The CBA (eventually) got done. All the free agency drama has wound down. New rules are on the books. And lessons from preseason have been learned.
The start of the 2026 WNBA season is here. The league’s 30th season tips off with three games:
- Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
- Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo (7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
- Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET, ION)
While each contest brings its own curiosities, these three questions will be top of mind for me when the games tip off in Brooklyn, Toronto and Seattle. Hop in the comments and share what questions will preoccupy you.
Are the Liberty already too reliant on Stewie again?
Last season, New York was great when Breanna
Stewart played and very average when she did not.
The Liberty’s offseason changes, which included renovating the roster, in addition to hiring a new head coach with a different offensive system, presumably prioritized providing more support for Stewie.
And yet, will New York already be pressing the “Stewie Save Us” button on opening day?
An ankle injury to Sabrina Ionescu, the continued absence of Satou Sabally and overseas obligations for Leonie Fiebich puts New York without three starters. Returning reserve Rebecca Allen is also sidelined.
That leaves Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton as the only consistently proven players who will be wearing seafoam on opening night. It looks like head coach Chris DeMarco not only will be counting on production from Marine Johnannès and Han Xu, two players whose fun factors have historically trumped their winning impact, but also Pauline Astier, a rookie point guard.
As an opening loss to the rebuilding Sun would be a uninspiring start to championship-or-bust season, even considering the Liberty’s current context, it will not be surprising if DeMarco heavily relies on Stewart to deliver the win. And certainly, that’s not a bad option, and no one will be shocked when Barclays Center is celebrating after a Stewie showcase.
But, I can see this becoming a tougher-than-expected ugly win for New York—or even a Sun win. While the Sun, beginning their final season in Connecticut, have a history worthy savoring, 2026 could also become a present to be proud of.
What are your thoughts on this one? Is it too soon to be worried about the Liberty? Could they drop more games than expected—including against perceived lesser opponents like the Sun—until Sabrina returns? Or, do you trust Stewie, JJ and Betnijah to get the job done?
Is it time to bet on Lauren Betts as the foundation of the Mystics?
Admittedly, I was quite low on Lauren Betts’ WNBA prospect early in the 2026 draft cycle, believing her limitations—inadequate athleticism and strength and a too-mechanical offensive process—outweighed her strengths as a 6-foot-7 rim-protecting defensive foundation.
Her performances in UCLA’s run to the national championship, in addition to her play in preseason, however, has me becoming a Betts believer. With a strong start to her rookie season, I’ll be full convert.
Betts’ official debut should be a favorable matchup for her, especially if she comes off the bench. Outside of Temi Fagbénlé, the Tempo do not have a reliable big, and even Fagbénlé has never been a high-minute player in the WNBA.
The Toronto roster also features more drivers than shooters, allowing Betts to remain comfortably stationed around the basket. And if any Tempo players dare venture into the paint, Betts has the opportunity to demonstrate her defensive value with more than a few swats.
But, am I now becoming too high on Betts? What do you expect to see from the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft? Will it instead be another rookie who impresses? Maybe Betts’ former Bruin teammate and Tempo rookie Kiki Rice?
Can the Valkyries silence the criticisms?
The whole drama that has unfolded since Golden State’s infamous draft night trade—from the seemingly poor value for the No. 8 overall pick to Flau’jae Johnson shining in preseason to the Valkyries waiving Marta Suárez to general manager Oheema Nyanin providing less-than-clarifying explanations—is well-trod ground.
And it will continue to be so, until the Valkyries compel everyone to move on through their play. If the wins come, Golden State (again) can make us all feel foolish. A huge opening victory in Seattle, certainly, would start this process.
To make that happen, the Valkyries need to show why 50 percent of WNBA general managers voted them the best defensive team in the league. Elite defense is a non-negotiable for Golden State because the other side of the ball brings a lot of questions.
The season-long absence of Iliana Rupert (pregnancy) robs the Valkyries a stretch big who would open up the floor for the team’s primary offensive options. All of Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton, Tiffany Hayes and Janelle Salaün are better scoring around the basket. And while head coach Natalie Nakase will encourage her players to fire away from 3, as the Valkyries did lead the league in 3s per game last season, only Hayes, who has a slow release and is the most dynamic off-the-dribble driver, shot above average from deep.
On top of that, Golden State will need to generate good offense with hopefully-ready-to-dominate Dominique Malonga looming at the center of the Storm defense.
So, it might be hard to ignore how much a high-upside offensive player could give the Golden State offense a jolt. And if Flau’jae goes off in her WNBA debut, the Valkyries should be prepared to sink deeper into their self-created quagmire.
How are you feeling about Golden State? Do you trust the team’s vision? Or, was their expectation-free expansion season an overachieving outlier?
