WNBA Power Rankings: Nothing Can Stop the Lynx Right Now

There is a new team to beat in the WNBA. Few thought the Lynx could compete at the highest level without their star, and after losing so much talent in the offseason, but Cheryl Reeve’s team is proving those doubters wrong. Thanks to a lockdown defense, a savvy veteran addition, and an unruffled rookie, Minnesota looks like an early championship contender.

1. Minnesota Lynx

Previous ranking: 2

No Napheesa Collier? No problem. The Lynx sit atop the league standings despite missing their star (who is recovering from two ankle surgeries) and after enduring a mass exodus of their rotation players during the offseason. Rookie Olivia Miles has stepped up as Minnesota’s floor general, running the team’s offense with composure. Veteran Natasha Howard has been on a tear as well, leading the Lynx in points (17.3) and playing off Miles with ease. Reeve knows how to get players to buy in, and this Minnesota side has done just that, boasting the best defensive rating in the league.

2. Atlanta Dream

Previous ranking: 1

After falling to the Lynx, 96–81, on Wednesday, the Dream responded with blowing out the Fire by 20 points two days later. Angel Reese logged a double-double, with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists to help lead Atlanta past Portland. Karl Smesko’s team won the turnover battle 15–28 and held the Fire to just 66 points, indicative of the team’s stifling defense, which is rated second in the league.

3. Dallas Wings

Previous ranking: 4

Take a bow, Jessica Shepard. The 29-year-old notched 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for a monster (and historic) triple-double in the Wings’ win over the Aces on Thursday. Shepard also did a great job of facilitating and setting up Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, who scored 22 and 20 points, respectively. With the No. 1 pick settling in, Dallas is looking more like a contender, holding the second-best net rating (7.9) in the league.

4. Las Vegas Aces

Previous ranking: 6

Becky Hammon’s team shook off a frustrating loss to the Wings by charging to a 10-point win over the Valkyries on Sunday. With as consistently dominant as A’ja Wilson is, Las Vegas tends to go as its guards go. Jackie Young had her best game of the season against Golden State, putting up 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

5. Golden State Valkyries

Previous ranking: 5

Before falling to the Aces, the Valkyries took it to the Fever defensively, playing disciplined basketball to pull off a 90–88 win. Veronica Burton led the charge with 25 points, six rebounds and five blocks. Las Vegas was a tougher matchup for Golden State, as it already struggles on the interior—with the lowest field goal percentage in the league—even without facing off against Wilson. However, the Valkyries have the second-highest net rating in the WNBA, thanks to a top-tier defense and holding the league’s best three-point percentage.

6. New York Liberty

Previous ranking: 9

The Liberty rebounded after a three-game skid, cruising to back-to-back wins at home over the Mercury. However, there are still plenty of lingering questions in New York, mostly about the team’s personnel. Satou Sabally missed Wednesday’s game before playing for 10 minutes in Friday’s matchup against her former team. Sabrina Ionescu has played in only one game this season, sidelined by an ankle injury and now by back soreness.

7. Portland Fire

Previous ranking: 8

The Fire are 6–4, a record few would’ve predicted before the season kicked off. Portland dropped 100 points on the Fever in Saturday’s win, with Megan Gustafson scoring a game-high 22 points, while Carla Leite notched 18 points and 12 assists. Sarah Ashlee Barker was once again clutch off the bench, draining three three-pointers in her 15-point outing. The expansion side has found a way to get the most out of its players, maximizing the potential of many on the roster.

8. Indiana Fever

Previous ranking: 3

The Fever made waves last week after an exchange between Caitlin Clark and Stephanie White during a timeout went viral. Clark and White downplayed the back-and-forth that unfolded during the Valkyries game, with White telling the media on Monday, “I think what happened in that moment is I was challenging a player. It’s coaching, it’s what it is.” Meanwhile, Clark said of White, “That’s somebody I will ride for for the rest of my life.”

As overblown as Clark and White said the incident was, it did shed light on Clark as a potential defensive liability, with opponents hunting her and trying to isolate her. There are certainly adjustments Indiana can make to help Clark, but she will also have to work on that aspect of her game.

Cheryl Miller and Sue Bird break down the viral moment of Caitlin Clark getting subbed out by her coach Stephanie White after a disagreement during a timeout. pic.twitter.com/fazxeo4zyB
— WNBA on NBC and Peacock (@WNBAonNBC) June 1, 2026

9. Toronto Tempo

Previous ranking: 11

Kiki Rice asserted herself in the Rookie of the Year discussion, averaging 16.6 points on 55.2% shooting and 6.3 rebounds over the past three games. The Tempo guard has thrived since earning a starting spot on Sandy Brondello’s squad, showcasing her ability to drive and finish at the rim. Toronto is riding a two-game winning streak after defeating the Sky and Storm, with Rice rounding into form.

10. Los Angeles Sparks

Previous ranking: 7

A Kelsey Plum–less Sparks team fell to a one-win Sun team 84–81 on Saturday. Plum leads the league in points per game (26.8) and has been the engine for Los Angeles’s offense. The 31-year-old is expected to miss several games before being re-evaluated for a right ankle sprain. The Sparks will have to weather the storm without Plum, whose firepower has helped mask the league’s worst defense.

11. Washington Mystics

Previous ranking: 12

The Mystics defeated the Storm before falling to the Sparks on Friday. Washington has struggled to find its offensive rhythm, sitting 12th in points per game (83.4), 14th in turnovers per game (15.6) and holding the third-worst net rating. The team’s young players have yet to find their footing, as to be expected, with first-year players like Georgia Amoore, Alicia Florez Getino, Cassandre Prosper, Cotie McMahon and Lauren Betts getting considerable minutes.

12. Chicago Sky

Previous ranking: 13

The Sky have lost four consecutive games, falling to the Lynx and Tempo last week. Chicago has looked lost without leading scorer Rickea Jackson, who is out for the season after tearing her ACL during the team’s May 17 game against the Lynx. The Sky are also without Gabriela Jaquez—who has impressed early in her rookie season, averaging 11.5 points and 5.3 rebounds in six games—due to a knee injury.

13. Seattle Storm

Previous ranking: 10

The Storm mustered just 56 points in their loss to the Wings on Monday night. Seattle has now lost three games in a row, struggling without Dominique Malonga, who is still out due to a concussion. Rookie Awa Fam is also working her way into the lineup after finishing her international duties in Spain. This is another case of a young team looking to find its footing, and as a result, Seattle has yet to gain offensive momentum, ranking 14th in points per game (78.7).

14. Connecticut Sun

Previous ranking: 15

In a silver lining to a challenging year, the Sun earned their second win of the season, defeating the Sparks on Saturday. Aneesah Morrow, who leads the team in points and rebounds, put up a double-double against Los Angeles, finishing with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Much like the Mystics, the Sun are a young team looking to identify combinations that work and uncover winning lineups.

15. Phoenix Mercury

Previous ranking: 14

Things have taken a turn for the worse in Phoenix. The Mercury are amid a six-game skid, capped by an 111–77 loss to the Lynx on Monday. Phoenix has one of the worst defenses in the league and has struggled on offense, too, trying to make up for the absence of Sabally, who left in free agency. Kahleah Copper is shooting a career-worst 33.7% from the field, and the Mercury will need their offensive spark plug to improve that figure if they hope to turn things around.

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