The greatest query dealing with each WNBA crew when coaching camp opens Sunday

The 2025 WNBA season is formally upon us. Training camps open around the league Sunday and preseason video games tip off May 2.

It’s a handy guide a rough turnaround for novices like Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 select on this month’s draft who helped UConn win the NCAA identify 3 weeks in the past. But it additionally marks a extremely expected go back for the WNBA at the heels of an eventful offseason that includes a slew of latest head training hires, the formation of the league’s newest growth crew and a number of avid gamers becoming a member of new groups in unfastened company.

The following few weeks will give us our first look at how all the ones strikes are panning out earlier than issues begin to depend for actual when the common season opens May 16. Between from time to time, groups will reduce down their rosters to 11 or 12 avid gamers; they’re allowed to have 18 actively collaborating avid gamers at any given time all over camp.

ESPN takes a take a look at the largest questions dealing with every of the 13 WNBA groups heading into coaching camp.

Jump to: ATL | CHI | CON | DAL | GS |
IND | LV | LA | MIN | NY | PHO | SEA | WAS

2024 report: 15-25 (8th position), misplaced in first around of playoffs
Season opener: at Washington (May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones

How will the Dream play beneath new trainer Karl Smesko? Coach Tanisha Wright used to be fired regardless of making the playoffs the previous two seasons. The Dream went to the school ranks for her alternative: Smesko used to be a hit together with his emphasis on 3-point capturing in 22 seasons at Florida Gulf Coast. The Dream additionally introduced in two elite publish avid gamers in Griner (17.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and Jones (13.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG). How will Smesko use that more or less skill? Probably rather well: Atlanta used to be final within the league in scoring reasonable (77 PPG) and box objective proportion (40.8) final season, which Smesko must be capable to assist the Dream enhance. — Michael Voepel

2024 report: 13-27 (10th)
Season opener: vs. Indiana (May 17, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Projected beginning lineup: Courtney Vandersloot, Ariel Atkins, Michaela Onyenwere, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso

After being named to the All-Rookie crew final season, what sort of jumps will Reese and Cordoso make in Year 2? They proved to be a handful down low, however either one of their rookie seasons had been reduce brief because of accidents, and their absences performed a component within the Sky falling wanting the playoffs. Now wholesome — Reese spent January-March creating her scoring skill at Unrivaled — each really feel they’re primed to take a step ahead.

In drafting Hailey Van Lith with the 11th select on this 12 months’s draft, the Sky have the possible items to construct a flexible scoring-rebounding triple danger. And including Courtney Vandersloot again into the combination provides them a competent veteran ball handler and scorer. All of that are meant to assist Reese and Cardoso, whose blended expansion shall be a very powerful for Chicago to have a powerful season. — Kendra Andrews

2024 report: 28-12 (3rd position); misplaced in semifinals
Season opener: vs. Washington on May 18 (1 p.m. ET)
Projected beginning lineup: Lindsay Allen, Marina Mabrey, Diamond DeShields, Tina Charles, Olivia Nelson-Ododa

How briefly will the Sun’s new identification forge in camp, and what is going to it appear to be? After shedding trainer Stephanie White to the Fever and all 5 2024 starters in offseason trades/unfastened company, Connecticut is largely ranging from scratch with a brand new trainer (Rachid Meziane) and new avid gamers, apart from Mabrey and Nelson-Ododa. How will those items — nearly all of whom had been bought after Meziane’s hiring — pair together with his supposed taste of play?

While Connecticut introduced in veterans akin to Charles and DeShields, the Sun’s inflow of younger skill (together with first-round alternatives Jacy Sheldon, Leïla Lacan, Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers) suggests they have got a watch towards construction for the long run. That’s one thing to remember because the franchise dwindles down its roster and as soon as the season will get underway. — Alexa Philippou

2024 report: 9-31 (lottery)
Season opener: vs. Minnesota (May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale, DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Teaira McCowan

How will Bueckers and Ogunbowale have compatibility in combination within the Dallas backcourt? Point guard has been a revolving spot for the Wings since they traded Marina Mabrey to Chicago. Dallas has observed a couple of first-round alternatives (Veronica Burton and Jacy Sheldon) come and move whilst additionally beginning journeywoman Crystal Dangerfield and world veteran Sevgi Uzun. The No. 1 select must clear up that downside long-term, specifically as a result of her skill to play off the ball (42% profession 3-point capturing in school) suits neatly with Ogunbowale’s skill to create.

Still, we noticed the training curve final season for Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell in Indiana. The faster Bueckers and Ogunbowale can combine their video games, the easier the Wings’ probabilities of returning to the playoffs. — Kevin Pelton

Season opener: vs. Los Angeles (May 16, 10 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Julie Vanloo, Tiffany Hayes, Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings, Temi Fagbenle

What would be the Valkyries’ identification of their inaugural season? Just days earlier than deciding on Juste Jocyte, Shyanne Sellers and Kaitlyn Chen within the draft, common supervisor Ohemaa Nyanin stated she wasn’t inquisitive about deciding on the face of the franchise during the draft and believes that individual will emerge via camp — however how do they need to outline who they’re? Coach Natalie Nakase has stated she desires to construct a crew that has a aggressive fireplace and powerful paintings ethic, and stylistically performs with tempo and ball motion.

Nakase has spoken extremely about Kate Martin‘s voice — the 2 labored in combination in Las Vegas in 2024 earlier than coming to Golden State — so most likely the second-year guard would be the one Nakase appears to be like to for surroundings the tone. The remainder of Golden State’s roster is made up of veteran function avid gamers, together with Tiffany Hayes, the 2024 Sixth Woman of the Year. How the whole lot and everybody molds in combination would be the major focal point for the Valkyries camp. — Andrews

2024 report: 20-20 (6th), misplaced in first around
Season opener: vs. Chicago (May 17, 3 p.m. ET, ABC)
Projected beginning lineup: DeWanna Bonner, Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark, Natasha Howard, Kelsey Mitchell

Are the Fever championship contenders? They’ve gotten nearer. With a brand new mind consider — together with trainer Stephanie White again in Indiana — and large offseason pickups, the Fever are set as much as construct on final 12 months’s go back to the playoffs. Bonner and Howard are former WNBA champions who convey an enormous quantity of revel in. Sophie Cunningham is some other perimeter scoring danger. Clark and Boston, the final two WNBA Rookie of the Year award winners, clicked neatly final season with every different and veteran guard Mitchell and must be even higher in 2025. A championship is an exceedingly excessive expectation, however sticking round for some time within the playoffs isn’t. — Voepel

2024 report: 27-13 (fourth), misplaced in semifinals
Season opener: at New York (May 17, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Projected beginning lineup: Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd, Kiah Stokes, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young

How will Loyd have compatibility in with Las Vegas? The Aces’ WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023 had been fueled by way of the chemistry between the foursome of Gray, Wilson, Young and Kelsey Plum. With Plum now in Los Angeles, Loyd steps into that function. Loyd used to be the No. 1 draft select in 2015, Plum in 2017; each also are previous Olympians. For their careers, Loyd has averaged 16.9 PPG in 10 seasons with Seattle, and Plum 14.3 in seven with San Antonio/Las Vegas.

Wilson is coming off her 3rd MVP season. But the Aces even have misplaced numerous veteran revel in with Alysha Clark (Seattle), Sydney Colson (Indiana) and Tiffany Hayes (Golden State) shifting on. — Voepel

2024 report: 8-32 (12th)
Season opener: vs. Golden State (May 16, 10 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Kelsey Plum, Rickea Jackson, Dearica Hamby, Odyssey Sims, Azura Stevens

What more or less have an effect on will Kelsey Plum have in Los Angeles? The Sparks are seeking to transfer previous a season during which they struggled with offensive consistency. Plum, who averaged 17.8 PPG and 4.2 APG for the Aces in 2024 and had a 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio, must assist with a few of that. Also, her availability — beginning all 38 of final season’s video games and averaging 34 MPG — shall be vital to Los Angeles, which began 9 other guards during the process final season. But will Plum single-handedly be capable to flip across the Sparks?

Los Angeles could also be looking ahead to the go back of 2024 No. 2 draft select Cameron Brink, who continues to be making her long ago from a torn ACL suffered final June. With Plum and sooner or later Brink at the flooring, Jackson — who’s already an elite scorer — must get extra open appears to be like with opposing defenses desiring to provide her teammates equivalent consideration. — Andrews

2024 report: 30-10 (moment), misplaced in WNBA Finals
Season opener: at Dallas (May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Bridget Carleton, Napheesa Collier, Kayla McBride, Alanna Smith, Courtney Williams

Can Minnesota go back to the Finals? The Lynx have their beginning 5 again from a crew that misplaced the decisive Game 5 of the 2024 Finals in extra time. That’s how shut they had been to successful the franchise’s 5th identify. Collier made a push for MVP attention final season and is predicted to be within the operating once more this 12 months. McBride averaged a career-high 2.7 3-pointers according to sport, whilst Smith (10.1 PPG) and Carleton (9.6) had their profession bests in scoring reasonable.

The Lynx had been sturdy defensively final season, preserving warring parties to simply 75.6 PPG. If they are able to do this once more, they might be taking part in for the identify once more. — Voepel

2024 report: 32-8 (first position); WNBA champion
Season opener: vs. Las Vegas (May 17, 1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Projected beginning lineup: Natasha Cloud, Sabrina Ionescu, Leonie Fiebich, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones

How do the brand new items mesh and what sort of will offseason departures be neglected in New York’s effort to copy? Courtney Vandersloot is long gone, Kayla Thornton used to be misplaced within the growth draft and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is sidelined for far of the common season rehabbing a meniscus damage. But the wealthy nonetheless controlled to get richer with New York signing Marine Johannes and buying and selling for Natasha Cloud to shore up the backcourt.

How will the ones two guards combine with Ionescu and the remainder of the Liberty core? Will avid gamers akin to Rebekah Gardner (who’s coming off an Achilles damage), Kennedy Burke and second-year Marquesha Davis be capable to make up for the absence of Laney-Hamilton? — Philippou

2024 report: 19-21 (7th)
Season opener: vs. Seattle (May 17, 9 p.m. ET)
Projected beginning lineup: Satou Sabally, Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, Sami Whitcomb, Celeste Taylor

Who will usher the Mercury into a brand new technology and not using a Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner? The Mercury’s roster appears to be like wildly other than from a 12 months in the past: taking part in with out Taurasi for the primary time in 20 years after she retired in February, and Griner going to Atlanta. But Phoenix has numerous choices as to who may just now lift the torch. Copper returns after being traded to the Mercury final season. Phoenix additionally landed Sabally and Thomas all over unfastened company, forming a brand new giant 3.

Time will inform if Copper, Sabally and Thomas shall be as a hit subsequent to one another as common supervisor Nick U’Ren hopes, but when his giant swings repay, the Mercury might be in as just right a place as any crew shifting on from two former franchise avid gamers. — Andrews

2024 report: 25-15; misplaced in first around
Season opener: at PHO (May 17, 10 p.m. ET)
Projected beginning lineup: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Alysha Clark, Gabby Williams, Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor

What will Williams supply over a complete season? The final time Williams used to be with the Storm for coaching camp used to be 2022. She re-signed with the crew midseason every of the previous two years after improving from a significant concussion in 2023 and collaborating within the Olympics final summer time, taking part in simply 22 overall WNBA video games.

Williams shall be round from Day 1 this 12 months, and her scoring prowess might be key to changing the departed Jewell Loyd‘s manufacturing. Williams averaged 15.3 PPG as Seattle went 2-1 with out Loyd all over the previous 3 video games of the common season, albeit with each wins in opposition to lottery groups, then averaged a team-high 17.0 PPG with Loyd suffering within the crew’s first-round loss to Las Vegas. — Pelton

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Which crew received the WNBA draft? Andraya Carter makes her select

Andraya Carter explains why she is this type of giant fan of the Washington Mystics’ 3 first-round alternatives within the 2025 WNBA draft.

2024 report: 14-26 (lottery)
Season opener: vs. ATL (May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET, ION)
Projected beginning lineup: Georgia Amoore, Brittney Sykes, Sonia Citron, Aaliyah Edwards, Shakira Austin

How giant a job will Washington’s 3 first-round draft alternatives play this season? No. 3 select Citron turns out a lock to begin, however might be joined by way of both of the crew’s different two most sensible novices. Amoore will struggle fellow Aussie Jade Melbourne at level guard, with the potential for Brittney Sykes sliding over from the wing if the Mystics get started a larger lineup. Meanwhile, No. 4 select Kiki Iriafen is competing with 2024 first-round select Edwards and veteran Stefanie Dolson within the frontcourt. However new Washington trainer Sydney Johnson opts to move, all 3 first-round alternatives must be key portions of the crew’s rotation from Day 1 of what seems like a rebuilding 12 months. — Pelton