The 2024 WNBA season is (unofficially) underway, and things already are electric. Arike Ogunbowale spoiled Caitlin Clark’s 21-point pro debut with a game-winning 3, an estimated 800,000 viewers tuned into a fan’s livestream of the Lynx-Sky preseason match and the Sparks prevailed over the Storm in the second edition of the WNBA Canada Game.
As preseason action rolls on (much of it, unfortunately, not televised), here’s what else is happening around the W:
WNBA rules changes
The WNBA has implemented two rule changes ahead of the 2024 season.
First, if a coach’s challenge is successful, they now will have access to a second challenge. To use a challenge, the team still must have a timeout available.
Speaking of timeouts, the league has changed the distribution of timeouts. Rather than four full timeouts and two 20-second timeouts, teams now have five “team” timeouts, essentially a full timeout, and one “reset” timeout, which can be used in the final two minutes of a game or in overtime to advance the ball and/or make substitutions, but not for huddles with the coaching staff and players.
The WNBA will usher in a pair of rule changes for the 2024 season, revising the replay challenge format while also eliminating 20-second timeouts. https://t.co/W2Bae1eF8C
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) May 2, 2024
Aces ink Gray, Young to extensions
The Las Vegas Aces are doing their best to ensure they become a dynasty, signing Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young to contract extensions this week. Both players now are under contract through the 2025 season; A’ja Wilson already was under contract through next season. Kelsey Plum is signed through the end of this season.
Dream trade for Dangerfield
On Saturday, the Atlanta Dream strengthened their rotation through the addition of 2020 Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield. Atlanta sent a 2025 third-round draft pick to the Dallas Wings in exchange for Dangerfield.
The acquisition, however, raises some concern about the status of Jordin Canada, who missed the Dream’s first preseason game, a victory over the Washington Mystics, due to a lingering hand injury. It also suggests Atlanta is not yet ready to empower Haley Jones with more primary ball handling responsibilities.
BG shares her story
Brittney Griner has chosen to share how she experienced her months-long detention in a Russian prison in 2022. In anticipation of her memoir, Coming Home, which will be released on Monday, May 7, Griner spoke to Robin Roberts in an exclusive interview for ABC’s “20/20” that aired on May 1.
In an exclusive interview with Robin Roberts and GMA, BG shares for the first time her journey and what to expect in her book COMING HOME. Watch the full feature streaming on Hulu.
Pre-order here ➡️ https://t.co/nw8Xzm0l36 pic.twitter.com/AJa7kxYvfn
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) May 2, 2024
Fever taking travel precautions
Last season, Griner and members of the Phoenix Mercury were harassed at the Dallas airport by a right-wing provocateur. While the league had indicated that Griner had permission to fly private, the option was not initially available, resulting in the unsafe incident that shook Griner and her teammates. From that point forward, Griner took charter flights to road games.
The league’s continued reliance on commercial travel (despite the willingness of some ownership groups to pay for private conveyance) combined with the increasing prominence of WNBA players creates the conditions for more bad actors, as well as over-eager fans, to put players in precarious, uncomfortable positions. The Indiana Fever insist the organization is getting out ahead of potential problems, planning to provide extra security precautions.
The Indiana Fever are taking “all the precautions” to ensure safety while traveling commercial. https://t.co/hznQr5WZsp
— ESPN Women’s Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) May 1, 2024
Hopefully, no problems will emerge, only more momentum toward making sure that charter flights are standard for all WNBA teams under the new CBA, which is expected to be negotiated after the 2024 season and implemented in 2025.