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Sports Illustrated
Madison Williams

WNBA Key Dates: Everything to Know About the 2025 Season

The WNBA logo is seen on the court at Gateway Center Arena. | Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The WNBA released its 2025 regular season schedule on Monday, and now fans are getting ready for the games to tip off—even if there’s still five months of waiting ahead.

It'll be a historical season for the league, as next year will mark the first time the teams will play 44 games. The additional games, combined with the additional eyeballs the league picked up in its breakout season in 2024, means the W is looking at another big year.

And this next season will literally be bigger, as the league is expanding to 13 teams with the Golden State Valkyries will making their WNBA debut. They are set to build out their initial roster this Friday, December 6, with the expansion draft. The league will add its 14th team, based in Toronto, in 2026.

After the Valkyries get their team set this week, there are many more important dates as the calendar turns to 2025, including some before the season starts. Take a look below.

Key Dates for 2025 WNBA Season

While the regular season doesn't begin until May, there's still some important dates to keep an eye out for before the season begins. Here's a list of the dates to watch for throughout 2025.

When is the 2025 WNBA Draft?

The 2025 WNBA Draft will take place on Monday, April 14. The Dallas Wings won the draft lottery for the No. 1 pick, followed by the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky and Washington Mystics.

The location for the draft is still to be determined.

When Does the 2025 WNBA Regular Season Start?

The 2025 WNBA season begins on Friday, May 16. Three key matchups will take place on opening day: the Washington Mystics will host the Atlanta Dream, the Dallas Wings (who have the No. 1 pick in the draft) will host the league's runners-up Minnesota Lynx and then the Golden State Valkyries will make their WNBA debut while hosting the Los Angeles Sparks.

When is the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game?

The WNBA All-Star break will be held from Thursday, July 17 until Monday, July 21. The All-Star Game will be played on Saturday, July 19 in Indianapolis with the Indiana Fever acting as host.

When Does the 2025 WNBA Regular Season End?

The WNBA will play from May 16 until Thursday, Sept. 11. Each team will play 44 games this season for the first time in league history.


More of the Latest Around WNBA


This article was originally published on www.si.com as WNBA Key Dates: Everything to Know About the 2025 Season.

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