress off Arike Ogunbowale—particularly in tight, late-game conditions. For too lengthy, Ogunbowale has shouldered the scoring load and sometimes been pressured into robust, high-volume pictures when the offense stalled. With Bueckers on the ground, that modifications.

Her court docket imaginative and prescient, timing, and talent to make fast choices convey a much-needed sense of order to the Wings’ offense. Bueckers thrives in studying defenses, creating house, and making the additional go—one thing that enables Ogunbowale to play freer, spot up extra, and assault with out all the time initiating.

Their contrasting types may very well be the right mix: Bueckers brings steadiness and poise, whereas Arike brings aptitude and fearlessness. Collectively, they offer Dallas a flexible backcourt able to adapting to any matchup—slowing issues down when wanted or turning up the warmth in transition.

And whereas Bueckers is usually praised for her offense, her protection is quietly strong. She performs with anticipation, communicates nicely, and is keen to battle—traits that can solely enhance as she adjusts to the physicality of the league. Add in her management, composure, and successful mentality, and you’ve got a rookie who’s able to contribute instantly.

For a Wings workforce trying to make a playoff run this season, this backcourt may lastly be the lacking piece.

WNBA: LA Sparks Rebuild With Kelsey Plum

The LA Sparks are turning a nook, and Kelsey Plum may simply be the spark they should lead that cost from the highest.

After ending lifeless final within the standings final season, going 2–8 down the stretch, the Sparks are in full reset mode—however not with out expertise. Rickea Jackson brings size, athleticism, and shot creation. Dearica Hamby is a relentless competitor with championship expertise. Rae Burrell gives taking pictures and flexibility, and Azurá Stevens might be a serious drive within the paint. On paper, this workforce has the uncooked elements. What they’ve been lacking is a confirmed ground chief to tie all of it collectively.

That’s the place Plum comes in.

Plum brings championship pedigree, Olympic gold, and one of the crucial aggressive mindsets within the league. She performs with tempo and edge, and when she’s locked in, she will be able to rating in bunches or get teammates concerned with out lacking a beat. Extra importantly, she brings urgency—one thing a younger workforce like LA desperately wants in the event that they need to dig out of the underside.

With Plum main the purpose, this offense lastly has construction. Her capacity to push tempo, make performs off the bounce, and maintain defenses trustworthy from three-point vary will open issues up for everybody else. Whereas it’d take time for this group to search out its rhythm, there’s already extra cohesion and objective.

Don’t be shocked if LA shocks a couple of groups this season. With Plum setting the tone and a younger core desirous to show itself, the Sparks is probably not on the backside for lengthy.

WNBA: Indiana Fever, Revamped Roster

In the meantime, the Indiana Fever aren’t simply hoping to enhance—they’re aiming for a deep playoff run, they usually’re constructing like a workforce which means enterprise.

After years of rebuilding, the Fever made one of many largest offseason statements by hiring 2023 WNBA Coach of the 12 months Stephanie White. Her arrival alerts a critical shift in tradition—somebody who is aware of win and convey the most effective out of a proficient roster. And the Fever didn’t cease there. They added a veteran core with championship expertise, grit and energy, signing ahead Dewanna Bonner, guard Sophie Cunningham, and ahead Natasha Howard. That’s management, toughness, and flexibility throughout the board.

Bonner, Cunningham, and Howard give Caitlin Clark loads of choices, making her job as a playmaker simpler with their scoring and expertise. Bonner’s management and flexibility, Cunningham’s taking pictures and motion off the ball, and Howard’s inside presence all enable Clark to have extra freedom and house to create.

And critically, they stored two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, one of the crucial constant scorers within the league. With Mitchell’s offensive firepower, White’s construction, and a now-veteran Aaliyah Boston anchoring the paint, Indiana seems extra full than ever.

For the primary time in years, the Fever have each expertise and elite younger expertise. They’ve obtained a coach who is aware of win, vets who’ve been to the Finals, and a roster that lastly has steadiness.

This workforce isn’t rebuilding anymore—they’re able to contend.

WNBA: New York Liberty, The Staff To Beat

The New York Liberty, the reigning WNBA champions, are poised to defend their title in 2025 with the identical core group that led them to success in 2024, whereas including a key new piece to strengthen their championship bid.

Natasha Cloud, one of many league’s prime defenders, joins the Liberty after coming over from the Phoenix Mercury. Recognized for her defensive tenacity and talent to protect a number of positions, Cloud brings a stage of depth that can complement New York’s already formidable lineup. Her defensive abilities, mixed together with her capacity to excel in transition and create alternatives for teammates, might be invaluable for the Liberty as they proceed their pursuit of a second consecutive championship. Along with her management and basketball IQ, Cloud provides a strategic dimension that can solely improve New York’s competitiveness.

Whereas the departure of Courtney Vandersloot is a notable change, the Liberty nonetheless retain their large three: Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones. Stewart’s all-around sport stays one of the crucial versatile and impactful within the league, and Ionescu’s scoring and playmaking talents proceed to drive the workforce’s offense. Jones’ dominant presence within the paint and on the boards ensures that New York maintains a powerful inside sport, making them a troublesome matchup for any opponent.

Though the Liberty have made changes, their core stays intact, with the addition of Cloud additional strengthening their protection and offering the workforce with an added layer of depth. With an elite roster led by Stewart, Ionescu, and Jones, New York is well-positioned to proceed their championship pursuit and stay one of the crucial formidable groups within the league.

The Liberty’s mixture of returning stars and the addition of Natasha Cloud from Phoenix strengthens their standing because the workforce to beat within the 2025 WNBA season.