Karli Bell's WNBA Preseason Rankings

With the start of the season right around the corner and WNBA rosters looking exhorbitantly different than in years past, the league will have some different teams finishing in different spots. Who will be the top of the top and who will have some work to do heading into 2026? Let's take a look at the early WNBA rankings.

1. Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx bring back just about everyone from last year's team that made the run all the way to the WNBA Finals. This year - even in preseason - they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. There's a new fire, fuel and power in how they play, especially from Napheesa Collier. This is a team that wants to run it back and go get theirs.

Outside of Phee, they have Alanna Smith returning back inside along with Diamond Miller. Miller's injury at the start of the season limited and hindered her ability to contribute in the postseason. Now that she's back and fully healthy, she will be a key contributor for the Lynx on both ends of the floor.

2. New York Liberty

Now people may be surprised as to why I have the defending WNBA champions at No. 2 instead of No. 1. Yes, they're bringing back their core in Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. However, they lost some key contributors in Kayla Thornton in the expansion draft and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton being out for the season with a meniscus injury.

Did they add some key pieces in free agency and through trades? Absolutely, but Minnesota having basically their entire team back gives the Lynx the upperhand. New York will absolutely make a run and be dominant, but I believe that Minnesota is the team with a slight edge on the Liberty.

3. Las Vegas Aces

Talk about a team that went through some changes this offseason. The Las Vegas Aces traded away Kelsey Plum to acquire Jewel Loyd in a three-team trade between the Aces, Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks. They also will not have Cheyenne Parker-Tyus for a majority of the season as she continues through her pregnancy.

Now, they still have Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and MVP A'ja Wilson. This will be a team that you can't ever overlook or underestimate, but I don't believe they will be as dominant as we've seen in the last three to four seasons. Head coach Becky Hammon knows how to build a championship caliber team, no question. They'll still be a strong contender, but it'll be intersting to see how all the other pieces fall into place once the regular season begins.

4. Indiana Fever

Give the Indiana Fever the banner for winning this offseason. They did A+ work in bringing in great veteran presence in DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham. They also made a change at the head coaching position in bringing in Stephanie White who knows how to put together a team that can make a deep run in the postseason.

On paper, this is a top 3 team. In the preseason, however, it's been interesting to see how they all will work together. White is someone that can absolutely make this work as well as be the perfect fit in developing Caitlin Clark's game in her second season. For now, they're just outside the top 3, and only time will tell if they can crack into top tier of the league.

5. Chicago Sky

If you've beeing watching Courtside with Karli Bell each week, then you know why I feel this team will be a playoff contender. They added a plethora of veteran experience - especially point guard Courtney Vandersloot - in the offseason through free agent signings and trading away some draft capital. Not only did they add vets, they added championship experience in both Vandersloot and Ariel Atkins.

The biggest question will be how new head coach Tyler Marsh plans to use Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso in a versatile way. This is a Chicago Sky team that plays fast, moves the ball around the arc quickly, has shooters and size. They are set up to be a lock for the postseson. If they can stay healthy - as it is with every other WNBA team - they can be real sneaky in 2025.

6. Seattle Storm

I have Seattle at No. 6 solely because of the amount of injuries they've suffered in training camp and this offseason. They will be without Nika Mühl, Katie Lou Samuelson and Jordan Horston all because of ACL injuries. So building depth for the rest of the season is something to keep an eye with the rest of the team getting heavier minutes than originally anticipated.

Outside of that, they have a deadly frontcourt in Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor, Li Yueru and their draft pick in Dominique Malonga. They have incredible size and length that not many other teams across the league can match. Pair that with Skylar Diggins and the return of Gabby Williams, this will be a Seattle Storm team that will be heavy competitors all season long.

7. Atlanta Dream

Now, I believe these last three teams will be the ones having to see who they play in September. Let's start with the Atlanta Dream. Their frontcourt looks completely different with the additions Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. Getting inside the paint without taking some hits on the body will difficult for any opponent when they play Atlanta.

However, the backcourt is where there could be some issues. Yes, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray will continue to be dominant up the floor and be the outside spark for them. Outside of them though, it's pretty sporadic and inconsistent. They have the depth there so anything is possible, but it'll take them a bit longer than other teams to iron out all the kinks.

8. Los Angeles Sparks

Los Angeles was set up to be a decent team in 2024 before injuries hit almost their entire roster. Now, their returning players are back and healthy, and they added some big names in free agency, especially Kelsey Plum. However, this is still a fairly young team.

Cameron Brink didn't play all of 2024. Rickea Jackson was utilized a lot differently last season than what we've seen so far in the preseason. Having veterans there in Plum, Rae Burrell and Dearica Hamby will be incredibly impactful for their younger players, but the Sparks still need to find the chemistry that will electrify their team.

9. Dallas Wings

Now Dallas and LA will be fighting back and forth all season for the No. 8 & No. 9 seeds. These will be the two teams that will really have to watch who plays who and who beats who come August and September. Dallas added a lot of new faces and names in free agency, the biggest being DiJonai Carrington, Ty Harris and NaLyssa Smith. Add in the returning hot shooter in Arike Ogunbowale and powerful forward in Maddy Siegrist, they look like they could be great.

However, there's a new head coach again who's having to find ways to make all these big names work together as well as develop their draft pick in Paige Bueckers. There's a lot of moving parts and health has always been an issue in Dallas over the last few seasons. Can they sneak into the playoffs? Yes, but there's a lot of things that need to align as well as starting out hot for them to make the postseason.

10. Phoenix Mercury

Just looking at the Mercury roster has many people scratching their heads. They have Kahleah Copper returning, and they acquired Satou Sabally, Kalani Brown, Alyssa Thomas and Sami Whitcomb during the offseason. Outside of those five, there's a lot of question marks around the depth of this team.

The real answer is there isn't much, and you can't just have all five players playing for 40 minutes. That's how injuries happen. That's how problems arise. Who will be their point guard? Who will be their first name off the bench? It's a lot of unknowns for Phoenix that come late June-early July, they could be on the struggle bus.

11. Washington Mystics

There is a complete rebuild happening in the nation's capital from top down. The Washington Mystics brought in a brand new general manager and head coach and traded away some assets to build heavy in the WNBA Draft. Unfortunately, the injury bug has already hit them with them losing one of the top picks in Georgia Amoore for the season.

Shakira Austin and Aliyah Edwards also have been dealing with some injury issues during training camp. Not only is this a rebuilding team, this is a team also struggling to stay healthy. If this is how they start, then this will be a long season that's solely focused on development and growth out of the younger players instead of eyes on the playoffs.

12. Connecticut Sun

The identity of the Connecticut Sun is something everyone - fans and media alike - is trying to figure out. The team feels like an amalgamation of random players that couldn't fit in on other teams, making them land in Connnecticut. Recent news of the team looking to sell and relocate also show that this is a team that just wants to put on a good show for its last time in Mohegan.

Outside of that, they have two rookies in Aneesah Morrow and Saniya Rivers that will easily get heavy minutes and develop this season. Their new head coach in Rachid Meziane brought in more international talent than local so there's a lot for the Sun to show once the regular season begins.

13. Golden State Valkyries

Historically, expansion teams just don't do very well in their inaugural seasons, and that will be the case for the Golden State Valkyries. They did bring in some veterans to help lead the way in creating what a Valkyrie culture will be moving forward in Tiffany Hayes and Kayla Thornton. They also added some youth that will most likely continue on to be the faces of the franchise in Kate Martin and Julie Vanloo.

This will be a solid starting point for the Valkyries. If they finish higher than last place, consider that a huge win. There's nowhere to go but up after 2025, and I'm personally intrigued to see what this team wants to do beyond this season.