Atlanta Dream

Atlanta improved dramatically in 2022 and will look to become a legitimate playoff contender after barely missing the postseason last year. We already know what we’re going to get from reigning Rookie of the Year Rhyne Howard (16.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in 2022) and forward Cheyenne Parker (11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds), and adding the steady Allisha Gray via trade gives the Dream another dependable player who can contribute on both ends of the court.

For Atlanta to truly take the next step, however, the Dream will need a fourth player to become a regular contributor; guard Aari McDonald, who averaged 16 points and 4.7 assists per game as a spot starter in 2022, will have the opportunity to do so, as will 2023 first-round draft pick Haley Jones.

Chicago Sky

After a miserable offseason in which the Sky lost several All-Stars and an entire starting lineup, it’s now Kahleah Copper’s team in Chicago, with the dynamic wing set to raise her offensive volume significantly from a year ago (15.7 points on 11.8 field goal attempts per game).

In addition, her supporting cast of Marina Mabrey (13.6 points and 3.7 assists per game in 2022) and Courtney Williams (11.1 points and 4.6 rebounds) will also be in a position to take on more significant roles in their first season with the team, and given that the Sky traded several first-round draft picks for Mabrey, they have little choice but to try to win as many games as they can. Defensively, Chicago will look to play aggressively, meaning that center Elizabeth Williams will be right at home; the former All-Defense honoree has always been a productive per-minute player, so expect lots of defensive stats from her now that she’s back in a situation that will give her those minutes.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun may have a few new faces in their rotation – guard Tiffany Hayes, in particular, gives them an added scoring punch with her ability to get to the rim and the free-throw line – but until further notice, it’s going to continue to be forward Alyssa Thomas and center Brionna Jones doing most of the work for a team that will lean on its defense and rebounding.

Thomas is one of the most productive players in the WNBA, having averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in 2022, and the highly-efficient Jones (56.1% from the field for her career) will now be their primary low-post option after an offseason trade sent Jonquel Jones to New York. Hayes, Natisha Hiedeman, and Rebecca Allen will be contributors in tertiary scoring roles, especially from behind the 3-point line, but make no mistake about it – the Sun will go as far as their top-end talent carries them, and recent history suggests that’ll be pretty far.

Dallas Wings

The Wings will once again be Arike Ogunbowale’s team in 2023, though they’ve surrounded the high-volume guard with a different array of pieces than in years past. They invested big money in center Teaira McCowan in hopes that she can match the 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game she averaged as a starter last season, and added former Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard to their frontcourt, all but ensuring that the team will have a significantly greater paint presence than it did previously.

As usual, versatile forward Satou Sabally remains one of the most tantalizing upside plays in the league, while second-year point guard Veronica Burton will have the opportunity to contribute assists and steals as Ogunbowale’s new backcourt partner. As for Ogunbowale herself, she’s finished fifth or higher in scoring in each of her first four WNBA seasons, and there’s no reason to think she won’t be pushing at least 20 points per game once again in 2023.

Indiana Fever

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The Fever are rebuilding. There’s hope, though, as 2023’s #1 overall draft pick Aliyah Boston has infused life and optimism into the once-proud franchise. Together with 2022 All-Rookie honoree NaLyssa Smith, Boston is on the fast track to becoming one of the WNBA’s most feared centers, thanks to a top-notch shot-blocking ability and polished low-post footwork.

Guard Kelsey Mitchell (18.4 points and 4.2 assists per game in 2022) has been languishing in Indiana for quite some time now, and while the Fever will probably have to let their youngsters develop for another year or so before seeing results in the standings, there’s reason to be excited about this team that we haven’t seen in a while.

Las Vegas Aces

The rich got richer in Las Vegas when the defending WNBA champs added the legendary Candace Parker to their frontcourt. While she won’t play as large of a role for the Aces as she did her last two seasons in Chicago, Parker’s playmaking ability will further maximize the talents of stars A’ja Wilson (19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in 2022), Kelsey Plum (20.2 points, 3.1 made 3-pointers, and 5.1 assists), and Jackie Young (15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists).

Meanwhile, point guard Chelsea Gray will look to continue her historic efficiency from last year’s postseason in addition to being one of the league’s top distributors (6.1 assists). There’s not much to say about the Aces that hasn’t already been covered; they’re the best team in the WNBA until proven otherwise, and it would be a surprise if they don’t make it back to the Finals in 2023.

Los Angeles Sparks

The Sparks cleaned house after an embarrassing 2022 season, but it didn’t take long for new head coach Curt Miller to be dealt a rough hand. Preseason injuries have already done a number on the Sparks’ perimeter depth, so expect to see some three-guard lineups, including Lexie Brown and rookie Zia Cooke, while Jordin Canada holds down the fort at point guard with her usual defensive tenacity as Jasmine Thomas recovers from an ACL injury.

Fortunately for Los Angeles, the frontcourt situation is a little clearer, which is a luxury for any team that has Nneka Ogwumike; at age 32, the forward shows no signs of slowing down, averaging 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in 2022. Offseason acquisitions Azurá Stevens and Dearica Hamby will also play large roles alongside Ogwumike, with Stevens’ positional versatility, in particular, something Miller is surely chomping at the bit to take advantage of.

Minnesota Lynx

The rebuild is officially underway in Minnesota, and while several players on the Lynx can still produce, we’ll see how much they get scaled back as the development of the team’s youngsters (and draft lottery balls) takes priority. The exception, of course, is Napheesa Collier, who looks to have a bounce-back season; the versatile forward, when healthy, contributes just about everywhere in the box score (16.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game in 2021), and she’ll be the hub of the Lynx rebuild along with prized rookie Diamond Miller, who will be playing starter-level minutes right away.

Where this leaves players like 3-point sharpshooter Kayla McBride and athletic wing Aerial Powers, who had been fixtures in Minnesota’s rotation the past two seasons (30.7 and 24.5 minutes per game, respectively), is uncertain; don’t be surprised if their roles are considerably smaller this time around. On the bright side, guard Tiffany Mitchell will have the opportunity to put up career-best assist numbers as the team’s de facto point guard, and younger bigs like Jessica Shepard (8.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in 2022) and Dorka Juhasz will play key roles as Minnesota searches for its next frontcourt anchor.

New York Liberty

There’s been a neverending buzz around the league since the Liberty managed to sign Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot all in one offseason, adding the trio of stars to current franchise cornerstones Sabrina Ionescu and Betnijah Laney. Is this the WNBA’s next superteam? Probably, but we’ll have to see whose numbers take a hit to make it work. Vandersloot, who hasn’t averaged fewer than 6 assists per game since 2016, should be right at home dishing to the Liberty’s scorers, and her presence should benefit Ionescu’s scoring efficiency.

Stewart, as one of the league’s top players (career averages of 20.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game), is going to get hers regardless. Jones, a former league MVP, will likely take on a lesser offensive role on her new team, though she’ll still rank among the WNBA’s top rebounders and 2-point scorers. That leaves Laney, who had been a prominent fixture of New York’s offense for the past two seasons, as the likely odd player out, though that would theoretically get her defensive numbers (1.4 steals and 1.6 steals per game in 2019 and 2020, respectively) back to where they Liberty need them to be. As a unit, New York is extremely talented; the only question is how quickly the Liberty will be able to get their stars firing on all cylinders.

Phoenix Mercury

Brittney Griner is back, but who on Phoenix will complement her? The clock is ticking on guard Diana Taurasi’s storied career, and while she’s still perfectly capable of filling it up from the free throw line (4.1 makes per game in 2022) and from beyond the arc (3.0 makes), the risk of her missing a significant number of games continues to grow. Sophie Cunningham had a breakout 2022 as a small-ball power forward, averaging 15 points and three 3-point makes per game in her final 19 games, but it’s unlikely she repeats that performance now that she’s been shifted back to her natural small forward position.

Other additions like forward Michaela Onyenwere and guard Moriah Jefferson will have the opportunity to produce, too, but right now it’s all theoretical; beyond Griner’s usual scoring and shot-blocking excellence, there are a lot of questions the Mercury need to answer if they’re going to return to contention.

Seattle Storm

There may not be a swifter fall from grace in the WNBA than what the Storm have experienced, quickly going from a perennial title contender to a rebuilding team with the loss of Breanna Stewart (free agency) and Sue Bird (retirement). Guard Jewell Loyd is still around, though, and the career 15.4 point per game scorer’s light to shoot the basketball will be neon green while the Storm search for an identity. Young center Ezi Magbegor averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game as a starter last season, and it’s entirely possible that she repeats those numbers in 2023.

Rookies Jordan Horston and Jade Melbourne both have the potential to stuff the stat sheet, and with Seattle firmly in player development mode, they’ll likely get that opportunity as the season goes on and the Storm play for draft lottery balls.

Washington Mystics

The hype surrounding New York and Las Vegas may make 2023 seem like a two-team race, but don’t sleep on Washington, which fielded the league’s best defense last season and added perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate Brittney Sykes (2.0 steals and 0.7 blocks per game in 2022) to its perimeter. Ariel Atkins (13.4 points and 1.5 steals per game and 36.6% on 3-pointers) is as steady as they come, while point guard Natasha Cloud (10.7 points and a league-leading 7.0 assists per game in 2022) just keeps getting better.

Meanwhile, second-year center Shakira Austin has a seemingly-unlimited ceiling and will undoubtedly take a step forward after averaging 8.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 21.6 minutes as a rookie. And do we even need to mention Elena Delle Donne? When healthy, she’s perhaps the most talented offensive player in the league; points, rebounds, 3-pointers, and, of course, historically accurate free throw shooting are all guarantees when she’s on the floor. Expect a top-4 finish from the Mystics this season at worst.