3 predictions for the second half of the WNBA season

Natasha Cloud, Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart are getting a new teammate: Emma Meesseman.

We’ve highlighted the first half of the WNBA season, but now it’s time to take a look at what is left for us during the rest of 2025.

Here are three predictions on what will happen the rest of the way.

Emma Meesseman will take the Liberty back to the title

Photo by Milad Payami/FIBA via Getty Images

Fresh off winning EuroBasket Women MVP for Belgium, Emma Meesseman is expected to return to the WNBA and join the Liberty.

So far, the Minnesota Lynx have appeared to be the best team in the league. They have a 20-4 record, and with Napheesa Collier playing at an MVP level, it seemed unlikely Minnesota would lose a playoff series if they remained healthy.

Well, that changed on Monday when it was reported that Emma Meesseman

intends to sign with the New York Liberty.

There’s the title. https://t.co/pjU15T3bUk

— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) July 21, 2025

The Liberty were already the defending champs and a formidable opponent. Now that they have Meesseman, you can consider them a super team and the front runners to win it all.

Sure, they still have to figure out rotations and playing time, but this isn’t rocket science. The 2019 WNBA Finals MVP is a double-digit scorer and gives the Liberty even more depth, size and scoring versatility.

The expectation is that New York will repeat. Let’s see if they can get it done.

A team currently out of the playoff race will make the final eight

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Could Angel Reese and the Sky or Dearica Hamby and the Sparks make the playoffs?

Currently, the Golden Valkyries, Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings and Connecticut Sun are out of playoff contention. With 20-plus games remaining, I think one of them jumps up and earns a postseason berth.

The Valkyries, Sparks and Sky are the most likely to get it done. They are between one and four games away from the No. 8 seed and have enough time to make up that ground.

Chicago missed the playoffs last year, but if Angel Reese remains healthy and continues the current form she’s been in, expect them to make a run. Golden State has been a surprise all year, and maybe they run out of steam. However, they are just one game back from the Aces and Mystics, so they can easily get back into the postseason standings. Los Angeles has a lot of work to do, but they are currently on a two-game winning streak. Once they add Cameron Brink, who is expected to return soon, they’ll have a complete roster ready to go on a second-half run.

#Sparks’ Cameron Brink engaging in what looks like pretty strenuous quad extensions on the left side, where she tore her ACL and meniscus.

Per Lynne Roberts, Brink is hopeful to return by the end of July. That leaves just 12 more days and just four more games. pic.twitter.com/nUICIcuF2F

— Ira Gorawara (@IraGorawara) July 18, 2025

With so much basketball left, surprises are going to happen, so expect one of these four to be playing after regular-season action is done.

We will see upsets this postseason

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Caitlin Clark’s Fever or A’ja Wilson’s Aces could be dangerous playoff underdogs.

The WNBA is an entertaining product, but the first round of the playoffs sometimes can be a bore. The top seed wins, and there are few instances where anything surprises fans. This season, there are reasons to believe it will be different.

Teams like the Indiana Fever have proven to be dominant when healthy, but they currently sit at the No. 6 spot. Caitlin Clark is still dealing with a right groin injury, but if she’s healthy by playoff time, they can beat a top team as the lower seed.

back to work pic.twitter.com/7zj3Ey4XYN

— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 21, 2025

With teams such as the Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury and Atlanta Dream overachieving and the Las Vegas Aces underachieving, perhaps matchup dynamics, rather than seeding, will matter more this postseason, resulting in some surprises.

More from swishappeal.com:

• Swish Appeal’s new editor-in-chief is ...
• Watch Emma Meesseman’s EuroLeague Women Final Four highlights
• FIBA EuroLeague Women 2017-18 Sunday Recap: Emma Meesseman named MVP after UMMC wins title
• Tina Thompson named Virginia Cavaliers women’s basketball head coach
• Cheryl Reeve writes about her development and experiences with gender inequality