5 Best Storylines as WNBA Season Shifts Into Overdrive

The WNBA season restarts Thursday, just four days after an epic gold medal game at the Paris Olympics.

Olympians have returned to their teams, and the league is ready to get back into action after a monthlong pause. With the league enjoying its heyday amid a surge of interest, things are about to get gritty and fun as the playoff chase begins in earnest.

The New York Liberty boasts the league’s best record at 21-4, but the Connecticut Sun, Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm remain within striking distance. Meantime, the Las Vegas Aces lurk as a team nobody wants to play as they aim for their third consecutive WNBA championship.

Here are the 5 biggest storylines as the WNBA season restarts:

Rookie of the Year race

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese enjoyed a deserved break after nearly a year of nonstop basketball. The rookie sensations have been smashing WNBA records, and both have a strong case to win Rookie of the Year. On top of that, both the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky stand on the cusp of playoff position, and Clark and Reese will be key factors in determining whether their teams reach the postseason.

It will be a hard choice for voters, as Clark and Reese are vastly different players. Clark is a playmaker and sharpshooter, while Reese operates in the frontcourt, fiercely rebounding and scoring key buckets. The two rookie stars almost certainly have benefited from the weeks of rest after the grind of back-to-back college and WNBA seasons. It will be exciting to see them take the court with revitalized energy.

A’ja Wilson eyes scoring record

Fresh off winning a third Olympic gold medal, Aces center A’ja Wilson is the frontrunner for MVP. She also has a chance to record the greatest season in WNBA history . Wilson is averaging 27.2 points per game, nearly two points more than the league record, 25.3, set by Diana Taurasi in 2006. Undoubtedly more important to Wilson is the Aces’ pursuit of history. Their 16-8 record has them sitting in fifth place in the standings, but their 8-2 streak heading into the break is highly encouraging. Las Vegas is only a half-game out of a top-four position, which would clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Marina Mabrey joins Sun

The WNBA had a rare midseason trade prior to the All-Star Game, with Marina Mabrey moving from the Sky to the Sun in exchange for Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, a 2025 first-round draft pick and the rights to swap a 2026 pick. The Sun also received a 2025 second-round pick in the trade.

Mabrey will add offensive power to the Sun, adding another scoring option to a well-balanced attack. She led the Sky with 14.0 points per game this season. But she won’t be expected to carry the scoring load on a Sun roster that already features double-digit scorers in DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, DiJonai Carrington and Alyssa Thomas. The Sun (18-6) currently sit in second place after starting the season 9-0. With Mabrey in the mix, Connecticut can take aim at the first-place Liberty.

Playoff race intensifies

In the WNBA, the playoffs are not separated by conference. The top eight teams reach the postseason, and the other four do not. The top four playoff seeds also earn home-court advantage in the first round. As the second half of the season tips off, a mere 4 1/2 games separate the Liberty from the Aces — first place to fifth place. In between stand the Sun, Lynx and Storm. Importantly, the Fever and Sky currently sit in the final two playoff positions, meaning superstar rookies Clark and Reese are poised for playoff action.

Who will sign Gabby Williams?

Teams can have 11 or 12 players on their rosters, depending on how close they are to the salary cap. Hardship exemptions can be invoked if the number of healthy players on a roster dips below 10 – but once the injured players return, the hardship players are waived. They become free agents, and can sign anywhere.

There are a few players that may be signed after the Olympics as well, with French Olympic standout Gabby Williams being the biggest free agent on the market. Williams adds length, defense and experience to any roster with championship aspirations. She could be a game-changer for a team looking to make a playoff push.

Thursday’s WNBA schedule:

• Phoenix at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video
• Washington at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN3
• New York at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

Friday’s WNBA schedule:

• Seattle at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ET on ion
• Phoenix at Indiana, 7:30 p.m. ET on ion
• Connecticut at Dallas, 9:30 p.m. ET on ion

Related: Caitlin Clark is on Track to Break These Notable WNBA Records

Related: U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team Stared Down Pressure When It Mattered Most