WNBA Power Rankings: Fever Rise After Caitlin Clark Ignites Momentum Shift
After trudging through a turbulent start to the season, the Fever are finally operating with a full roster. Superstar Caitlin Clark’s return—after missing nearly half the season with injuries—has reenergized the squad, as Indiana has notched a pair of statement wins that signal a big shift in momentum.
Meanwhile in Phoenix, Alyssa Thomas is storming through the league, powering the Mercury to look nearly unstoppable as WNBA All-Star weekend approaches.
1. The Phoenix Mercury
Alyssa Thomas has been the engine that’s led the Mercury to beat top teams in the standings. Claiming five wins in their last seven games, Phoenix has knocked down the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty (twice). Her triple-double stat-line against the Dallas Wings on July 7 only strengthened Thomas' case as an MVP contender. Still, eyebrows were raised when Thomas was named to the All-Star reserve squad rather than earning a starting spot—despite her standout performances.
2. The Minnesota Lynx
The Lynx have been going through a tough stretch playing eight games in the past fourteen days. The fatigue showed July 12 as the Chicago Sky were able to grind out a win over Minnesota in an edge-of-your-seat battle royal. MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier still put up a stellar stat line with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks––but the Lynx lacked the stamina to outlast Chicago.
3. The New York Liberty
The Liberty entered Sunday’s matchup against the Dream with a chip on their shoulder after falling to Atlanta June 29. Though things looked bleak heading into halftime, New York rallied from an early 19-point deficit, putting their championship pedigree on full display and proving their ability to lock in when it matters most.
4. The Indiana Fever
The Fever finally have a full roster back in action, with offensive engine Caitlin Clark setting the pace in her long-awaited showdown against Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers—their first meeting since college. Indiana delivered a blowout win over Dallas and a dominant victory against Atlanta on July 11, sliding them above both the Dream and Storm in this week’s rankings due to their head-to-head wins. The key for the Fever will be maintaining consistency in upcoming matchups against the Sun and the Liberty before the All-Star break.
5. The Seattle Storm
Gabby Williams and Skylar Diggins make this team very entertaining to watch. And 19-year old rookie Dominique Malonga’s 11 points and 7 rebounds in five minutes against the Liberty June 6 was a standout performance. But there are flaws in their game that make them very hit-or-miss this season. Their victories against New York made them look like a serious threat, but their losses against lower teams in the standings reveal a glaring inconsistency that has bumped them down a few spots in the rankings this week.
6. The Atlanta Dream
The Atlanta Dream have dropped five of their last seven games, sliding two spots in this week’s rankings. While Allisha Gray continues to post solid numbers, her production has dipped from the MVP-caliber performances she showed earlier in the season. A 17-point loss to the Fever and a blown 19-point lead against the Liberty on Sunday highlight a tough midseason slump for the Dream, leaving them with a 12-9 record
7. The Washington Mystics
The Mystics are the definition of the little engine that could. This young, scrappy core refuses to back down—something they proved again Sunday with a comeback win over the Storm after trailing by double digits. Rookie Sonia Citron sparked the rally with back-to-back buckets, including a clutch 25-foot three-pointer in helping lead the Mystics to victory. Now riding a three-game win streak, this gritty Washington team has heads on a swivel, and should be taken seriously.
8. The Las Vegas Aces
Though giving up three of their last five games, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson put down a jaw-dropping 34 points shooting 75% from the field in a nail-biter against the Golden State Valkyries Saturday. Jackie Young also stepped way up––dropping a 30 piece to help the Aces eke out a 104-102 victory. Still, the team’s heavy reliance on Wilson—who was sidelined for two of those recent losses—remains a concern. With three other Olympians on the roster, Las Vegas will need more consistent contributions across the board to be competitive in a league full of talent.
9. The Golden State Valkyries
Though they’ve slid in this week’s rankings––losing three of their last four games––the Valkyries’ fast pace and relentless grit have made them one of the season’s most unexpected standouts. Veronica Burton, who came off the bench for Connecticut last year, has made a significant leap at point guard—highlighted by a stellar assist to turnover ratio. And with the plethora of young talent such as Janelle Salaün, Carla Leite and Kate Martin, there's little doubt this team has what it takes to come back from the tough stretch they've been on.
10. The Chicago Sky
Angel Reese’s dominance continued as she went toe-to-toe against Napheesa Collier Saturday when the Sky faced off against the Lynx. These two are always cinema on the court and though Chicago sits at No. 10 and Minnesota No. 1, the Sky came out on top of the battle. Ariel Atkins poured in a monster 27 points and Kamilla Cardoso and Reese crashed the glass––combining for a total of 26 boards. Winning three of their last five games, Chicago looks to be finding their stride as a team.
11. The Dallas Wings
The rookies on the Wings––Paige Bueckers, JJ Quinerly and Azaiaha James––have been very entertaining when they’re playing well. The addition of Li Yueru has also been a solid presence in the paint for Dallas. But Sunday’s blowout loss to the Fever revealed there is still a lot to improve on. Arike Ogunbowale returned after being sidelined with injury but went 0-10 in the field, and the Dallas defense let Fever players get wide open down the floor for easy transition layups over and over without adjustments.
12. The Los Angeles Sparks
Four of the Sparks starters put up double-digits in their win against the Sun Sunday. Azurá Stevens left with a double-double while also stuffing the stats. But the lack of cohesion in the team leaves them with just six total wins on the season to their fourteen losses. The Sparks recently waived their backup center Mercedes Russell, leaving many to wonder if Los Angeles is clearing the way for Cameron Brink to return to the lineup after suffering an ACL injury last season that’s had her sidelined since.
13. The Connecticut Sun
The Sun managed to pick up their third win of the season against the Seattle Storm July 9––where Tina Charles dropped a big 29 points and 11 rebounds––but fell to them in the rematch July 11. Still, since Leïla Lacan has joined the squad, there looks to be improvements in the team's rhythm. They still sit at the bottom of the rankings after falling to the Sparks Sunday in a narrow 92-88 loss, and obviously have a long ways to go.
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Rosalina Lee is one of the premiere content creators in the women’s basketball space. She has written for such companies as Red Bull Sports and has teamed up with notable brands such as Madison Square Garden, going behind the scenes with the New York Knicks and Rangers. She is currently offering analysis and fresh takes into the world of women’s basketball on her YouTube channel, and now with Indiana Fever On SI and Women's Fastbreak On SI, keeping fans in the loop with all the latest action!
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