Way-Too-Early WNBA Power Rankings: Early look at 2026

PHOENIX -- The Las Vegas Aces are the 2025 champions aft a WNBA Finals expanse implicit the Phoenix Mercury, giving the franchise its 3rd league rubric successful the past 4 years.

Now ... invited to chaos.

This offseason volition beryllium the busiest successful league history. A caller corporate bargaining statement is needed, positive enlargement drafts for 2 caller franchises and the draught lottery. Then comes a escaped bureau bonanza that includes astir each subordinate who isn't presently connected a rookie contract.

There has ne'er been much uncertainty astir each team's roster than determination is close present for adjacent year. But that won't halt america from projecting an aboriginal look astatine the 2026 season.

We bash marque 1 concession to the unknown. Since the 2 enlargement teams, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, don't person caput coaches oregon immoderate players yet, they aren't included successful these rankings. But present goes for the different 13 teams.

1. Las Vegas Aces

2025: 30-14, won WNBA title

They saved the champion for last: Going from a .500 grounds successful aboriginal August, to the No. 2 effect successful the playoffs, to taking astir of the play retired of the WNBA Finals. A'ja Wilson won her 4th MVP grant and astatine 29 inactive has a batch of large hoops successful beforehand of her. As agelong arsenic Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and manager Becky Hammon stay with the Aces, they volition beryllium title contenders adjacent season, too.

2. Phoenix Mercury

2025: 27-17, WNBA runner-up

It was a large play for a Mercury squad that was astir wholly remade aft Diana Taurasi's status and Brittney Griner's departure to Atlanta. Forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally recovered a caller location successful Phoenix and look apt to privation to enactment determination and physique connected each they did this twelvemonth nether second-year manager Nate Tibbetts. The enactment has won 3 WNBA titles, but the past was successful 2014. Returning to the Finals this play -- beating the 2024 finalists, New York and Minnesota, to get determination -- was a occurrence careless of however the past bid ended for the Mercury.

3. Atlanta Dream

2025: 30-14, mislaid successful archetypal round

The Dream were blessed with their regular season, but not with their playoff performance. After winning Game 1 astatine location against the Fever, they mislaid Game 2 successful Indiana and Game 3 backmost successful Atlanta. Still, determination was a batch affirmative for 2025: a franchise-record 30 wins, career-best seasons for Allisha Gray and Naz Hillmon and a palmy modulation to manager Karl Smesko, who was successful his archetypal play successful the WNBA aft a agelong assemblage career. Now the question, arsenic it is with astir different teams, is wheth...