Overview
- Opening weekend starts Friday with 15 teams, as Toronto and Portland debut and a 44‑game schedule begins across expanded TV platforms.
- The new collective bargaining agreement runs through 2032 and lifts pay and the salary cap, enabling seven‑figure supermax deals such as A’ja Wilson’s record extension.
- Las Vegas returns its title core led by four‑time MVP A’ja Wilson, while New York adds Satou Sabally to a group anchored by Breanna Stewart as Sabrina Ionescu sits out the first weeks with a foot injury.
- Indiana enters the contender tier with Caitlin Clark cleared after last season’s injuries, and coach Stephanie White plans careful usage to help her handle the longer slate.
- WNBA GMs now pick Dallas guard Paige Bueckers as the top franchise building block over Clark and Wilson, reflecting a bet on youth and availability as the league’s next phase takes shape.