WNBA quarter-season grades: Liberty, Lynx earn top marks; Fever off to slightly underwhelming start

The 2025 WNBA season is rolling right along and has now hit the quarter-way point. That is a perfect time to zoom out from the day-to-day activities and take stock of the league. Which teams are establishing themselves as contenders? Which teams are exceeding expectations, and which ones are disappointing? 

As expected, the reigning champion New York Liberty and last season’s runner-up, the Minnesota Lynx, have established themselves as the top two contenders — and received the best grades in the process. Behind them, though, there have been plenty of surprises. 

It’s important to note that these grades are not a simple reflection of the standings and the stats, but a combination of those data points and how a team has performed relative to expectations. For example, the Indiana Fever and expansion Golden State Valkyries have the same record, but they do not have the same grade. 

Without further ado, here are CBS Sports’ quarter-season grades for all 13 WNBA teams. 

• Record: 9-4
• The basics: 3rd in offense, 6th in defense, 3rd in net rating (plus-8.8)
• Reason for optimism: Karl Smesko has completely revitalized the offense
• Reason for pessimism: Rhyne Howard is on pace to be the first player ever to take at least 15 shots per game and shoot worse than 35% from the field 

The Dream knew they had to shake things up this offseason, and did so in a major way. First, by firing Tanisha Wright and plucking Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast to be their new coach. Then, they signed Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones in free agency, opting for a major talent upgrade in the frontcourt over players who may have been better fits for Smesko’s 3-point-heavy system from a skillset perspective. There were a lot of questions about how said plan would work, but the results have been impressive.  

With Smesko’s blessing (or urging), the Dream are taking 30.2 3-point attempts per game, which would be the highest mark in league history. They’re just an OK shooting team (33.6%, 6th in the league), but that’s been good enough to allow their volume to overwhelm opponents at times. It also helps that they’re a strong offensive rebounding group (31.7%, 4th in the league), and vacuum up a lot of their misses. Allisha Gray has been amazing in Smesko’s system and is putting up career-highs across the board: 20.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. 

• Record: 3-8
• The basics: 12th in offense, 12th in defense, 12th in net rating (minus-14.1)
• Reason for optimism: Angel Reese is starting to look more comfortable as a facilitator 
• Reason for pessimism: The Reese-Kamilla Cardoso combination has a minus-13.2 net rating in 214 minutes together

The Sky’s busy offseason — firing Teresa Weatherspoon and replacing her with Tyler Marsh, trading the No. 3 overall pick (Sonia Citron) for Ariel Atkins, acquiring an array of veterans, including Courtney Vandersloot, Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse — was met with mixed reaction. But for all the questions about their long-term plans, the general consensus was that they would be much more professional and competitive this season. 

That has not happened. The Sky lost by 35 to the Fever on opening day, and things have not gotten much better since then. They’re stuck in 11th place, Vandersloot is out for the season with a torn ACL and their only wins are against the only teams worse than them — the Sun and Wings. Even worse, they can’t tank because they owe the Lynx their 2026 first-round pick. Angel Reese is still shooting below 40%, but she recently recorded her first triple-double and has looked more comfortable as a facilitator lately, which is encouraging. 

Connecticut Sun: D+

• Record: 2-11
• The basics: 13th in offense, 13th in defense, 13th in net rating (minus-19.7)
• Reason for optimism: First-round pick Saniya Rivers has shown some exciting flashes, especially on defense
• Reason for pessimism: They owe the Sky a first-round pick swap, so they aren’t guaranteed a lottery selection for their trouble

There was a mass exodus from Uncasville this winter. Coach Stephanie White departed, as did franchise icon Alyssa Thomas. In fact, the Sun became the first team ever to lose its entire starting lineup from the final playoff game of the previous season in the ensuing offseason. New coach Rachid Meziane and new general manager Morgan Tuck had to start from scratch this winter, and everyone knew this was going to be the start of a long rebuild. 

No one expected the Sun to be this bad, however. Their 48-point defeat to the Liberty earlier this season was the second-largest margin in a game in league history. They also had a 37-point loss to the Mystics and have fallen by double digits seven times already. The worst ever net rating for an entire season is minus-19.4 by the 1998 Mystics; the Sun are at minus-19.7. Unlike most bad teams, the Sun don’t have a clear-cut star to build around. First-round pick Saniya Rivers has shown some incredible flashes, but her offense remains a major work in progress. Their other notable youngsters — Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Jacy Sheldon, Aneesah Morrow — all look like role players thus far. 

Dallas Wings: D-

• Record: 3-11
• The basics: 6th in offense, 11th in defense, 11th in net rating (minus-5.8)
• Reason for optimism: Paige Bueckers is as advertised
• Reason for pessimism: Is Chris Koclanes cut out to be a head coach?

The Wings were a mess last season, which prompted a complete overhaul of the front office, coaching staff and roster. In came Curt Miller and Chris Koclanes as general manager and coach, respectively, as well as No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers, 2024 Most Improved Player DiJonai Carrington and former No. 2 overall pick NaLyssa Smith. Add in Myisha Hines-Allen, Tyasha Harris and two more rookies, Aziaha James and JJ Quinerly, and the Wings seemed to have had a solid offseason. 

All of that sounded great on paper, but it has been a disaster in reality, in large part because Arike Ogunbowale got off to a brutal start and is shooting a career-worst 35.1% from the field. Injuries have also been an issue. Bueckers missed four games with a concussion and illness, Harris is out for the season after knee surgery and Maddy Siegrist will be sidelined indefinitely with a knee problem of her own. Perhaps the biggest concern, however, is Koclanes. He has looked unsure of himself at times. Ogunbowale’s decision to sidestep a question about him, while later praising assistant coach Nola Henry, did not go unnoticed. 

Golden State Valkyries: A

• Record: 6-6
• The basics: 11th in offense, 5th in defense, 7th in net rating (minus-1.7)
• Reason for optimism: Natalie Nakase has built an excellent culture and has her team completely bought in
• Reason for pessimism: Can they overcome their offensive issues — poor shooting, inability to take care of the ball — with effort all season long?   

Over a year after the team was officially announced, the Valkyries were finally able to start building their roster this winter. The team faced a lot of criticism, or at least questions, about their strategy during the expansion draft. Time and again, they picked a veteran role player instead of a youngster with more potential. Even during the draft and training camp, there were eyebrows raised at some of their moves. It’s clear now, though, that the front office, led by Ohemaa Nyanin, and coach Natalie Nakase knew what they were doing in building their squad. 

The Valkyries have already won more games (six) than the last expansion team to enter the league, the 2008 Dream, won in their entire inaugural season (four), and sit in sixth place in the standings, well within the playoff picture. They make up for their lack of offensive talent and inability to take care of the ball by playing extremely hard and dominating the defensive glass. They’ve already picked up wins over the Aces, Storm and Fever, and have proven that if you aren’t ready to match their level of competitive spirit, they will beat you. Their homecourt advantage is already near the top of the league as well. 

Indiana Fever: B-

• Record: 6-6
• The basics: 4th in offense, 4th in defense, 4th in net rating (plus-7.4)
• Reason for optimism: They’ve faced a ton of early adversity and are still .500 with a top-five net rating
• Reason for pessimism: Kelsey Mitchell is playing with a fractured finger that didn’t heal properly and her 3-point shooting has fallen off a cliff 

After making the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016, the Fever decided to expedite their rebuild during the offseason. They brought in a new front office, led by Kelly Krauskopf and Amber Cox, hired Stephanie White as their new coach and loaded the roster with defensive-minded veterans such as DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham and Sydney Colson. Throughout training camp, they made their goal clear: to compete for a championship. 

While the Fever have the talent to do so, and have had some incredible highs this season, they haven’t been able to put everything together on a consistent basis yet. Caitlin Clark’s three-week absence due to a quad injury was a major blow not only to their record but also to their ability to build synergy with their new group. It hasn’t helped that Cunningham, Bonner and White have missed multiple games as well. Overall, the first quarter of the season has been slightly underwhelming in Indianapolis, but the underlying metrics suggest they are better than their record states. 

Las Vegas Aces: C-

• Record: 5-7
• The basics: 9th in offense, 9th in defense, 9th in net rating (minus-4.4)
• Reason for optimism: They have A’ja Wilson
• Reason for pessimism: Their depth is even worse than last season

There were some concerns about the Aces after a disappointing offseason in which they mismanaged the expansion draft and free agency, and swapped Kelsey Plum for Jewell Loyd (and gave up their 2026 first-round pick in the process). Even so, they had the reigning MVP A’ja Wilson and more talent at the top end of their roster than most teams have altogether. Plus, all their key figures were healthy heading into the season, unlike 2024. 

Aside from Wilson, who missed three-plus games with a concussion, none of the Aces’ stars have lived up to expectations on a consistent basis. Notably, Loyd has been a significant downgrade from Plum in the backcourt. Becky Hammon blasted her team for being “soft” and letting opponents “punk” them after a blowout loss to the expansion Valkyries, and Chelsea Gray said they are in “uncharted territory.” This is the latest the Aces have been under .500 since 2018, and there are real questions about their ability to contend for a title.

• Record: 4-9
• The basics: 7th in offense, 10th in defense, 10th in net rating (minus-5.5)
• Reason for optimism: Kelsey Plum is a true No. 1 option on offense
• Reason for pessimism: Cameron Brink has been out for over a year and still doesn’t have a return date 

The Sparks haven’t made the playoffs since 2020, which is the longest active drought in the league and the longest in franchise history. Their offseason moves made it clear that they were tired of being in the lottery. Most notably, they decided to trade the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft to the Storm as part of a three-team blockbuster that brought back Kelsey Plum from the Aces. Whether that was the correct long-term decision remains to be seen, but you could understand the logic of getting a true star rather than another youngster who might not pan out, especially when the Storm already owned their 2026 first rounder via a previous trade. 

Plum’s efficiency has dropped as she adjusts to the burden that comes with being a No. 1 option, but she’s largely been as advertised. She’s third in the league in scoring and seventh in assists, and the Sparks’ offense has performed at a top-five level when she’s been on the court. The big issue in Los Angeles is that they cannot guard anyone. Opponents are shooting 65.8% within five feet, which is the worst mark in the league. Cameron Brink’s continued absence is a major reason for their lack of rim protection, and it’s worrying that she still doesn’t have a return date more than a year out from her ACL and meniscus tear. 

Minnesota Lynx: A+

• Record: 11-1
• The basics: 2nd in offense, 2nd in defense, 2nd in net rating (plus-13.1)
• Reason for optimism: They’re playing with a clear motivation
• Reason for pessimism: Struggling to come up with one. Health? 

The Lynx were seconds away from winning a record-setting fifth championship last season, but lost the winner-take-all Game 5 of the Finals to the Liberty in controversial fashion. Afterward, coach Cheryl Reeve blasted the officials and the league, claiming that the title was “stolen from us.” Napheesa Collier said she would “never get over” the defeat. It was no surprise that the Lynx had an uneventful offseason and brought back most of last season’s group, including the entire starting lineup. 

Minnesota has unfinished business and has been playing like it to start the season. The Lynx won their first nine games, which tied the fourth-best start in WNBA history, and sit atop the standings with only one defeat. Napheesa Collier has been the best player in the league and is the clear MVP favorite after finishing as runner-up last season. Everything flows from Collier’s individual brilliance. The Lynx may not have any other big names, and nothing they do is flashy, but they are a well-oiled machine that operates almost flawlessly on both sides of the ball. 

New York Liberty: A+

• Record: 10-2
• The basics: 1st in offense, 1st in defense, 1st in net rating (plus-16.2)
• Reason for optimism: They’ve been the best team in the league on both sides of the ball
• Reason for pessimism: Only three teams in WNBA history have repeated 

The Liberty finally got over the hump last season, and won the first title in franchise history in their sixth trip to the Finals. Unlike most defending champions, the Liberty had an eventful offseason. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was ruled out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, Courtney Vandersloot left in free agency, and Kayla Thornton was selected by the Valkyries in the expansion draft.  To replace them, the team traded two first-round picks for Natasha Cloud and signed Marine Johannes and Rebekah Gardner. 

Even with the somewhat substantial changes, the Liberty picked up right where they left off. They were the last remaining undefeated team, and their 9-0 start was the best in team history. They’ve faltered a bit since then due to Jonquel Jones’ repeated ankle issues and Leonie Fiebich’s departure to EuroBasket Women, which will run through the end of the month. But when they’re at full strength, they’re the team to beat. Breanna Stewart is having her most efficient season ever and is second in the league in scoring, while Sabrina Ionescu is sixth. No other team has two of the top-six scorers. 

• Record: 10-4
• The basics: 8th in offense, 3rd in defense, 6th in net rating (plus-3.5)
• Reason for optimism: The supporting cast has been much better than expected
• Reason for pessimism: They’ve largely been beating up on bad teams

The Mercury officially began a new era this offseason when Diana Taurasi retired and Brittney Griner left in free agency. These moves kicked off a fascinating offseason in which the team completely revamped its roster. Notably, they acquired All-Star forwards Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally to form a new Big Three alongside Kahleah Copper. While their top-tier talent was immense, the rest of the roster was largely unknown and no one knew how their experiment would work. 

The Mercury immediately faced adversity when Copper underwent knee surgery just before opening night and Thomas, who is leading the league in assists, went down with a multi-week calf injury. Even so, the Mercury are in third place thanks to Sabally, excellent coaching from Nate Tibbetts, and stellar play from their supporting cast. They are just 2-4 against teams with a winning record and 8-0 against above .500 teams, though, which is something to monitor. 

Seattle Storm: B+

• Record: 8-5
• The basics: 5th in offense, 7th in defense, 5th in net rating (plus-5.3)
• Reason for optimism: They can actually shoot now
• Reason for pessimism: They’ve lacked consistency

In one of the wildest winters in WNBA history, few teams stole as many headlines as the Storm. Their coaching staff was investigated, and claims of bullying and harassment were cleared. Franchise icon Jewell Loyd requested and received a trade, which brought back the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft from the Sparks. Shortly before the Draft, their main target, Olivia Miles, decided to return to college and they had to pivot to French sensation Dominique Malonga. During the offseason, they lost Nika Muhl, Jordan Horston and Katie Lou Samuelson to ACL tears. 

The Storm’s season has been just as chaotic as their offseason. Already, they have multiple three-game winning streaks and a three-game losing streak. It’s clear they have the ability to compete with anyone in the league, but whether they can do so consistently is another story. Skylar Diggins looks much more comfortable, while Gabby Williams is a candidate for Most Improved Player and Erica Wheeler has been a revelation. Perhaps most importantly, the Storm can shoot now. After finishing last in 3-point percentage last season at 28.8%, they are first this season at 38.5%

Washington Mystics: B

• Record: 5-8
• The basics: 10th in offense, 8th in defense, 8th in net rating (minus-2.9)
• Reason for optimism: Their two lottery picks, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, were pro ready 
• Reason for pessimism: They’re relying heavily on a historically great free-throw rate (.387)

The Thibault regime — father Mike and son Eric — which controlled the front office and coaching staff for over a decade, ended this offseason. In came Jamila Wideman (GM) and Sydney Johnson (coach). For a while, it appeared as though those were the only major moves the Mystics would make. Then, in late February, they traded Ariel Atkins to the Sky for the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. All of a sudden, they had two lottery selections and three of the top-six picks, which they used to add Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen and Georgia Amoore. 

Though Amoore was ruled out for the season, it’s clear the Mystics nailed the draft and have a bright future ahead of them. Citron and Iriafen have been terrific, and are second (13.6) and third (13), respectively, in scoring among rookies. Iriafen, meanwhile, leads all rookies in rebounding (8.8). It’s not out of the question that they make the playoffs this season, especially if Brittney Sykes continues to excel. She’s averaging a career-high 20.6 points and is leading the league with 9.7 free throw attempts a night.