Early WNBA takeaways: Clark is back, Wings impress, Reese bolsters Dream

The WNBA tipped off its thirtieth season over the weekend with a set of cool moments and scorching takes.

The Portland Fire, who briefly existed from 2000 to 2002, opened their “resurrection” season whereas the enlargement Toronto Tempo performed their first WNBA sport.

On Saturday, the Las Vegas Aces obtained diamond championship rings — after which obtained routed by the Phoenix Mercury, who obtained a small measure of revenge after being swept by the Aces in final 12 months’s WNBA Finals. But on Sunday, the Aces blew out the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Indiana Fever‘s Caitlin Clark had 20 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds in her first WNBA sport since July 2025; she missed most of final season with accidents. As has been the case since she arrived within the WNBA, Clark moved the needle — with the whole lot from armchair diagnoses about how she is feeling bodily to overreactions about what their 107-104 loss to the Dallas Wings means to the Fever’s playoff probabilities.

But that is what the opening of the season typically brings: daring statements, admittedly with out a whole lot of information. Here are 10 such takeaways from opening weekend.

Fever’s Clark wasn’t her regular self however was nonetheless dominant

Two hundred and ninety-six days had handed since Caitlin Clark performed in a WNBA sport when she stepped on the ground Saturday. That would possibly as effectively be a lifetime for the basketball junkie. Clark wasn’t her greatest self in 2025 as nagging accidents and opposing defenses knocked her averages down in factors, rebounds, area objective and 3-point percentages. She was nonetheless named an All-Star, making that first-team all-WNBA choice as a rookie much more spectacular.

Clark wasn’t that 2024 model of herself Saturday, and obtained off to a sluggish begin, however nonetheless completed with 20 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds within the Indiana Fever‘s 107-104 home loss to the Dallas Wings. The 3-point accuracy was off as she was 2-for-9 from behind the arc and shot simply 38.9% general. But she picked it up within the second half and there have been glimpses of what we have come to count on: A deep pull-up triple. A wonderful behind-the-back bounce move for a layup. A seeing-eye outlet move. Defenders struggled to remain in entrance of her on drives.

Of course, there could be some rust, however the elite offensive expertise was seen and it was clear that the franchise cornerstone will quickly be fully again to her regular self. — Kareem Copeland

Dallas poised to return to playoffs for first time since 2023

It’s a ridiculously small pattern dimension — only one sport — however the Dallas Wings positioned themselves to be the staff to make the most important leap ahead in 2026 after profitable simply 10 video games in 2025. Last 12 months’s staff had its worst offensive ranking (103.3) since 2019 and ranked No. 9 in factors per sport (81.7), No. 11 in area objective share (42.3), No. 11 in 3-pointers made per sport (6.6) and No. 12 in 3-point share (30.4).

That offensively inept staff was nowhere to be present in Saturday’s win at Indiana. Dallas scored 107 factors because it shot 59.1% from the sector and knocked down 12 3-pointers on 52.5% capturing from behind the arc. Arike Ogunbowale was the offensive juggernaut (22 factors, 3-for-7 from 3-point vary) that she’d been all through her time within the WNBA earlier than final season’s career-worst numbers. Newly added Odyssey Sims scored 20. Free agent signee Jessica Shepard flirted with a triple-double. Paige Bueckers seemed just like the participant named second-team all-WNBA in 2025, and the Wings did not even want something from No. 1 decide Azzi Fudd. In only one sport, the Wings offered as one of many higher offensive items within the league and a legit playoff staff. — Copeland

We noticed the actual Aces in Sunday’s 27-point win, not Saturday’s 33-point loss

After the ring ceremony Saturday on the Las Vegas Aces‘ opener in Las Vegas, issues went downhill shortly. Missed photographs, lackadaisical protection and a fired-up Phoenix Mercury staff become a 99-66 loss for the defending champions to start out their 2026 title protection.

Afterward, A’ja Wilson was requested if it helped that the Aces would play once more 24 hours later. She referred to the early a part of Las Vegas’ schedule as “insane” — after back-to-back video games, the Aces hit the highway for Connecticut and Atlanta — however thought they might benefit from the chance to spoil the Los Angeles Sparks‘ opener Sunday. They did, 105-78.

Wilson stated the important thing for the Aces is, “We have to uphold our standard on the defensive end, and that trust factor has to come in every single night.” Coach Becky Hammon additionally talked about belief between teammates on protection, and stated even in addition to a number of of the Aces gamers know one another, the belief has to rebuild for the whole group within the opening a part of each season.

On Saturday, Hammon — identified for her colorful analogies — in contrast the Aces’ poor protection to family protection. She stated the Aces gave up fully an excessive amount of court docket house earlier than they actually began defending. “It’s like trying to stop an intruder [from getting] to your refrigerator, and they’re already in your kitchen,” she stated. “You’ve got to meet them outside the white picket fence.” On Sunday, the Aces flipped that, capturing 62% from the sector whereas holding the Sparks to 37%. That ought to be extra what the Aces appear like defensively more often than not. — Michael Voepel

Despite being short-handed, Liberty are a championship favourite

The New York Liberty are 2-0 however have not been at full power but. Sabrina Ionescu suffered a foot harm within the preseason and can miss a minimum of two weeks, and new acquisition Satou Sabally has but to make her Liberty debut attributable to a cyst. They are additionally nonetheless with out Rebecca Allen (leg), Leonie Fiebich (abroad) and Raquel Carrera (abroad). Despite being right down to seven gamers at one level, the Liberty are averaging 102 factors, flourishing in first-year coach Chris DeMarco’s new offensive system.

Breanna Stewart is nonetheless among the finest gamers on the planet, and Jonquel Jones is a former MVP, however New York’s depth has stood out. Marine Johannes (21 PPG, 11-of-22 on 3-pointers) has had a blistering begin, whereas Betnijah Laney-Hamilton‘s toughness and willingness to do the little issues (she was a team-best +12 in plus/minus on Sunday) reminded followers what they missed out on in 2025. In an additional time scare towards the gritty Washington Mystics, Pauline Astier got here by with a much-needed 18 factors and 7 assists, whereas Rebekah Gardner made clutch performs late. The championship-minded Liberty nonetheless should make it work with all their items again into the fold, however there’s loads to love to start out the DeMarco period. — Alexa Philippou

Reese could make the Dream a fair higher defensive staff

The Atlanta Dream ranked second within the league in defensive ranking final season (100.5) and misplaced heart Brittney Griner, who has been on the WNBA’s all-defensive groups seven instances, in free company. So how might Atlanta enhance on protection? Angel Reese at age 24 is a greater rebounder than Griner, 35. Plus, Reese is fast and versatile sufficient to protect a variety of gamers.

Obviously, Reese — acquired in April in a commerce with Chicago — would not have practically the expertise that Griner does, and at 6-foot-9, Griner has an even bigger bodily presence. But Reese has led the WNBA in rebounding the previous two seasons, and she or he made the game-ending block Saturday within the Dream’s comeback win at Minnesota. For the sport, she had 11 factors, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Reese is keen to indicate she is a championship-caliber participant, and her protection generally is a massive a part of that. — Voepel

Miles makes case for WNBA Rookie of the Year

Minnesota Lynx level guard Olivia Miles instantly confirmed that she belongs. Not solely does the No. 2 draft decide belong, she made her first case to be named Rookie of the Year. Miles turned the fifth participant in league historical past to file 20 factors and 5 assists of their first sport, becoming a member of Candace Parker, Tonya Edwards, Dawn Staley and Cynthia Cooper. She known as it an evening with 21 factors, eight assists and three rebounds, and practically helped the Lynx upset Atlanta.

Unsurprisingly, Miles began within the season opener and led the staff in factors and assists and operated the offense with simply three turnovers. The Lynx misplaced a ton of manufacturing in free company and nonetheless haven’t got annual MVP candidate Napheesa Collier again from ankle surgical procedures, however they shot 50% from the sector and scored 90 factors. The solely different rookie to attain greater than 12 factors by Saturday was Jovana Nogic with 19 factors for the Phoenix Mercury. And Nogic is 28 years outdated and has performed professionally abroad for years. Miles can have as massive of a task as any rookie within the league and she or he’s already the favourite for that ROY trophy. — Copeland

Despite dropping Sabally, the Mercury will contend for a top-4 seed

The Phoenix Mercury pummeled the Aces 99-66 on Saturday, then fell 95-79 at Golden State on Sunday. Despite the completely different outcomes, it appears as if the Mercury are ready to contend with out Satou Sabally, who led the Mercury in scoring (16.3 PPG) in 2025 (her solely season in Phoenix) however is now with New York.

Phoenix will substitute her manufacturing partly with gamers whose profiles won’t be as excessive, however whose expertise is spectacular. As talked about above, Nogic is a 28-year-old guard from Serbia enjoying her first WNBA season. She had 19 factors Saturday and 16 on Sunday, making 4 of 5 3-pointers in each video games. Nogic performed at Providence from 2016 to 2019, averaging 13.8 PPG for her school profession.

Noemie Brochant of France did not play collegiately within the United States. But the 26-year-old ahead has been a professional abroad and, like Nogic, performed her first WNBA video games this weekend. She had eight factors Saturday and 9 on Sunday. Forward/heart Natasha Mack, chosen from Oklahoma State within the second spherical of a weak draft in 2021, performed simply 4 video games that season. A second probability in 2024 introduced her to Phoenix, after which final season she began 23 video games with the Mercury, averaging 4.7 PPG and 5.8 RPG. Saturday, she had 10 factors and a career-high 15 rebounds. Sunday, she had 11 factors.

The Mercury nonetheless have veterans resembling Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner to cleared the path. But additionally they ought to get a lift from gamers seeking to make a reputation for themselves. — Voepel

Watch out for the Mystics’ budding massive three

The Washington Mystics totally dedicated to a rebuild final season, and although they weren’t a playoff staff, they have been a pesky squad to face. This offseason they doubled down on their youth — they’ve 9 rookies and three second-year gamers on the roster — and it is clear their plan is not off course. Their massive three of Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin is averaging 54.5 factors per sport. Citron was spellbinding with 26 factors on 12 photographs towards Toronto on Friday, whereas Iriafen (20 factors, 12 rebounds) and Austin (16, 10) compiled double-doubles on Sunday. And we have not even talked about Georgia Amoore, who is nonetheless making her approach again from an ACL harm and completed with seven factors, seven assists and only one turnover that sport.

Yes, the Liberty have been short-handed Sunday, however the Mystics — who received three quarters in regulation towards the 2024 champs — proceed to indicate a toughness and aggressive edge that, mixed with their blossoming expertise, ought to make them among the finest cores within the league just a few years from now. — Philippou

The Fire and Tempo can have rising pains however are enjoyable to observe

Sandy Brondello summed up the Toronto Tempo‘s first sport in franchise historical past in a single phrase: “ugly.” And the identical might be stated for the Portland Fire, which have been sloppy in Saturday’s 98-83 loss to the Chicago Sky. However, each the Fire and Tempo proved to be extremely aggressive, pushing their opponents to the final possessions of their video games. And that is a fantastic signal for the 2 organizations.

Marina Mabrey led the Tempo with 27 factors, whereas Brittney Sykes scored the franchise’s first factors and completed with 14. The Tempo misplaced 68-65 to the Washington Mystics on a set of free throws by Shakira Austin. The main subject, in response to Brondello, was that Toronto did not play effectively sufficient offensively or with sufficient togetherness. “We didn’t share the ball. We didn’t play as a team as much as we would have liked. But that’s an easy fix,” she stated. “We just got to get back to being a selfless basketball team and making our defense create our offense.”

The Fire overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to tie the rating within the closing minutes of regulation, however they ran out of steam. Carla Leite had 18 factors and Bridget Carleton, the No. 1 decide within the enlargement draft, added 13. With the flowing fashion of offense coach Alex Sarama is deploying, it should take the Fire time to discover ways to play subsequent to one another on this system. — Kendra Andrews

Ogwumike proper at residence again in Los Angeles — however there’s work to do

The crowd inside Crypto.com Arena gave a standing ovation when Nneka Ogwumike was proven on the jumbotron. But it wasn’t throughout participant introductions, and even through the sport — it was throughout warmups. Los Angeles is excited to have Ogwumike again within the metropolis, and the Sparks are equally excited to have her again on the roster. The No. 1 decide within the 2012 draft, Ogwumike spent the primary 12 years of her WNBA profession with the Sparks, together with a title and MVP trophy in 2016, earlier than enjoying for Seattle the previous two seasons.

The Sparks consider Ogwumike is the precise vet they have to be aggressive once more. On the court docket, she seemed comfy, ending with 19 factors and 10 rebounds. And within the locker room she’s seen as the final word instructor. The vibes are excessive in L.A.

But the Sparks misplaced to the Aces by 27, and there are kinks that have to be ironed out. Los Angeles scored fewer than 20 factors in three quarters Sunday, and allowed Las Vegas to get 63 factors within the second half. — Andrews