WNBA Power Rankings: New York Liberty Are Torching Teams

We’re back! The Olympic break is officially over and with a week of play under our belt it is time to look at the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and take stock of how teams are doing as they start to make a playoff push. The New York Liberty are firmly in control as the number one seed and only four losses to their name so far and a playoff spot already clinched.

Elsewhere in the league, Minnesota is on the prowl, looking to add a Finals championship to join alongside the Commissioner Cup championship. A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces are vying to defend their title while Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever are rising.

With all of that on the cards, here are the power rankings for this week.

12. Washington Mystics (6-22)

Last week: 9 | Upcoming: Seattle (8/26), Chicago (8/28)

The Mystics aren’t as bad as the record makes them look, they’re a knockdown shooting team that makes crisp passes, but the team just can’t seem to close games. However, the team has two pillars of the future: Aaliyah Edwards and Shakira Austin.

It seems that the Mystics have started looking ahead after trading away Sixth Player of the Year candidate Myisha Hines-Allen to the Minnesota Lynx. Despite the rough season, the Mystics could be in store for some lottery magic with the 2025 Paige Bueckers sweepstakes underway.

11. Los Angeles Sparks (6-22)

Last week: 11 | Upcoming: Dallas (8/25), New York (8/28)

Though Dearica Hamby has cooled off lately from her MVP-caliber start but the 3×3 Bronze medalist is still one of the highlights of the unfortunate season.

The Sparks’ injury-riddled season hasn’t been without bright spots as Rickea Jackson has shown that she’s ready for the moment. She has been a consistent bright spot for the aching team showing off her impressive arsenal of scoring moves nightly. Jackson and Azurá Stevens have been the silver linings of the bruised brigade with Stevens earning a fresh contract extension from her inspired play.

10. Dallas Wings (6-22)

Last week: 10 | Upcoming: Los Angeles (8/25), Las Vegas (8/27)

The break should have been a welcome respite for the woefully injured Dallas Wings. Only three players on the team have played in all of the games and two of them are rookies Jacy Sheldon and Sevgi Uzun. So, the time for rest and recovery should have been a boon for the team. Yet, the team’s second-half schedule is so stacked with elite teams that it is almost impossible to turn the season around but at least the squad can get some much-needed reps on the court.

9. Chicago Sky (11-16)

Last week: 8 | Upcoming: Las Vegas (8/25), Washington (8/28)

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are a formidable frontcourt, but the team’s lack of spacing could be hurting Chicago’s playoff hopes especially with Atlanta on the rise.

Trading away Marina Mabrey in exchange for Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson was supposed to add more shooting depth to the squad and allow more playing time for 2021 Rookie of the Year Michaela Onyenwere and Dana Evans. However, the shake-up to the lineup and finding a new style of play this late in the season could be detrimental to the lineup this late in the season.

8. Phoenix Mercury (15-14)

Last week: 5 | Upcoming: New York (8/26), Minnesota (8/28)

The Phoenix Mercury is the definition of up and down this week. Phoenix is without Bec Allen who had her Olympic hopes cut short with a hamstring injury. Allen had gained a reputation as a feisty defender and elite shooter which is a key in this Mercury offense.

In her stead, Phoenix added Monique Billings, fresh from a stint with the Dallas Wings, who has added extra scoring and rebounding. Phoenix’s biggest need is guarding the three-point line, Indiana’s duo of Clark and Kelsey Mitchell dropped a combined 10 threes while Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray knocked down 7 in Atlanta’s victory.

7. Seattle Storm (18-10)

Last week: 6 | Upcoming: Washington (8/26), Atlanta (8/28)

Seattle is still one of the league’s best teams, but they’ve had to suffer through the rain lately after two surprising losses to revitalized teams in Atlanta and Indiana. Though Seattle is filled with offensive talent the Storm truly leans on their defense led by DPOY candidate Ezi Magbegor and soon they’ll be adding the best defender in the 2024 Olympics in Gabby Williams. Williams helped to lead the French squad to a silver medal and will be an added force in the upcoming battle before the playoffs.

6. Indiana Fever (13-15)

Last week: 7 | Upcoming: Minnesota (8/24), Atlanta (8/26), Connecticut (8/28)

Clark finally took an extended break from basketball for the first time since the NCAA Championship game in March and has come back revitalized to lead this red-hot Fever team. After a deflating start to the season, Indiana has battled itself way back and firmly cemented itself in the playoff race.

The team has come back from the break with more continuity and all the confidence in the world, which is a major factor for a young team. Lexie Hull had her breakout game against the Seattle Storm knocking down six threes and playing stout defense against one of the league’s best offenses. Indiana has a surprising amount of depth on the team and effectively deploying that talent alongside Clark could unlock new elements down in the future.

5. Atlanta Dream (10-17)

Last week: 12 | Upcoming: Indiana (8/26), Seattle (8/28)

Few teams needed that Olympic break more than the Atlanta Dream. Howard returned from injury and helped Team USA win bronze in 3×3 basketball and 2022 Rookie of the Year immediately made her impact felt upon return to the W torching the Seattle Storm for 30 points.

However, it isn’t just Howard that has turned the Dream into a nightmare for other teams, Jordin Canada’s return has added a new facet to the team adding in hounding defense as well as scoring punch. Gray and the second leading scorer in WNBA history Tina Charles have been steadying forces for the team that has suddenly revitalized their playoff hopes with 3 straight wins against top-tier talent.

4. Las Vegas Aces (17-10)

Last week: 2 | Upcoming: Chicago (8/25), Dallas (8/27)

Wilson is a supernova. The superstar continues to add to her already stacked resume including Olympic MVP and NBA2K cover star, but her team needs to add more wins if the Aces hope to threepeat this year. Despite outstanding play from Wilson on both ends, the Aces fell to the Liberty and Lynx, two teams they’ll have to conquer en route to their third championship in as many years. Lately, the Aces have been plagued by rough scoring stretches from the trio of Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young fresh from returning from the Olympics.

3. Connecticut Sun (20-7)

Last week: 4 | Upcoming: New York (8/24), Indiana (8/28)

It looks like the Mabrey trade has paid dividends for the Connecticut Sun. Not only has the addition of Mabrey added an extra shooting element to the team, it has opened up the game for others. The threat of shooting around Alyssa Thomas’ virtuoso passing ability forces teams to pick their poison against a squad that includes one of the league’s all-time scorers in DeWanna Bonner and an even more rejuvenated Bri Jones.

2. Minnesota Lynx (20-8)

Last week: 3 | Upcoming: Indiana (8/24), Phoenix (8/28)

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve is out for all the awards this season. She led the Lynx to their first Commissioner Cup championship in history, coached Team USA team to gold, and is now on the hunt for a fifth championship.

The Lynx have come back from the break clicking on all cylinders notching three convincing wins after the break including a win over the reigning champion Aces. They’ve continued their rise to the top by combining league leading passing with elite three point shooting.

1. New York Liberty (25-4)

Last week: 1 | Upcoming: Connecticut (8/24), Phoenix (8/26), Los Angeles (8/28)

The Liberty got off to the best start in franchise history before the Olympic break and picked up right where they left off. 2023 MVP Breanna Stewart has led the Liberty on an 8-game win streak including two wins over Connecticut and one over Las Vegas.

The Liberty rank in the top 5 in every statistical category except blocks per game. There are virtually no flaws in this team as they can score efficiently and from any place on the floor as noticed by their league-leading three-point makes led by Sabrina Ionescu who has knocked down more than any other player in the W.

The seafoam squad became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs and they look fully poised to make up for last year’s Finals loss.