The 2024 WNBA season begins in 10 days, and there’s tons to look forward to.
Swish Appeal’s staff has highlighted 24 things we’re hoping to see during the 2024 season. Here are thoughts from Cat Ariail, Noa Dalzell, Łukasz Muniowski, Eric Nemchock and Edwin Garcia:
More championship contenders
Last season, only four WNBA teams won more than half of their games: the Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings. That means that eight of the league’s 12 teams were below .500 teams. It’d be great to see more parity at the top. Teams like the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever, both of which were toward the bottom of league standings last year, could be due for significant improvements. The Storm, in particular, made a splash in free agency, signing both Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike. The duo should help push another team into championship contention. — Noa Dalzell
New faces in the MVP race
It seems like we’re destined for another A’ja-Stewie-AT MVP showdown. Can another player disrupt that expected hegemony and become a genuine candidate? Napheesa Collier seems like the strongest contender, especially if the Minnesota Lynx exceed expectations. More interestingly, could a guard breakthrough? Not since Diana Taurasi in 2009 has a guard won the award. — Cat Ariail
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Record breakers
I want to see history! Most 3-pointers in a game, biggest blowout, most comeback wins, largest crowd ever—let’s break some records! The game is all about pushing things forward, and if we have some iconic moments during the regular season, I’m all for that. — Edwin Garcia
Availability of Second Spectrum tracking data
The WNBA will finally be using Second Spectrum 3D tracking data starting this season, which is something writers and analysts have been pining for. Right now, it seems like the league will be focusing on using Second Spectrum to enhance its own insights into player performance and develop a wider range of data for its teams. Hopefully, that data will soon become available publicly; it would open up plenty of roads of analysis for those writing about the WNBA, and that’s good for the game. — Eric Nemchock
The dusk of WNBA teams flying commercial
Asked about flying commercial to regular season away games after flying private with Iowa, Caitlin Clark said on Wednesday:
It will definitely be an adjustment, but, you know, it is what it is. I think the CBA is up for renegotiation after the season, we can opt out of it, and certainly the new media rights deal will have a big impact on that too. So, at this point of my career, and across the WNBA, it is what it is.
The WNBPA has the option to opt out of the CBA in 2025, and that decision will partially be dependent on this season’s numbers—the more money the league brings in, the bigger the WNBPA’s leverage in the negotiations will be. If the league wishes to continue to grow, the athletes need to have the comfort to focus on basketball. And making travel easier would definitely boost their performance. — Łukasz Muniowski
Steps towards better working conditions
With more attention on the league, new casual fans are realizing just how ridiculous things are in the WNBA. The fact that WNBA preseason games are hard to watch, practice facilities are poor, flights are commercial and wages are not acceptable for professional athletes in America in the league’s 28th season is unacceptable. With new voices at larger quantities, maybe we can make some of the progress us long-time viewers have been begging for throughout the years. It won’t all happen this season, but I’m optimistic that this is the beginning of the end of poor working conditions for WNBA players. — EG
Chicago Sky developing better facilities for their players
The Sky have been lagging behind the rest of the WNBA for years when it comes to off-court accommodations, and with teams like the Las Vegas Aces, Seattle Storm and Phoenix Mercury recently opening state-of-the-art facilities for their players, that discrepancy has become even more obvious. There have been more than a few whispers about how this affects the Sky when recruiting players in free agency—several players who either recently left Chicago or were reported to be considering the Sky before choosing to sign with a different team have pointed out how valued they feel in their new homes—and those who do play in Chicago, plainly put, deserve better than what they’ve been getting. It would be disappointing if the Sky do not, at the very least, announce plans for developing a more modern and convenient facility this year. — EN
Better storytelling about the league’s existing (and underappreciated) stars
There will undoubtedly be more eyes on the WNBA this season after so much hype and attention surrounding the most recent draft class, headlined by Caitlin Clark. But it’s important that new viewers embrace the veteran stars that have been playing at elite levels for years now. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray aren’t household names, but they’re two of the most critical players on the back-to-back championship Aces. Other elite players like Napheesa Collier and Kahleah Copper don’t have widespread name recognition despite both being some of the best players in the league. Some of the responsibility to draw in viewers to care about these players will fall on the media, and some will fall on teams themselves. The Indiana Fever, for example, have an imperative to get people to care not just about Caitlin Clark, but about the rest of the roster as well. — ND
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Stop seeking validation
There’s more buzz than ever around women’s basketball, with growing appreciation for the skills, smarts and achievements of women hoopers. As such, the league no longer needs to seek the validation of male figures. Excessively promoting prominent men, particularly NBA players, who attend WNBA games on broadcasts or social media platforms not only is unnecessary, but it also reinforces the idea the men’s basketball is superior. The implicit message is that women’s basketball is relevant because men’s basketball players provide their stamp of approval. Stop! We don’t need to see clout-chasing NBA players sitting courtside! Keep the focus on the women on the court! — CA
Embrace the Commissioner’s Cup
The WNBA started the in-season tournament and the NBA copied it…and made it better? They had different jerseys, new courts and teams playing with purpose. I want more if that energy in the W. Let’s have these games mean more. We’re off to a good start with a new format showcasing the games the first week in June and the championship game on June 25. The title games have been electric, but I want energy closer to that during the first couple of weeks of action. Hopefully, we get that. — EG
A more competitive All-Star Game
In recent seasons, the WNBA All-Star Game has begun to look more like it’s NBA counterpart—lots of 3s, not a lot of defense. This year’s format, where members of Team USA who are voted or selected as All-Stars will play against other All-Stars, presents the conditions for a more competitive game. In 2021, the first time the league featured the Team USA vs. WNBA All-Stars format, the W All-Star team, which featured several Team USA snubs, prevailed over the ostensibly superior Olympic team. This year, it’s likely the All-Stars again will be seen as the underdogs and motivated to upset the Olympians; let’s hope the members of Team USA likewise are determined to prove they are most deserving of wearing the red, white and blue. — CA
High-profile rookies make final rosters
This NCAA tournament enjoyed record-breaking numbers, and the more players from this recent class make the WNBA, the better. That particularly applies for players like Iowa’s Kate Martin, who was drafted by the Aces with the No. 18 pick, but may or may not make the final roster. There aren’t enough spots in the WNBA, but some particular fan favorites getting cut after training camp could take some of the energy out of the upcoming season. That was the case last year, when well-known players like Monika Czinano, Brea Beal and Alexis Morris were all waived. — ND
Caitlin Clark adjusts well
There’s going to be an adjustment period for Caitlin Clark, especially defensively. Players like Kelsey Plum were unstoppable in college, but took a few years to acclimate to the WNBA. Clark’s acclimation should be viewed with grace; most No. 1 picks have needed time to adjust to the big league. My hope is that she’s able to contribute at a high-level for the Fever, and that viewers tuning into the W for the first time to watch her are able to see her thrive. — ND
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The Fever having a historical season
This is where things get personal. Four years ago, I started writing a book about the 2020-21 season in the second tier of the Polish women’s basketball league, with special focus on Polonia Warsaw. The team was in rebuild mode, with a new coach and exactly half the roster being new arrivals. Their goal wasn’t to win promotion to the highest league in the country, just make the playoffs. Polonia ended up obliterating the competition and winning the league. This season I’m not only covering the Fever for Swish Appeal, but I also have a book deal with the University of Iowa Press for a project centered on Caitlin Clark and the Fever, and the team is talking about making the playoffs. You probably know where I’m going with this, so I’ll stop right there, not to jinx anything. — ŁM
The dawning of the Aces dynasty
In my opinion, you are not a dynasty until you win three in a row. The Las Vegas Aces are on the cusp of that. Whether they get it or not, it will be entertaining either way. I think they are the greatest WNBA team ever assembled, and watching them secure that claim will be the biggest story this season. Caitlin Clark and a new class of rookies is all fun, but it’s about winning it all—and the Aces are still the Queens of the league. Will someone best them? — EG
How will the Aces approach their dynastic quest?
Building off Edwin’s desire to see the Aces’ confirm their dynasty, I’m curious as to how Vegas will approach their three-peat quest. Last season, the Aces defended their title by winning games at a historic rate. This season, will they attack the regular season with a similar disposition to dominate? Or, will going for a third-straight title during an Olympic year result in a more measured, managed approach to the regular season, knowing that, when the postseason arrives, they’ll be able to flip the switch and join the Houston Comets as the league’s only back-to-back-to-back champs? — CA
Minnesota Lynx making EuroLeague fans proud
If you’re a fan of the best women’s basketball competition in Europe, the Lynx should be your favorite WNBA team. Kayla McBride was phenomenal this season playing for Fenerbahçe, and the Final Four MVP trophy is a testament to her basketball abilities. Along with Napheesa Collier, McBride led Fenerbahçe to triumph in EuroLeague Women, with both playing vital roles for the reigning champs. McBride and Collier are household names in the WNBA too, but with Dorka Juhász, Bridget Carleton, Cecilia Zandalasini and Olivia Époupa on the training camp roster, more EuroLeague Women standouts are looking to prove that they belong in the best league in the world. And they should feel right at home in the Lynx’s truly diverse environment. I’m especially rooting for Carleton, who’s just an awesome person. — ŁM
Los Angeles in the postseason
Covering the Sparks has been an honor and a privilege I take seriously. However, I have yet to see one postseason game during my time doing so. That’s unacceptable for a team with its history. Can this be the year? It’s more of a rebuilding situation in Southern California, but you just need to sneak into the top eight in a league with only 12 teams. It should be feasible if everyone stays healthy, or so I tell myself. — EG
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Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are able to replicate last year’s success
I’ll admit it, I’m a bit biased because I’m on the Connecticut Sun beat. But, what Thomas and Bonner were able to do last year was pretty remarkable. Thomas set the regular-season record for most double-doubles and triple-doubles. Meanwhile, at age 36, Bonner averaged 17.4 points per game, the third-highest scoring season of her career. If the duo is able to maintain that level of play, the Sun should once again be championship contenders after finishing with the league’s third-best record last year. — ND
Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud cashing the checks that Diana Taurasi wrote
Diana Taurasi expertly filled her role as the cranky, crusty vet during “The Bird & Taurasi Show” broadcast of NCAA Tournament games, resisting showering the coming generation with praise and plaudits. That’s her right. And it’s also the right of the young guns to refuse to bow down to the player some consider women’s basketball’s GOAT. Luckily for Taurasi, any rooks looking to knock off her crown will have the go through Phoenix Mercury newcomers Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud. While DT’s soon-to-be 42-year-old legs might not be able to slow sprightly youngsters, the Philly-born duo of Kah and Tash should relish the opportunity to lock up any overly ambitious attempts to take it to Taurasi. In general, seeing Copper and Cloud unleash aggressive perimeter defense, knowing Brittney Griner is back there protecting the rim, will be a fun sight after Phoenix’s struggles in that department last season. — CA
Chicago Sky sporting the frontcourt of the future
In the 2024 WNBA Draft, the Sky were able to land the best players on the previous two NCAA championship teams in Kamilla Cardoso (No. 3) and Angel Reese (No. 7). Both know what it takes to win and both aren’t afraid of the spotlight, which will shine a bit brighter in the third-biggest media market in the country. Cardoso is naturally shy, but she overcame that once she became comfortable on the court. Prior to the draft, she was praised for her spontaneity and easy-going approach. Angel Reese is just a vibe, a unique personality who makes games entertaining. I smell a sitcom, or at least a buddy movie, punctuated by some great basketball.— ŁM
A healthy Shakira Austin
Not much has gone right for the Mystics since the beginning of last season, and that includes an injury-plagued sophomore campaign for Austin. Washington’s young center has Defensive Player of the Year potential, and she’ll now get more reps on offense, too, if she’s fully recovered from the hip surgery she underwent last year. Given good health, Austin could be a contender for the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award, and she’ll form a fierce defensive duo with rookie forward Aaliyah Edwards. — EN
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Momentum toward a soft cap
Above, Łukasz mentioned the upcoming CBA negotiations as an opportunity for WNBPA to push for private travel. That’s an obvious priority. A soft cap should be as well. Financial fairness among ownership groups has carried the day during the WNBA’s 28-year history. The growth of the league, rather than of individual teams, has been the goal, one that was enforced by a strict hard cap. However, preventing owners who are willing to spend more from doing so has contributed to the deflation of player salaries. Right now, the likes of A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner all are on sub-max salaries, choosing to sacrifice their earnings so that they their teams can have a stronger supporting casts. A soft cap would allow those players to receive maximum salaries, as their team could go over the cap to sign them and still fairly compensate their teammates. While this system would appear to advantage teams with richer owners, there’s no guarantee that the priciest teams will be the best teams. (Take a look at the state of the men’s professional sports teams controlled by Aces owner Mark Davis, Liberty owner Joe Tsai and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia.) A financial arms race also would demand that owning a WNBA team no longer be treated as some sort of feel-good, pro-women charity investment, but, instead, be taken as a serious investment into a competitive, growing entertainment industry. — CA
More details on WNBA expansion
Is it truly a WNBA season if there isn’t talk of expansion? We know that the league will be adding a new team in Golden State next year (and that there’s already been over 7,000 deposits made for season tickets), but further details are still scarce. What will the new team name be? What will their color scheme look like? And is the addition of a 14th team also on the horizon? WNBA fans anxiously await more information on the future landscape of the league. — EN