Roughly half of the 2023 WNBA season is in the books and another very complex picture has taken shape when looking at our 12 teams.
At this point in the season, there appears to be not three but four tiers of WNBA team. There are the superteams, then teams that could give said superteams a scare, then teams that are looking to clinch one of those final playoff berths, then teams that are already occupying lottery land.
Where are those teams at this stage in the season? For some teams, grading was easy. Others – not so much.
Las Vegas Aces A+
The Aces are, of course, the defending champions in the WNBA.
They have played like defending champs from the second the ball tipped on the WNBA season.
Becky Hammon’s Big Four of A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young have looked like a Big Four. There is a reason why all four were voted into the All-Star Game.
Only the Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings have put blemishes on the Aces’ 2023 campaign thus far. Many a pundit knew that the road to a 2023 WNBA championship went through Michelob Ultra Arena. It appears very little has changed.
New York Liberty – A
As far as the other superteam is concerned, the record for the Liberty is indicative of one that was also expected to contend from start to finish.
That old saying is true – never look a 13-4 record in the mouth. But ask a few Lib Loyals and they will more than likely mention that teams such as the Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever recently have given New York all it can handle.
The saving grace for the seafoam, black and copper is they have Breanna Stewart. Plus – Sabrina Ionescu is blossoming into the superstar she was expected to be following being drafted out of Oregon. It has not always been pretty, but Sandy Brondello’s team will take ugly wins over glistening losses any day of the week.
Connecticut Sun A
Stephanie White’s team is the third team in the WNBA that is making a case that it is a superteam itself.
Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner have had banner seasons thus far – in the case of Thomas, it is one worthy of MVP consideration.
With all of the roster and front office turnover that was the story with Connecticut over the offseason, it was up in the air if the Sun were going to make another run a year following an appearance in the WNBA Finals. Connecticut has delivered – and then some.
Washington Mystics – curve
With the Washington Mystics, one cannot help but to grade on a curve. On paper, the Mystics are a team that can defeat any team they play – including the Aces, Liberty and Sun.
The reality is Eric Thibault’s team has been bit by the injury bug for much of the season. As Washington fans know because of Elena Delle Donne’s injury issues, the Mystics ability to contend or pretend is predicated on their ability to have a healthy Delle Donne available.
Except Delle Donne has been injured again – and that injury is keeping her out of the All-Star Game. Plus, Shakira Austin has also suffered an injury. To the ‘Stics credit, they won their last game prior to the All-Star break – but they have struggled on the road.
Atlanta Dream – B
It may be tempting to give the Atlanta Dream a lower grade if one were to take into consideration the Dream’s struggles at the beginning of the season.
Except – if one were to glance at the Dream’s schedule when the season tipped off, there were a lot of Aces, Liberty and Sun on said schedule.
Atlanta has emerged from the meat of their schedule – and the results have spoken for themselves. Tanisha Wright’s team, following a near-playoff campaign in 2022, is tied with the Mystics for fourth in the WNBA. In addition, the Dream are in the throes of a six-game winning streak.
There is a reason why one of the Dream – Rhyne Howard – was chosen to hoop in Elena Delle Donne’s stead for the All-Star Game. And a reason why Cheyenne Parker and Allisha Gray are also All-Stars. Dan Padover has done it again.
Dallas Wings – B
We have been waiting and waiting and waiting for years for the Dallas Wings to no longer be a team that wins on draft night and be a team that wins on game night.
The Wings this season have been a team that wins on game night – and one of those victories came at home when Dallas topped the Aces by a final score of 73-71. That contest occurred in front of a sold out crowd at the College Park Center.
We knew that Arike Ogunbowale was going to give teams problems. Now we are finding out that Satou Sabally can do the same. Latricia Trammell could indeed have a two-headed monster in the Metroplex that will keep many a coaching staff awake at night.
Minnesota Lynx – C+
“Take your preseason rankings and shove ‘em!”
That might as well have been what Minnesota Lynx fans might have said to us given we had Cheryl Reeve’s team as cellar dwellers at the start of the season.
As of this writing, the Lynx are 7-6 against conference opponents and they are 6-4 in their last ten games. When Napheesa Collier returns following taking a year off due to giving berth, that is sure to give a team a noteworthy lift. That has happened for Minnesota – who would be seventh if the playoffs were to start today.
Chicago Sky – C
As we mentioned earlier that the Atlanta Dream’s grade would be lower at the start of the season, that of the Chicago Sky would unquestionably be higher.
At the start of the season, the Sky looked like a team that may be fine despite the departures of Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley. Now, Chicago looks like a team that misses Candace Parker, Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley.
To the Sky’s credit, they still have Kahleah Copper who has emerged as a leader in that Sky locker room two seasons following winning Finals MVP against the Phoenix Mercury. But, Chicago’s problems were so glaring it led to James Wade no longer being coach and taking an assistant job in the NBA with the Toronto Raptors.
Los Angeles Sparks – C
When the season began, plenty of us figured that this would be a season that would see a resurgence for the Sparks. After all, they had hired Curt Miller as their coach to undo the tumultuous Derek Fisher er(ror).
The same Curt Miller who had coached in two WNBA Finals. Not to mention he brought Jasmine Thomas along with him.
Except the Sparks – who did manage to send Nneka Ogwumike to her ninth All-Star appearance – are one of the coldest teams in the WNBA. As of today, Los Angeles not only is in the throes of a six game losing streak, but the Sparks have particularly struggled on the road. They are only 2-7 away from Crypto.com Arena.
Indiana Fever – C-
Here is another example of a team whose grade has changed as the season has gone on.
A few weeks ago, one could have looked at the Indiana Fever as a possible B-. But that has changed following an eight game losing streak – currently the losingest in the entire WNBA.
The Fever are not losing games because of either Aliyah Boston or Kelsey Mitchell – both All-Stars. Boston looks to be running away and hiding with the Rookie of the Year trophy.
But unlike many a team that struggles, the Fever’s problems have been more often pronounced at home as opposed to the to the road. Indiana has only won one game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in eight tries this season.
Phoenix Mercury – D
And when we put a D by the Phoenix Mercury’s grade, one is not talking about Diana.
Anyone who would have envisioned that at the All-Star Break the Phoenix Mercury would be 4-15 (11 games under .500) would have been thought to be completely clueless about the WNBA. After all – this team was missing Brittney Griner last season. BG is back as is Taurasi and still this team is struggling.
Perhaps the team is missing Skylar Diggins-Smith more than we are letting on. Thankfully for the Mercury, she appears to be on the comeback trail. Who is not on the comeback trail is Vanessa Nygaard, who was fired by Mat Ishbia following a horrible loss to the Seattle Storm.
Seattle Storm – D
Speaking of those very Seattle Storm, one cannot grade too harshly with this team given that this year had the word “rebuild” written all over it.
Losing two all-time great players in Sue Bird (to retirement) and Breanna Stewart (to the Liberty) will leave a very large mark. The Storm still do have Jewell Loyd and the defensive sensation that is Ezi Magbegor.
Both were voted to the All-Star Game. What the Storm also have is a 4-16 record and a seven-game losing streak. The Storm were expected to be around the Mendoza line at this point in the season – unlike the Mercury who have no business being anywhere near there.
