2026 WNBA Season Preview: Top Things to Know Ahead of Friday’s Tip-Off

From new franchises, to departing teams to records on the horizon, there’s lots to look forward to in the 30th WNBA season

A WNBA basketball sits on the court during a WNBA game in Los Angeles on May 19, 2023. Jeff Lewis/AP Photo

The 2026 WNBA season marks a milestone for the league, as it’s the 30th season in the history of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

The year gets underway on Friday and runs through Sept. 24 before the playoffs take over.

Much has transpired in the seven months since the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Phoenix Mercury for the championship, including player movement, the addition of new franchises, and the swan song for one team in its current location.

Here are the top things to know ahead of the W tipping off on Friday.

Hello Tempo and Fire

The WNBA is in the midst of rapid expansion, with six franchises joining the league over a six-year span.

Last year welcomed the Golden State Valkyries into the fold, and this year will see the debuts of the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.

The two debutantes went in different directions in terms of selecting head coaches, as Toronto will be coached by Sandy Bordello, who has won a pair of WNBA championships and was the 2014 Coach of the Year winner.

Meanwhile, Portland chose Alex Sarama to lead it as he will have his first head coaching job in the United States.

Goodbye Connecticut Sun

Relocation is a big part of the WNBA’s history, and the next example will come at the conclusion of the 2026 WNBA season.

The Connecticut Sun will play their 28th and final season, after which they will relocate to Houston and be re-branded as the Houston Comets, which was the league’s first dynasty in winning the first four WNBA championships.

Thus, the fans in Connecticut will only get one season to see prized free-agent addition Brittney Griner as one of their own. The future Hall of Famer, who spent last year with the Atlanta Dream, signed with the Sun in the offseason in anticipation of the relocation to Houston, as Griner is a native of the city.

Record Breakers

Speaking of Griner, she is 19 blocks away from surpassing Margo Dydek for the most blocked shots in league history. An eight-time blocks leader and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Griner has never had fewer than 22 blocks in a season, and that came in a 12-game stint in 2020.

Courtney Vandersloot also has a chance—a slim chance—to make WNBA history. She is currently second all-time in assists and 349 away from breaking Sue Bird’s mark. With a 44-game season, that would require Vandersloot to average 7.9 assists while playing in every game.

Courtney Vandersloot #22 of the Chicago Sky controls the ball against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half at Crypto.com Arena Los Angeles on May 25, 2025. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

She has averaged at least 7.9 assists six times in her career, but Vandersloot is always recovering from a torn ACL and won’t be ready for the start of the season. Thus, the Chicago Sky point guard may have to wait until 2027 to become the WNBA’s Queen of Dimes.

Azzi in Big D

In 2025, the Dallas Wings selected an all-time great from the UConn Huskies first overall in Paige Bueckers. In 2026, the Dallas Wings selected an all-time great from the UConn Huskies first overall in Azzi Fudd. In 2027, the Dallas Wings would love to select an all-time great from the UConn Huskies in the WNBA Draft, but they’re praying they’re not bad enough to warrant having the No. 1 overall pick.

Fudd joins her college teammate in Dallas after the two won the NCAA Championship together in 2025. This is the fifth time in WNBA history that a team has had the No. 1 pick in back-to-back drafts, and Fudd brings elite shooting to the Wings.

She knocked down 45 percent of her 3-pointers and 96 percent of her free throws last year with Connecticut, as both marks topped the WNBA leaders in those respective stats from last season.

Old Faces in New Places

A number of notable players are in new squads this year, including Nneka Ogwumike, returning to the Los Angeles Sparks. She spent her first dozen years with the team, winning both an MVP and a championship, before spending the last two seasons in Seattle.

Meanwhile, Angel Reese will help fill the void left by Griner’s departure from Atlanta to join the Connecticut Sun. The two-time All-Star, who also topped the WNBA in rebounds in each of the last two years, was traded from the Chicago Sky to the Atlanta Dream for a pair of first-round picks.

Angel Reese #5 of the Rose drives to the basket against Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Laces during the second quarter of the Unrivaled 2026 game at Sephora Arena in Medley on Feb. 22, 2026. Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images

Reese’s departure from The Windy City certainly played a part in the franchise’s then-bringing in Skylar Diggins on a two-year contract.

A seven-time All-Star, Diggins spent the last two years with the Seattle Storm and will now play for her fourth franchise. This one is, almost, a homecoming for the soon-to-be 36-year-old who was born and raised roughly 100 miles east of Chicago in South Bend, Indiana.

Dynasty in the Desert

The Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions, as they’ve won three out of the last four WNBA titles (2022-23, 2025). Winning another this year would make them the first franchise to go back-to-back multiple times, and they would also match the league’s all-time record for most franchise titles.

The aforementioned Houston Comets, along with the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm, are the winningest franchises in WNBA history, with four titles apiece.

The Aces can match those squads this year, as could a couple of other franchises. The Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, and Dallas Wings also have three WNBA championships in their histories and are seeking to become the fourth with four.