WNBA Player Rankings: The Top 50 Players Heading Into 2026 As the WNBA prepares to kick off its 30th season with a new collective bargaining agreement in place and the addition of new franchises in Portland and Toronto, a comprehensive ranking of the league’s top 50 players has been released. The list, which excludes rookies and unsigned players but includes those expected to return from injuries within the first two months of the season, highlights the league’s most impactful athletes ahead of the 2026 campaign. The New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream lead the rankings with six players each, while the Las Vegas Aces, Chicago Sky, and Los Angeles Sparks each have five representatives. The rankings open with A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, who remains the league’s dominant force. The four-time MVP and defending champion secured her fourth regular-season MVP award in 2025, leading the Aces to their third WNBA title. Wilson’s 23.4 points per game, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 2025 underscore her continued excellence, including a 50.5% shooting efficiency from the field and an 80% free-throw accuracy. Her performance solidified her position as the league’s most consistent player. Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury follows in second place, showcasing her elite playmaking abilities. The forward led the WNBA in assists per game in 2025, breaking the league’s single-season record with 357 assists. Her 15.4 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game reflect her role as a dual threat, while her eight triple-doubles—more than the rest of the league combined—highlight her dominance. Thomas’s ability to elevate her team’s offense while maintaining defensive impact makes her a key figure in the rankings.#las_vegas_aces #wnba #phoenix_mercury #new_york_liberty #atlanta_dream
Phoenix Mercury Reveal 'New Originals' Uniform and Court for 30th Season The Phoenix Mercury unveiled their "New Originals" uniform and matching court design on Friday as part of the WNBA’s Court Origins program in collaboration with Nike. This third new look for the 2026 season follows a rebranding effort in November and marks the team’s celebration of its 30th season. The design draws inspiration from the franchise’s original 1997 uniform, incorporating retro elements while introducing fresh color schemes and symbolic details. The jersey features a watermelon-colored base, yellow shoulder straps, and purple trim. Across the chest, the word “Mercury” is written in white using the script the team has employed for 28 years. Below the player’s numbers, the “Fry’s” logo remains, while Hero Bread, the team’s new jersey partner, is displayed in the top-left corner. The shorts include the original yellow “M” icon and a retro WNBA logo. A patch on the back neckline features the number “3” and a silver trophy, commemorating Phoenix’s three WNBA championships. The court design revives the classic Mercury logo at center court, with the sidelines painted watermelon to mirror the jersey’s color. Each side of the court includes the names of every player in franchise history, written in the key. Ring of Honor members are highlighted in bold, and the team’s 30th season logo is positioned on the left. The uniform and court will debut on May 21 during the team’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks, marking the first time the New Originals jersey will be available for purchase. The Mercury also plan to showcase the design during 30th Season Celebration Nights throughout the season. Additionally, the team will participate in the WNBA’s Courts Origins game nights on August 1, facing the New York Liberty.#nike #wnba #phoenix_mercury #frys #hero_bread
WNBA Celebrates 30th Season With Retro Throwback Jerseys and Court Origins Program The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is commemorating its 30th season with a nostalgic tribute to its inaugural year, 1997, through its Court Origins initiative. The program, announced on April 24, features retro-inspired basketballs and jerseys for the league’s three surviving founding franchises—the Los Angeles Sparks, the New York Liberty, and the Phoenix Mercury—as well as special courts and game schedules designed to honor the league’s legacy. The Court Origins Wilson EVO NXT basketball, which is identical to the model currently used by the WNBA, has been retrofitted with vintage aesthetics. The ball retains its alternating panel design but features lighter panels in vintage white or cream tones. Two panels bear retro league logos, while the third panel displays the WNBA’s 30th season logo alongside a modern player silhouette. This design bridges the gap between past and present, reflecting the league’s evolution over three decades. Each of the three original franchises will don custom jerseys that replicate their 1997 looks. The Sparks’ jersey is predominantly yellow with purple side panels extending to the shoulders and white panels over the shoulders. A retro wordmark for the team, featuring a teal-accented palm tree, runs across the chest, paired with an offset purple number. The Liberty’s jersey is mostly black, with seafoam green side panels outlined in orange and silver over the shoulders. The team’s original wordmark, which replaces the “I” in “LIBERTY” with a torch, is arched across the chest. The Mercury’s jersey is red with purple side panels and yellow over the shoulders, featuring a slanted wordmark and a white number outlined in purple.#los_angeles_sparks #las_vegas_aces #wnba #phoenix_mercury #new_york_liberty
Breanna Stewart Attributes Liberty's 2025 Struggles to Loss of 'Flow State' Under Brondello The New York Liberty’s championship defense in 2024, marked by seamless teamwork and dominance, turned into a first-round playoff collapse in 2025, ending Sandy Brondello’s tenure with the team. The Liberty faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury, a team CBS Sports had not previously labeled a title contender. Veteran forward Breanna Stewart, a key figure in the team’s 2024 success, reflected on the challenges that derailed the 2025 season, pointing to the loss of the team’s “flow state” as a critical factor. Stewart described the “flow state” as a phase where the team’s actions were perfectly synchronized, a hallmark of their 2024 championship run. “When you’re in that flow state, you have to have chemistry and keep it,” she said. “We had a lot of changes between our championship season and 2025. Trying to recreate that flow state quickly didn’t work.” The Liberty’s 2024 campaign was defined by their Big Three—Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones—alongside Courtney Vandersloot, who orchestrated the team’s success. Their dominance was evident in sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the playoffs and defeating the Las Vegas Aces in the second round. However, the 2025 season brought significant disruptions. Vandersloot, a vital playmaker, returned to the Chicago Sky, while Jones suffered a right knee injury that sidelined her for multiple games. The team attempted to address Vandersloot’s absence by signing Natasha Cloud, but the chemistry that defined 2024 never materialized. Injuries and inconsistency plagued the roster, with the team’s rebounding numbers dropping from over 36 per game in 2024 to around 33 in 2025.#breanna_stewart #sandy_brondello #phoenix_mercury #chris_demarco #new_york_liberty
