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As a courtesy to everyone, I want to give you this quick note: the WNBA starts today. I’m sure you’ve all been anxiously awaiting the league’s return and knew it, but just in case, I wanted to let you know. I love the league for many reasons, but one of them is that I find good value in the teams and the games. I’m going to share some thoughts on some future ones for this year. Tomorrow I will have my first official play.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert presents the Most Valuable Player award to A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces following her victory in Game 4 of the 2025 WNBA Finals at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 10, 2025. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Champion
I don’t have an overwhelming feeling about any particular team to win the championship, but there are some clear favorites. The Aces have won three of the last four and have the best player in the league. The New York Liberty are the +220 favorite, and it makes a lot of sense with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. The Fever are +450 after reaching the semifinals last season without Caitlin Clark. I don’t see them repeating that success, but it’s certainly possible. They are a deep team.
For value, I’d lean toward the Minnesota Lynx, last season’s top team at +800. But they have lost a lot of depth. The Fever are my next favorites for their depth and continuity. However, the Liberty are good value for money.
CAITLIN CLARK FEVER MAKES SEVERAL KEY SIGNINGS IN OFFSEASON IN CHAMPIONSHIP PURSUIT
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays during the first half against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on April 25, 2026. (Images by John Jones-Imagn)
Win Totals
The Chicago Sky stand out to me as potentially the worst franchise in the entire WNBA. This team is going to be decent, but I have a lot of questions about where the offense will come from. They have a lot of veterans: DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins, Courtney Vandersloot and Natasha Cloud. At this point in their careers, most of them are known for defense more than offense. I like those under 19.5.
The Los Angeles Sparks went 21-23 last season and should improve this year. They have Cameron Brink for a full season and Nneka Ogwumike returning. Kelsey Plum showed that she could carry the team’s scoring load. She is one of the most reliable scorers in the league. I have some questions about their depth, but I like guys over 25.5.
AZZI FUDD QUESTIONS WNBA REFS BEFORE PLAYING REGULAR SEASON GAME AS DALLAS WINGS ROOKIE
The Dallas Wings are probably my favorite bet this season. I expect them to improve significantly after going 10-34 last season. They got the number one overall pick and chose Azzi Fudd to pair with Paige Bueckers. The UConn duo should be elite this year. As the third scorer, Arike Ogunbowale is one of the best options in the league. I love the signing of Alanna Smith. He does a little bit of everything, from scoring to rebounding to defense. I’ll stick with the largest of 22.5.
The WNBA logo is displayed on the court before a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 25, 2025. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Awards
A’ja Wilson is a beast on defense, and at +250 I think we still have a good value for the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson has won three of the last four, tying Alanna Smith last year. Napheesa Collier is the other winner. Cameron Brink is a great value at +1200. She has a great presence at the rim and is athletic enough to change positions.
Fudd is listed as the second favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. I could see her not winning because she’s probably a second or third option on her team. I guess Fudd won’t get enough credit for the Wings’ improvement to justify the win. I like Lauren Betts at +700. She will be an offensive force for the Mystics. Washington isn’t a good team, but that means Betts will probably have more career.
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Last little note: I’ll assign Bueckers’ MVP at +1400. She will be the focal point of her team and they will improve a lot. Now, with more talent around him, he is likely to lead them to the playoffs. Clark probably won’t play enough and Wilson could suffer from election fatigue. I like the odds on her.
Let’s get to the season. Remember, all WNBA tickets are charged the same as any other sport.
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