Injuries to some of the WNBA’s best players, including Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier and New York’s Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, impacted teams at the top of the rankings this week,
with the Lynx superseding the Liberty at the No. 1 spot. The Mercury also rose the ranks, pulling out a tough road win in Brooklyn on Thursday.
Phoenix was somewhat of a question mark heading into the 2025 season after undergoing a dramatic offseason transformation. Veteran Diana Taurasi retired after 20 seasons with the franchise, while Brittney Griner left for the Dream after 11 seasons in Phoenix. With big shoes to fill, the front office went to work by acquiring blockbuster free agents Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally to fill out a convincing Big Three around guard Kahleah Copper. The question of how that trio would jell has lingered, as injuries have plagued the overhauled roster. (Copper is working her way back to full strength after undergoing knee surgery in May, and Thomas managed a calf injury at the start of the season.)
However, somewhat surprisingly, Phoenix has not only survived the early-season setbacks but thrived, with Sabally showing why she was one of the most sought-after players in free agency. She’s averaging 19.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game through 15 starts, leading the Mercury. Coach Nate Tibbetts has also been successful in implementing a dogged defensive mentality, with his squad boasting the third-best defensive rating behind the Liberty and Lynx. Phoenix has proven it can tough out games like its 89–81 win over New York, and as Copper, Thomas and Sabally continue to cultivate chemistry, the Mercury could swiftly go from gritty competitor to dominant juggernaut.
1. Minnesota Lynx
Previous ranking: 2
The Lynx held steady with a win over the A’ja Wilson–less Aces on Tuesday, despite Collier exiting the game with a back injury. Minnesota also persevered against the Sparks, with their star sidelined again on Saturday. With a big road trip to Atlanta looming, the Lynx will hope to get Collier back on the floor sooner rather than later.
2. Phoenix Mercury
Previous ranking: 6
The Mercury made a substantial leap up the rankings after winning a trio of road games against Connecticut, New York and Chicago. Even better for the team, Copper saw quality minutes against the Sun and Sky—a positive sign of her recovery from knee surgery.
3. New York Liberty
Previous ranking: 1
Sandy Brondello’s squad has been dealt an unlucky hand following a dominant start to the season. Already contending with starter Leonie Fiebich’s absence due to her EuroBasket commitment, the Liberty lost Jones, who incurred a right ankle sprain in New York’s loss to Phoenix. The team estimates she will be out for four to six weeks as she recovers. The Liberty then had to face the Storm without Fiebich, Jones and Ionescu, who was ruled out due to a neck injury. Having lost three of its last four games, New York will look to its bench to help blunt this June slide.
4. Atlanta Dream
Previous ranking: 3
The Dream may have lost a close matchup against the Liberty, but they secured back-to-back home wins against the Mystics and Sky. Allisha Gray continues to make her case as one of the league’s best players, averaging 20.1 points on 49.2% shooting through 14 games.
5. Seattle Storm
Previous ranking: 4
Seattle should feel good about its Friday win over the Aces, with Wilson returning to the floor after missing three games due to concussion protocol. Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike combined for 49 points against Las Vegas, before putting up a combined 46 points against a depleted Liberty team.
6. Golden State Valkyries
Previous ranking: 7
Are the Valkyries playoff contenders? The expansion team, much to almost everyone’s surprise, very well could be. Golden State charged to an impressive win over the Fever on Thursday, holding Caitlin Clark to just 11 points. Natalie Nakase’s team is tough, persistent and greater than the sum of its parts.
7. Las Vegas Aces
Previous ranking: 8
The good news: Wilson is back. The Aces star helped her team past the Fever, despite a pair of double-doubles from Aliyah Boston and Clark and a 20-point performance from Kelsey Mitchell. Wilson put up 24 points and seven rebounds, with four other Las Vegas players scoring in double figures. Things have yet to fully come together for the Aces, but sometimes having the best player in the world on your team is enough.
8. Indiana Fever
Previous ranking: 4
The Fever had back-to-back losses against the Valkyries and Aces, with Indiana’s offense sputtering in both contests. Clark was 1-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc against Las Vegas while committing eight turnovers and 0-for-7 shooting from three against Golden State. The Fever are also managing the absence of league veteran DeWanna Bonner, who has not been with the team since June 12 due to personal reasons.
9. Washington Mystics
Previous ranking: 10
Washington nearly escaped Atlanta with a win, falling to an impressive Dream squad, 92–91, on Friday, before turning around and defeating the Wings in overtime on Sunday. Brittney Sykes deserved praise for leading this young team, averaging 19.6 points per game.
10. Los Angeles Sparks
Previous ranking: 9
After three consecutive blowouts—two at the hands of Minnesota and one by Seattle—the Sparks are now 4–10. Los Angeles has failed to score more than 67 points in its last two games. Yes, Kelsey Plum was absent from Tuesday’s loss to the Storm, but with the league’s fourth-worst defensive rating, the Sparks can’t afford for their offense to lag.
11. Dallas Wings
Previous ranking: 12
Dallas has two wins (vs. the Valkyries and the Sun) and some promising indicators to hang its hat on from this last week. While the Wings lost to the Mystics in overtime, Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale combined for 47 points in Sunday's game—an encouraging development as coach Chris Koclanes works to lay the foundation for his team’s offensive identity.
12. Chicago Sky
Previous ranking: 11
It was a tough week for the Sky, registering three consecutive losses. Angel Reese has struggled as of late, logging just nine points and two rebounds against the Mercury on Saturday before 3-for-11 shooting from the field Sunday against Atlanta. And it’s not just Reese—the offense as a whole has felt out of sync, with Chicago holding the league’s second-worst offensive rating.
13. Connecticut Sun
Previous ranking: 13
The Sun are riding a six-game losing streak with very little light on the horizon as they face down a week of games against the Aces, Storm and Lynx.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as WNBA Power Rankings: Mercury Are Not in Retrograde.