The WNBA season suggestions off tonight : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3443x2364+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd0%2F2d%2F7116c0ae4506a069c2227a8d3241%2Fgettyimages-2160398512.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3443x2364+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd0%2F2d%2F7116c0ae4506a069c2227a8d3241%2Fgettyimages-2160398512.jpg" class="img" alt="Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces are considered to be two of this year's leading MVP candidates." fetchpriority="high"/> Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever and A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces are thought of to be two of this yr's main MVP candidates. Ethan Miller/Getty Pictures disguise caption

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Ethan Miller/Getty Pictures By practically each measure, final yr's WNBA season was an incredible success.

Attendance was up. Scores had been up. And it wasn't all due to the rookie phenom Caitlin Clark — the WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx averaged greater than one million viewers, with the thrilling Sport 5 finale drawing 3.3 million viewers at its peak. That is greater than loads of NBA video games.

Now, it is on the league to maintain that success going.

The common season suggestions off this weekend with a slate of big-time matchups, together with the primary common season look of the hyped rookie Paige Bueckers, a possible playoff preview between the Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces, and a Saturday afternoon showdown between Clark's Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky's Angel Reese on community TV.

Here is a preview:

Have the Fever executed sufficient to money in on Caitlin Clark? Caitlin Clark's first season with the Fever was a sensation. The rookie completed the season with the fifth-most factors and most assists within the league — and she or he ranked within the high 20 in virtually each different main statistical class: rebounds, steals, even blocks. It was straightforward to award her Rookie of the 12 months.

Relatedly, Clark performed the second-most whole minutes of anybody within the WNBA, behind solely Dallas' Arike Ogunbowale (who should even be feeling some reduction to get some assist in the type of Paige Bueckers this summer time). That led Clark to guide the league in dangerous issues, too, like her 5.6 turnovers per sport. Plus, the Fever had one of many worst defenses within the league.

This workforce took the offseason critically. The Fever sacked their head coach and introduced within the veteran Stephanie White, who took the Fever to the WNBA Finals again in 2015. They received Clark some offensive assist by signing six-time All-Star DeWanna Bonner, who averaged 15 factors per sport final season with the Connecticut Solar, and addressed the defensive weaknesses with a former Defensive Participant of the 12 months in Natasha Howard.

It is promising! The Fever at present have the third-best odds to win the title. That is perhaps optimistic, however they need to be a stronger contender than they had been final yr. (And by the best way, what an exhilarating time to be an Indiana basketball fan, with the Pacers again within the Jap Convention Finals.)

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5174x3449+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F36%2Fbb%2F755aa2a94e71a779f2301a625c16%2Fgettyimages-2214435703.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5174x3449+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F36%2Fbb%2F755aa2a94e71a779f2301a625c16%2Fgettyimages-2214435703.jpg" class="img" alt="Paige Bueckers hasn't yet played a regular season game for the Dallas Wings. But the autograph of this April's top draft pick was already in demand during the preseason." loading="lazy"/> Paige Bueckers hasn't but performed an everyday season sport for the Dallas Wings. However the autograph of this April's high draft choose was already in demand through the preseason. Sam Hodde/Getty Pictures disguise caption

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Sam Hodde/Getty Pictures Simply how a lot can Paige Bueckers assist Dallas? In her school profession at UConn, Bueckers misplaced solely 13 video games throughout 4 seasons. Her new WNBA workforce, the Dallas Wings, in the meantime, has misplaced a minimum of that many video games in each season for the reason that workforce moved to Texas in 2016.

It is an excessive amount of to ask of Bueckers, 2025's most hyped rookie, to show Dallas round this season — in spite of everything, this can be a franchise that received just one playoff collection prior to now 15 years. Studying to abdomen the losses might be an adjustment, she admitted final week.

"I've come to the belief that I have been extraordinarily blessed and lucky to be in nice conditions in highschool and school," she advised reporters. "It is completely different within the W. You do not see groups going undefeated."

Final season, the Wings had been a dreadful 9-31. However with the ache got here a prize: Bueckers, after all, who was chosen with the highest total choose in final month's WNBA Draft barely per week after she had led UConn to an NCAA championship.

Bueckers is predicted to be a starter on Day 1, and she or he's already the frontrunner for Rookie of the 12 months. She scored 10 factors within the Wings' preseason sport towards the Las Vegas Aces (though the Aces smoked the Wings by 37 factors).

That is a superb begin, although it's going to take time to regulate to the elevated physicality of the WNBA. Give her a month to regulate and see how she's doing by the tip of June — the Wings can solely go up from final yr, and a ROTY-level marketing campaign from Bueckers can be an excellent begin to her profession in Dallas.

Can A'ja Wilson change into the primary participant to win MVP 4 instances? Talking of the Aces: A'ja Wilson continues to be the very best participant within the league. She has received MVP in three of the previous 5 seasons, and she or he'll be a frontrunner once more this yr till another person can show in any other case. (Paging Napheesa Collier: Is that this your yr?)

Final yr, Wilson turned the fourth participant within the league's historical past to be named MVP for a 3rd time, becoming a member of Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson. These gamers had been legends, after all, however their accomplishments got here in a unique period for girls's basketball. Wilson's dominance within the trendy sport — particularly final season, along with her unanimous MVP vote — is one thing outstanding (and she or he's solely 28).

In a survey this week, the WNBA's common managers mentioned that the Lynx's Collier, who completed second within the vote final season, was more than likely to be this yr's MVP. Wilson was second, and Clark was third. The betting markets favor Clark.

For the Aces, capitalizing on Wilson's efficiency is the larger image, after all. Final season was a little bit of a letdown after the Aces received all of it in '22 and '23. A 3-peat was all the time going to be robust, because the league round them stored bettering. Now, it is on Vegas to indicate that they've made themselves higher, too.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3600x2430+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2Fee%2F566571a74e0faac73a56d903364e%2Fgettyimages-2213822574.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3600x2430+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2Fee%2F566571a74e0faac73a56d903364e%2Fgettyimages-2213822574.jpg" class="img" alt="More than 17,000 fans came to see the first preseason game for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's first expansion team since 2008." loading="lazy"/> Greater than 17,000 followers got here to see the primary preseason sport for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's first enlargement workforce since 2008. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures disguise caption

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Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures A debut for the Golden State Valkyries It is a massive second for the WNBA, with the Valkyries making their debut because the league's first new enlargement workforce since 2008. Two extra groups are set to affix the league subsequent season — one in Toronto, and one in Portland — and the WNBA expects so as to add a fourth in 2028, bringing the league to 16 groups for the primary time since 2002.

"This development is one other testomony to the power of our league and the demand we're seeing from our followers — and from cities and from house owners who wish to be a part of the WNBA's future," mentioned league commissioner Cathy Engelbert eventually month's draft.

Enlargement groups often battle of their first season, irrespective of the game. That is very true within the WNBA, the place solely one of many earlier 10 enlargement groups completed their inaugural season with a profitable document.

So it might be too bold to count on the Valkyries to achieve the playoffs — and even end above .500. However this yr might be successful for them if the workforce can get individuals within the door, if the sport expertise is sweet sufficient to maintain followers coming again, and if persons are out and about sporting Valkyries gear and speaking in regards to the workforce.