After an emoji-filled offseason (thanks, Breanna Stewart), the 2023 WNBA season is upon us, with Sun-Fever and Liberty-Mystics getting underway at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. Our league experts got together to peek into our crystal ball and determine what might happen on the court and off this year.
1. Which story line are you most looking forward to watching this season?
Elizabeth Swinton: Brittney Griner’s return will be a top story line this season, but beyond that, her skill set gives the Mercury the potential to be a sneaky contender. With Skylar Diggins-Smith—who is on maternity leave to start the season following the birth of her second child—and Diana Taurasi both in the top 10 in points per game last season, the addition of Griner may be enough for Phoenix to improve on its 15–21 record and make some noise.
Kristen Nelson: The Mercury will finally get their chance to pick up where they left off in the 2021 Finals. This squad won’t quite be the superteam it was expecting to be in February ’22 before Griner’s detainment and numerous conflicts plagued Phoenix last season. But don't count Griner, Taurasi and Brianna Turner out.
Clare Brennan: The 2023 Wings will look very different from last year’s squad after they traded away Marina Mabrey and Allisha Gray, while losing Isabelle Harrison to Chicago. Dallas wasted no time reloading, though, acquiring proven stars in forward Natasha Howard and guard Diamond DeShields, along with four first-round picks, including lottery selection Maddy Siegrist of Villanova. Now the Wings, under new coach Latricia Trammell, will try to convert back-to-back playoff appearances to a real postseason run, adding critical pieces around franchise player Arike Ogunbowale. However, how well all this new talent and personnel will jell remains an open question.
Emma Baccellieri: The return of a fully healthy Elena Delle Donne and what that means for the Mystics. While the veteran star was back on the court last year after missing functionally two full seasons, it was in a limited capacity, with Delle Donne appearing in 25 of 36 games in 2022. This year, she says she’ll be at 100%, which should make a big difference for Washington. Speaking of which—there’s (reasonably) been so much hype around the new superteams this offseason that I think people are sleeping on the Mystics a little! This team strikes me as a legitimate title contender. After going 22–14 last year, Washington is poised to be even better this year. The continued development of 22-year-old Shakira Austin should be huge—and she’ll now be joined on defense by Brittney Sykes. Plus All-Star Ariel Atkins, experienced guard Natasha Cloud and a healthy EDD, able to tap into her full skill set on both ends of the floor consistently for the first time in years? Watch out.
Kevin Sweeney: I’m excited for a fully healthy season of Delle Donne for the Mystics. Washington was a different team with her in the lineup last season, and this year she plans to be a full go after having to manage her minutes in 2022. Delle Donne is still one of the WNBA’s best players when healthy, and that could lift Washington into contender status in the Eastern Conference.
Claire Kuwana: The Lynx dynasty may start to make waves again. Diamond Miller, the No. 2 pick, is a pro-ready player who can contribute right off the bat, and, with her on the roster, Minnesota is setting itself up to start building toward the Finals once again. Off the court, I’m really excited to see how the momentum of the college game carries over to the league this year. It’s clichéd, but having players like Aliyah Boston come in with national NIL deals already established is going to bring exactly what the WNBA needs to keep growing: investment.
Julie Kliegman: Honestly, I’m not looking forward to this and I don’t want to be a total downer, but it’s a little difficult for me to see past the Aces’ troubles right now—and it sure seems like the players association will keep fighting on behalf of Dearica Hamby, the former Las Vegas forward who said she was discriminated against by staff on the basis of her pregnancy last year. This story line should stay top of mind for fans even as the fun of the season gets underway.
2. Pick a superteam: Liberty or Aces.
Baccellieri: I prefer this group from a roster construction standpoint—I think the Aces’ strengths fit together more seamlessly. Granted, it’s much easier to build a superteam when already starting with a championship group, like Vegas, rather than trying to make up a ton of ground in a single offseason, like New York. But I have some real questions about how all this talent is going to mesh for the Liberty. That is a lot to add in one winter, and especially with a preseason as short as the W’s, I’m curious about how long it will take for this group to learn to play together. That’s especially true at guard: How are Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot going to divide responsibilities? (Plus Marine Johannès off the bench—her passing is simply otherworldly.) It very well might be fantastic! But out of the gate, I have to pick the Aces, who looked ready for a strong title defense even before they added Candace Parker.
Sweeney: I like the Aces. Chemistry matters, and there are fewer moving parts in Las Vegas than in New York. Parker’s style of play (particularly her passing ability) fits in with the returning star-studded core, and I have faith in coach Becky Hammon to have this team firing on all cylinders earlier.
Swinton: It’s going to be fun watching the Liberty learn to mesh throughout the season, but until they prove their chemistry, the Aces hold the upper hand. Adding Parker to a championship-winning core has the potential to be a lethal combination, and, with the experience and familiarity of the returning players, Las Vegas will be looked at to set the bar.
Nelson: Liberty. It’s hard not to be excited by how many stars are willing to make seafoam green the color of the summer.
Kuwana: Liberty. It’s hard not to be romantic about this team.
Kliegman: I’m a Liberty homer, so: Liberty. In all seriousness, though, I do think they have the better team on paper—there’s just the small matter of whether everyone can jell in the same way the Aces’ roster has.
Brennan: Picking between the Aces and Liberty right now feels a little like flipping a coin. New York, however, has the slight edge, stacked with a group of hungry players, including former WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones, who has seemingly won everything but a league title. Courtney Vandersloot and Breanna Stewart came to New York to win a championship, period, even taking a pay cut to do it. That no-nonsense, intentional approach fits right in with New York, providing the W with a compelling cultural fixture and likely a singularly dominant squad.
3. Pick an underdog!
Nelson: Picking Aliyah Boston to be an underdog feels weird, but such is the life of being a No. 1 draft pick and going to the team that needs you most. She won’t have the South Carolina reunion with Destanni Henderson as we hoped, but expect Boston to transition into the pro game with ease and finally turn the fortunes for the Fever.
Brennan: Kahleah Copper is one of the most thrilling players to watch in the league, with a unique explosive presence and craftiness in getting to the basket. The 2021 Finals MVP will have her hands full this year after a mass exodus from Chicago, with key pieces from the championship team of two years ago, including Vandersloot, Allie Quigley and Candace Parker, out. Chicago is now definitively Copper’s team, and it will be exciting to see whether she can take the helm from Parker and make the Sky her own.
Sweeney: The Storm have been perennial contenders with Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart in tow. Now that both are gone, it should be fun to see them recast as an underdog. I won’t count out Jewell Loyd leading this team into the playoffs yet again, despite all Seattle lost this offseason.
Swinton: With new coach Curt Miller, the Sparks hold an opportunity to have a fresh look and rebound following their 13–23 showing last season. Nneka Ogwumike is coming off an All-Star year and seems poised to build on it with Los Angeles this season.
Kuwana: The Dream. It might be a stretch to call them an underdog, but I’m letting it slide based on the big rebuild they did to get here. Snagging Haley Jones later in the draft was huge, and the culture that coach Tanisha Wright and general manager Dan Padover seemed to have established in Atlanta is key, especially after an up-and-down 2021 that included three different coaches and single-digit victories. I don’t know whether it’s fair to pick a team that has the most recent Rookie of the Year on the roster, but I’m nonetheless excited to see whether the Dream can complete a playoff run after narrowly missing the postseason last year.
Baccellieri: The Dream. I have a feeling this rebuild is just about ready to move on to its next phase. I’m not sure Atlanta will finish above .500, but the young core here is so exciting and has plenty of talent. The reigning Rookie of the Year, Rhyne Howard, is joined by Aari McDonald, Haley Jones, Laeticia Amihere. ... They might not win a whole lot just yet, but they should certainly take a step forward from last year’s 14–22, and they’ll be fun to watch in the process.
Kliegman: I’m going to keep my eye on the Dream. Former Lynx stalwart Seimone Augustus told me in April that she loves a good underdog story and thinks Atlanta could make a deep playoff run. Who am I to doubt Seimone Augustus?
4. Who will produce the best meme (doesn’t have to be a player)?
Swinton: After Breanna Stewart’s offseason emoji-fest, it will be fun to see whether she continues to keep fans on their toes during the season. Even if her emoji tweets are done, she is sure to entertain on the court.
Sweeney: Kahleah Copper’s Twitter feed is already among the league’s most entertaining. Now we get to see her as Chicago’s undisputed star? That could produce some elite content.
Baccellieri: Natasha Cloud. She’s already staked out her position on the league’s new rule governing bench conduct, and it sounds like she’ll be just as much of a presence on the sidelines as ever, doing everything she can to hype up her teammates while not in the game.
(And on the subject of the new rule: I hope it doesn’t limit players on the sidelines too much. The rule states that players “may not remain standing at or away from their team’s bench during the game for a prolonged period and, along with coaches, are prohibited from attempting to distract their opponents in an unsportsmanlike manner,” which is perfectly reasonable in a vacuum, but it leaves a question about what exactly is considered a “prolonged period.” Fingers crossed that players are still allowed to celebrate and bring the energy.)
Kliegman: Curt Miller, inevitably. The Sparks’ new coach has switched coasts, and he’s probably prepared to dazzle us with some very California button-ups.
Kuwana: A’ja Wilson. Her tweets during the draft were gold.
Nelson: DiDi Richards was cut by the Liberty on Tuesday, but something tells me she’ll find a team (and social media) to shine on despite it all.
Brennan: The W has been working to expand in-season competitions, adding the Commissioner’s Cup and padding out All-Star weekend. With those contests, comes the opportunity to add coveted hardware to the trophy cabinet. Fans, however, noticed the … petite size of said trophies, with Kelsey Plum and Aces even trolling WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert on the size of her All-Star MVP award. Hopefully, the league has added some substance to its hardware this year, because fans will be ready to meme if not.
5. What is your Finals prediction?
Sweeney: Aces over Liberty in five. Yes, the superteams will get here, and yes, this seemingly inevitable series will rock. The Aces’ championship pedigree will carry them over the finish line.
Baccellieri: Aces over Liberty in four. Yes, defending a title is hard. But with the Aces bringing back the bulk of their championship roster from last year, plus Parker and Alysha Clark, I just can’t pick against them.
Kuwana: Aces over Liberty in five. I think, ultimately, the Aces’ experience as a team in the postseason together will outweigh the New York superteam. Plus, getting Parker means Las Vegas has veteran star power to accompany Wilson and compete with the Liberty’s free-agency adds.
Swinton: Aces over Liberty in five. Though New York has stirred up excitement with its additions, it takes time to form chemistry. Though it will not be surprising if the Liberty peak at the right time entering the postseason, the Aces have the experience and existing relationships to become the first back-to-back champions since the Sparks from 2001 and ’02 if everyone remains healthy.
Nelson: Liberty over Mercury in four. Finally able to focus on basketball, the Mercury will power their way past the Aces and into the Finals. But a star-studded New York squad will be too much for anyone to handle this season, and Stewart, Jones and Vandersloot’s diabolical plan will succeed.
