With WNBA free agency underway, we’re releasing our power rankings for all 12 teams in the Association.
Check out where each team lands on our list as you prepare to place your wagers on WNBA futures for the 2023 season.
Las Vegas Aces
Candace Parker, A’ja Wilson, and Chelsea Gray. Frankly, it doesn’t get any more powerful than that.
Parker’s move from the Chicago Sky to the Aces means the talented 2022 championship team gets even more stacked. Barring injuries, the 2023 WNBA title is theirs to lose.
Washington Mystics
Brittney Sykes’ late-January signing with the Mystics gives Washington a boost ahead of the 2023 season. Last year, DC’s favorite women ended up being one of the league’s toughest defensive squads. They finished the season allowing only 96 points per 100 possessions. Adding Sykes to the mix will be a recipe for the Mystics’ continued defensive success.
Connecticut Sun
The Sun almost made our list as the No. 2 team in the power rankings. They were, after all, the runner-up to last year’s champions and finished the regular season with a 2022 record. But their four-game meltdown in the Finals to the Aces is proof that the Sun will need to make some critical roster moves if they want to bounce back.
Seattle Storm
As of Feb. 1, Seattle is still in play for Breanna Stewart. According to news reports, the free agent is deciding between staying put with the Storm or taking her talents East to play with New York. With no Sue Bird on the roster and Stewart’s fate in limbo, Seattle comes in at No. 4 in our power rankings.
New York Liberty
Speaking of Stewart considering taking a bite out of the Big Apple, New York comes in at No. 5. This is partially because a pairing of Stewart with Liberty’s darling Sabrina Ionescu would spell trouble for the rest of the Association.
Dallas Wings
Dallas finished 2022 with an 18-18 record and with promise for a brighter future. Injuries prevented Arike Ogunbowale from giving it a go in the postseason, but the Wings were still able to hold their own in a three-game series against the Sun.
Now, Dallas has signed Natasha Howard and Crystal Dangerfield, and the team has the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. The Wings will be the ones to watch.
Atlanta Dream
The 14-22 Dream missed the playoffs in 2022, but 2023 will be better for Atlanta as head coach Tanisha Wright enters her second year at the helm. Youth for the Dream is the keyword. Their youth could be a disadvantage as they square off with more tenured squads, but it could also be key to keeping them motivated.
Los Angeles Sparks
Leave it to a Los Angeles team to make big-money moves. The Sparks have cash to spare, and they’re trying to lure Azura Stevens from Chicago with dollar signs. Will it work? Even if it doesn’t pan out with Stevens, LA has shown that it’s all-in on spending to build a roster that helps get the Sparks back into the playoff conversation.
Chicago Sky
Losing Candace Parker will be a huge blow to the Sky in 2023. And in an 11th-hour, late-January move, Chicago’s Courtney Vandersloot announced that she’s not re-signing. Not only was she Chicago’s longest-tenured player, but she’s also married to Sky guard Allie Quigley. Vandersloot’s move could mean that Allie’s also out, which would spell even more doom for the 2021 WNBA champions.
Phoenix Mercury
Brittney Griner was the story in Phoenix last year — and rightfully so. Now, all eyes will be on Griner as she mulls a return to the league after being incarcerated in Russia for most of 2022. If Griner returns and is serviceable, her presence could be the fire the Mercury need to improve upon last postseason’s first-round exit.
Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx are another franchise that might land Azura Stevens. If they want to make it out of the regular season and into the postseason, she’s the kind of player who can help them with that push.
Minnesota finished 2022 with a 14-22 record, and Kayla McBride and Aerial Powers are expected to be back in 2023. Their leadership will be critical to helping the Lynx rack up enough wins to put them over .500.
Indiana Fever
Like the Dream, the Fever’s roster is filled with a lot of young talent and very little veteran leadership. If they’re lucky, they can start building a better future through the WNBA Draft. If not, 2023 will likely be another losing season for Indy.
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