Following more than two weeks off the FIBA Women's World Cup, the WNBA is officially back in action.
Five games will tip off on Thursday, Sept. 17, as the league concludes the regular season and prepares for the playoffs. Each team has four games remaining. The top eight teams have already locked in their postseason bids but are jockeying for seeding.
As teams march toward the WNBA playoffs, which begin on Sunday, Sept. 27, USA TODAY's Studio IX is taking a look at some of the top storylines as the 30th regular season of the league concludes.
Here are six things to keep a pulse on before the 2026 WNBA playoffs:
1. WNBA playoff seeding is up for grabs
The standings for playoff teams are so tight one loss could send a team into a freefall. How slim are the margins with just days left until
the postseason? Razor-thin. As of this publication, a No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs hasn't been determined and neither have the remaining seven seeds.
TheGolden State Valkyries (29-11) are only two games behind the Minnesota Lynx (31-9) for the best record. The Las Vegas Aces (27-13) trail the Valkyries by two games. The Atlanta Dreamand Indiana Fever, who have the same record (26-14), are both one game behind the Aces. There are also three teams ― New York, Washington and Dallas ― in a three-way tie (24-16). The pressure is on, and for anyone keeping track, last year, seeding was up in the air until the final day of the regular season. This season could be barreling towards the same outcome.
2. WNBA awards
It's fair to assume A'ja Wilson, after sweeping the Western Conference Player of the Month awards this season, has a good shot at winning a record fifth MVP. Olivia Miles is a lock for Rookie of the Year. One could argue Janelle Salaün is the unequivocal frontrunner for Sixth Player of the Year. However, who wins Defensive Player of the Year? Coach of the Year? Most Improved Player? All of those awards, plus the All-WNBA, All-Defensive and Rookie Teams, are up for grabs. With four games left, who walks away with top honors?
3. Cathy Engelbert's last days as WNBA commissioner
Once the WNBA season officially concludes, Cathy Engelbert is retiring.
"In 2019, I had the privilege of being appointed the league’s first commissioner and to lead a league with enormous potential yet untapped awareness and significant undervaluation. Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women’s sports," Engelbert said in a statement.
With Engelbert stepping down, the chatter about who will replace her and what to expect from the next commissioner will grow. What's more, Engelbert doesn't often make public appearances at regular-season games, but will she decide to do a farewell tour leading into the postseason? Time will tell.
4. WNBA records to be broken
As the WNBA season rolls on, there are records that could fall. Here's a look at what to keep an eye on as play resumes:
- A'ja Wilson's single-season scoring record: Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (1,001 points in 40 games) is 21 points from breaking A'ja Wilson's single-season scoring record (1,021 points in 38 games) she set in 2024. Mitchell is the second player in WNBA history, behind Wilson, to reach 1,000 points or more. (Wilson, who averages 26 points per game, could still catch Mitchell during the final stretch and set the new record herself.)
- Caitlin Clark's single-season rookie scoring record: Lynx guard Olivia Miles (749 points, 38 games) is 21 points from eclipsing Caitlin Clark's rookie record for most points in a season (769 points, 40 games).
- A'ja Wilson's single-season record for 20-plus point games: Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (32) is three games from breaking A'ja Wilson's single-season record for scoring 20 points or more in a game (34). Wilson set the record in 2024. (With four games remaining, Wilson could also tie her 2024 record.) Mitchell already broke Wilson's record for consecutive 20-point games earlier this year.
- Jewell Loyd's single-season record for free throws made: Aces center A'ja Wilson (249) is six made free throws from breaking Jewell Loyd's record (254).
- Sabrina Ionescu's single-season record for 3-pointers made: Dream guard Rhyne Howard needs one made 3-pointer to break Sabrina Ionescu's single-season record for 3-pointers (128). Howard is currently tied with Ionescu.
5. Nneka Ogwumike's retirement from the WNBA
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike is retiring from the WNBA at the end of the season as one of the league's most consistent players ever.
“I’ve learned there’s power in knowing when to walk away," Ogwumike said about retiring. "For so long, that strength meant finding a way to keep pushing. Now, it means recognizing when you feel complete. I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and at peace with everything this game has given me."
It's unclear what the 2016 WNBA champion and league MVP, 11-time All-Star and president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association will do after retiring. For now, she plans to play in Project B, an international basketball league that begins in January 2027.
6. WNBA's record growth continues
The WNBA continues to find new fans. Here are some of the latest growth numbers in 2026, according to the WNBA:
- The 2026 season is already the most-viewed WNBA season in league history, reaching over 88.5 million unique viewers
- Over 45 games this season averaged more than 1 million viewers, a new league record and more than the last 21 seasons combined. The WNBA also set a record for the number of games averaging over 1.5 million viewers (17 games) and over 2 million viewers (nine games)
- The league is reportedly on pace for the most-attended regular season in league history:
- 3.24 million total attendees to date
- Average per-game attendance of 11,430 (up 21% year-over-year)
- 180 sold-out games (28 more sellouts than at this same point last season)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA playoff race resumes after break for World Cup: Six storylines to watch
