WNBA Power Rankings: Minnesota, Las Vegas, Atlanta Battle for First
As part of the WNBA's 30th-season festivities, the league celebrated its inaugural contest -- a matchup between the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty on June 21, 1997.
Los Angeles was the site then, and it played host again on Sunday, June 21, as the Sparks and Liberty squared off in a rematch of that historic clash. The Liberty won that first matchup 67-55, but Los Angeles flipped the script three decades later. Nneka Ogwumike drilled a three-pointer at the buzzer, leading the Sparks to a comeback 98-97 win.
It snapped a two-game skid for Los Angeles -- and it had some notable ramifications in our power rankings, too.
1. Minnesota Lynx (13-4, L1)
Previous Ranking: 1 (--)
A late push by the Washington Mystics served the Minnesota Lynx a surprising 84-79 loss Sunday. With the Las Vegas Aces and Atlanta Dream just one game back of first place, it opens up a lane for Minnesota to be dethroned -- both in the WNBA standings and our power rankings.
For now, though, there's no reason to move them. Since May 21, Minnesota is 11-2, outscoring opponents by an average of 15.5 points a game, the best mark in the league by a wide margin. That's a dominant one month stretch of basketball, and it affords them some room for error.
Olivia Miles has moved beyond Rookie of the Year conversationshttps://t.co/ao3aYbIBwz
— Robin Lundberg (@robinlundberg) June 18, 2026
For the second week in a row, star rookie Olivia Miles broke her career-high in points, pouring in 31 against the Sparks in a 99-83 win Wednesday. There's still plenty of season left to play, but she's putting some serious distance between herself and the rest of the 2026 draft class.
2. Atlanta Dream (12-4, W4)
Previous Ranking: 4 (+2)
The Atlanta Dream are riding high after four straight wins, including a pair of statements against the Indiana Fever. Atlanta eclipsed 100 points both times, racking up 108 on Thursday and a season-best 113 in Saturday's 17-point victory, fueled by a dominant second half.
The quartet of Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Angel Reese, and Jordin Canada is firing on all cylinders -- and when it does, Atlanta is one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Two straight games against the Valkyries at Chase center should provide plenty of excitement as two of the WNBA's top defenses go head-to-head.
3. Las Vegas Aces (12-4, W2)
Previous Ranking: 3 (+1)
The Aces punched their ticket to the WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship game by defeating the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday. They'll represent the Western Conference on June 30 in a battle against the New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals.
Las Vegas has remained one of the league's top teams, despite Chennedy Carter's absence from the lineup due to illness. It's been a rocky first month and a half for guard Jewell Loyd, but the 32-year-old has reached double figures in two of her last three games, including a 92-73 win over the Golden State Valkyries on Sunday. Consistency has been an issue for the six-time All-Star with Las Vegas, but it raises the Aces' already-high ceiling if she can find her footing.
4. New York Liberty (11-6, L2)
Previous Ranking: 2 (-2)
The last two games weren't pretty for the Liberty. But then again, many of the teams below the top three of Minnesota, Atlanta, and Las Vegas are showing their warts, so New York won't tumble too far in our power rankings yet -- especially a week removed from an eight-game winning streak.
The Liberty only lost by three to the Mystics on Thursday and fell to Los Angeles by one on Sunday in a game they once led by 17 points. A pair of one-score games isn't the end of the world, but the eye test raises some sizable concerns. Sabrina Ionescu hasn't looked herself since returning from a back injury on June 14, averaging just 6.5 points on 34.5 percent shooting across four games. Coach Chris DeMarco removed Marine Johannes from the starting lineup for the first time all season on Sunday amid some inconsistent play from the exciting veteran guard.
Jonquel Jones spoke about how and why the Liberty lost what was a 17 point lead in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/l51kL80U3q
— Jackie Powell (she/her) (@ClassicJpow) June 22, 2026
It's worth wondering if New York can find more rhythm in their lineups with Johannes coming off the bench.
5. Dallas Wings (11-6, W2)
Previous Ranking: 5 (--)
The Dallas Wings come off a 2-1 week that looks better than it felt. After a 90-81 loss to Golden State, the Wings rallied for two straight wins. Both were nailbiters against a pair of squads that have struggled mightily in June.
Dallas eked out a 93-92 win against the Chicago Sky and survived an overtime battle with the Seattle Storm, taking it 112-110. Offense continues to be a strength for the Wings, but those two contests are likely too close for comfort. A two-game stretch upcoming against Las Vegas and Minnesota will serve as an excellent test.
6. Golden State Valkyries (10-7, L2)
Previous Ranking: 6 (--)
Golden State extended its winning streak to four games on Wednesday against Dallas, but came up short against Minnesota and Las Vegas to close out the weekend. The Valkyries' offense was held under 80 points in back-to-back games, and shot just 4-for-22 in the fourth quarter against the Lynx on Thursday -- which proved the difference in a six-point loss.
Even with their league-leading defense, it's going to be difficult for the Valkyries to win games when the three-pointers aren't falling. Golden State shot just 24.5 percent from beyond the arc across its last two losses. That defense -- and home-court advantage -- should always keep the Valkyries interesting, but they're bound for some volatility with such a three-point dependent offense.
7. Indiana Fever (10-7, W1)
Previous Ranking: 7 (--)
The Fever stay put in our power rankings, though that's more a product of the teams below them than it is their own play. Indiana was outclassed by the Dream last week, surrendering 100-plus points in both contests. They survived a putrid first quarter against the Phoenix Mercury on Monday, erasing a 19-6 deficit thanks to a scoring barrage from Caitlin Clark. They'd go on to win 86-77, but there's still plenty to clean up.
Caitlin Clark over the last six games 😈
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) June 23, 2026
32 PTS, 10 AST & 7 REB
25 PTS, 5 AST & 3 REB
21 PTS, 14 AST & 5 REB
26 PTS, 7 AST & 2 REB
26 PTS, 7 AST & 3 REB
24 PTS, 9 AST & 3 REB
most consecutive 20+ point & 5+ assist games (and more 😏) in WNBA history. pic.twitter.com/3biUi6IPZ9
Foul trouble and sloppy defense are plaguing Indiana right now. The sheer talent of Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston has kept them in the mix, but the overall product isn't befitting of a would-be championship contender.
8. Washington Mystics (8-7, W3)
Previous Ranking: 10 (+2)
The Mystics currently own the WNBA's final playoff spot thanks to three straight wins. Washington took care of business against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday before rallying for a pair of comeback victories against the Lynx and Liberty.
Second-year stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen took center stage. Iriafen scored 20 points Thursday against New York as all five Washington starters reached double figures. Citron put up 21 to power the Mystics to a win over Minnesota on Sunday.
Washington has now won four of its last five after a disappointing start to 2026. They'll have to fend off more than a few teams to be in playoff position come September, but it's a promsing sign to see this young team play its way back into frame.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (8-8, W1)
Previous Ranking: 8 (-1)
Ogwumike's buzzer-beater snapped a two-game Sparks skid after lopsided losses to Golden State and Minnesota. The 35-year-old enjoyed one of her best seasons thus far in 2026, tying a season-high with 24 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
NNEKA OGWUMIKE WINS IT FOR LA AT THE BUZZERRRRRRRR 🚨 pic.twitter.com/oHneuAnkGB
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 22, 2026
For Los Angeles, the hope is the thrilling win over New York is a sign of things to come. It marked just the second Sparks win over a team with a winning percentage above .500, the other being a 101-95 victory over Las Vegas on May 23. Momentum has largely eluded Los Angeles thus far, but Sunday's win over the Liberty could be something to build upon moving forward.
10. Portland Fire (8-9, W1)
Previous Ranking: 11 (+1)
The Portland Fire will have a week off in between games after defeating the Seattle Storm 94-89 on Wednesday. Bridget Carleton and Carla Leite both reached the 20-point mark as a struggling Portland offense eclipsed 90 points for the first time since May 30. A stretch of four straight games against Chicago, Washington, and Seattle could help propel the Fire back into playoff position after a mostly unimpressive June.
11. Toronto Tempo (8-9, L1)
Previous Ranking: 9 (-2)
Losses to Indiana and Atlanta sandwiched a four-point win over Connecticut. The Toronto Tempo have now lost four of their last five and fall below .500 for the first time since May 23. They've allowed 90 points or more in four straight games, including a season-worst mark of 113 to the Fever on Tuesday. As a result, the Tempo own the league's worst scoring defense at 91.8 points allowed per game -- a title owned by the Sparks for much of the early portion of this season.
After recording 23 points and 4 assists against the Atlanta Dream last night, Marina Mabrey has now scored 20+ points in four of her last six games.
— I talk hoops 🏀 (@trendyhoopstars) June 23, 2026
Here’s a look at her numbers during that stretch. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/8IFftsdhSA
Marina Mabrey has scored 20-plus points in four of her last six games, and popped off for a career-high 37 points Friday in a 101-97 win over her former Sun squad Friday. Her efforts will be wasted if the Tempo can't tighten it up defensively, though.
12. Phoenix Mercury (5-13, L1)
Previous Ranking: 12 (--)
The Phoenix Mercury couldn't capitalize on a 19-6 first-quarter advantage against Indiana on Monday, instead falling by nine by the final whistle. They've now lost four of their last five, with the lone win coming against the Storm on Saturday. Zooming out even further, it's 11 losses in 14 games for a Phoenix team that can't seem to put it together. The Mercury have handled themselves capably against the likes of Seattle, Portland, and Chicago, but it's been tough sledding against virtually everyone else.
13. Connecticut Sun (3-15, W1)
Previous Ranking: 15 (+2)
The Sun are still tied for last place in the standings, but they've escaped the cellar of our power rankings for the first time this season. Behind a team-high 14-point game from Brittney Griner and a double-double from Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut routed Chicago 92-63 on Monday. It marks the seventh-widest margin of victory across the WNBA in 2026, fueled by the Sun's best defensive effort of the season.
Connecticut entered play riding a seven-game losing streak, but it was a dominant enough statement to move them up a couple of spots.
14. Chicago Sky (4-12, L6)
Previous Ranking: 13 (-1)
The Sky don't own the league's longest active losing streak thanks to the team in No. 15 of our power rankings, but it doesn't make their six-game skid feel any better. Chicago is winless since June 5 after a shellacking at the hands of the last-place Sun. They're 2-10 since Rickea Jackson was shutdown for the season with a torn ACL.
Strong performances from Kamilla Cardoso and Sydney Taylor were wasted last week. It's worth wondering whether coach Tyler Marsh makes it through this season, even with the reasonable excuse of poor injury luck on his side.
Seattle Storm (3-15, L11)
Previous Ranking: 14 (-1)
The Storm have lost 11 straight games -- the longest losing streak in the WNBA this season, active or not. Even a couple of strong offensive showings from second-year center Dominique Malonga couldn't stop the skid. Malonga posted a 28-point, 11-rebound double-double Wednesday against Portland, but the Storm fell 94-89. She raised the bar two games later with a career-high 37 points in an overtime thriller that saw Dallas escape 112-110.
DOMINIQUE MALONGA TONIGHT 🔥🔥
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) June 23, 2026
• 37 POINTS (!!!!)
• 12 REBOUNDS
• 2 BLOCKS
• 14/24 FG (!!)
• 38 MINUTES PLAYED pic.twitter.com/JZ699xOEJx
There's enough talent on this Seattle squad to save them from a last-place finish come September, but there's simply no denying that they've been the worst team in the WNBA this month.
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Lou Orlando is a Fordham University alum, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. At Rose Hill, he covered women's basketball for the university newspaper, the Fordham Ram. In addition to calling games on 90.7 FM. The Brooklyn native enjoys bagels and thinking about random early-2010s athletes, that is when he isn't penning stories for Women's Fastbreak and Indiana Fever On SI.
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