The 2025 WNBA season has entered the final stretch, with the playoff picture starting to come into clearer focus. With teams continuing to jockey for postseason positions, the last few games of the regular season are imbued with an added sense of drama.
It’s not just teams making their case; players are also being more closely evaluated as the end-of-season awards ballots are set to be cast. The MVP race has heated up as A’ja Wilson leads the Aces on a miraculous late-season revival. Meanwhile, Napheesa Collier hasn’t missed a beat after being sidelined for three weeks with injury. Which will voters find more impressive? Wilson’s ability to do it all for her team and lift Las Vegas out of an early slump? Or Collier’s status as the centerpiece on the league’s best team?
While the MVP debate rages on and stats are poured over, the stars will likely be focused on leading their respective teams into the postseason with momentum.
1. Minnesota Lynx
Previous ranking: 1
The Lynx are cruising into the postseason as the No. 1 seed, leading the standings by six games. In even better news for Minnesota: Its star, Collier, is firing on all cylinders following a 20-day absence due to injury. She’s averaging 23 points per game and shooting 55.76% from the field in her four outings since returning to the floor.
2. Las Vegas Aces
Previous ranking: 3
The Aces’ late-season push continues, with Becky Hammon’s group riding a 12-game winning streak. Over that stretch, Las Vegas has the WNBA’s highest net rating, and Wilson leads the league in points, averaging 26.8 per game and shooting 50.4% from the field. The Lynx may be the team to beat, but the Aces are quickly becoming title favorites, too.
3. Atlanta Dream
Previous ranking: 2
The Dream’s only two losses in the last seven games came at the hands of the Aces. Still, there is a lot to be optimistic about in Atlanta, with Allisha Gray the consistent piece for the Dream. She ranks eighth in the league in +/- (5.7), averaging 18.6 points per game as the motor for one of the WNBA’s top offenses.
4. Phoenix Mercury
Previous ranking: 4
Alyssa Thomas can do it all—and she is for the Mercury. On Aug. 26, Thomas recorded her seventh triple-double of the campaign in Phoenix’s win over the Sparks, breaking her own single-season triple-double record. Not only is she a scorer, averaging 16 points per game, but she also facilitates, leading the league in assists (9.2). Wilson and Collier may be MVP favorites, but don’t count out Thomas and her unprecedented year.
5. Golden State Valkyries
Previous ranking: 6
It’s been a golden year for Golden State, with the expansion side on the precipice of a playoff appearance in its inaugural season. Recent wins over the Mystics, Wings, Fever and Liberty have the Valkyries in pole position for the No. 6 seed.
6. New York Liberty
Previous ranking: 5
It’s been a tough stretch for the Liberty, with Sandy Brondello’s team hampered by injury. Breanna Stewart returned to the floor after being sidelined for a month, just as Sabrina Ionescu incurred a toe injury, missing the last three games.
“This is not championship-level basketball at this point and everybody needs to recognize that and understand that we need to get there,” said Stewart after New York’s 80–63 loss to Phoenix on Saturday, “and that starts with the mindset and then putting it onto the court.”
7. Seattle Storm
Previous ranking: 9
The Storm are once again navigating turbulent waters. Just days after beating the Lynx on their home court, they fell to the Sparks in a critical matchup with playoff seeding implications. Skylar Diggins & Co. will look to finish out the regular season strong with home meetings against Golden State and New York.
8. Indiana Fever
Previous ranking: 8
This isn’t the position Indiana envisioned it would be in at the start of the season. The Fever had championship aspirations, but after a string of injuries and the departure of DeWanna Bonner, they’re fighting for the last few postseason spots. Stephanie White’s team will hope to lock up a postseason berth—which is in reach—and get Caitlin Clark healthy for a playoff run.
9. Los Angeles Sparks
Previous ranking: 10
The Sparks’ playoff hopes are still alive, if ever so slightly. After losing to the Phoenix and Indiana, Los Angeles pulled out back-to-back wins over Washington and Seattle. Cameron Brink is still averaging around 13 minutes since returning from her ACL injury, with Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum continuing to carry the load. Hamby logged 27 points and 11 points, shooting 72.2% from the field in the Sparks’ big-time win over the Storm.
10. Washington Mystics
Previous ranking: 7
The Mystics have lost seven consecutive games and are eliminated from playoff contention. Still, there is plenty to be optimistic about in Washington, mainly the success of rookie duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Citron showed what a problem she can be for opposing teams in the Mystics’ Aug. 28 loss to the Liberty, scoring 18 points on 50% shooting from the field, while registering two blocks.
11. Connecticut Sun
Previous ranking: 12
The Sun may not be in playoff contention, but they are finishing the season stronger than they started it. Connecticut’s August featured wins over the Liberty, Sky, Mystics, and Wings, with Leïla Lacan logging back-to-back 22-point performances last week.
12. Chicago Sky
Previous ranking: 13
There is little silver lining in Chicago, with the Sky losing four consecutive games, going 1–9 in their last 10. If one wanted to harness optimism, Angel Reese’s five straight double-doubles are a bright spot in a challenging situation.
13. Dallas Wings
Previous ranking: 11
It’s not necessarily surprising that the Wings are in last place, with a full rebuild underway in Dallas. Paige Bueckers has proven herself to live up to billing and then some, giving the Wings a solid foundation on which to build their future (which includes the best odds at another No. 1 draft pick in 2026).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as WNBA Power Rankings: The Playoff Picture Is Taking Shape.