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As a courtesy to everyone out there, I’ll give you this quick note: The WNBA starts today. I’m sure everyone has been eagerly awaiting the return of the league and knew this, but just in case, I wanted to give you a heads up. I love the league for a ton of reasons, but one of them is that I find good value in teams and games. I want to share some thoughts on some futures for this year. I’m playing my first official game tomorrow.
Cathy Engelbert, WNBA Commissioner, presents the Most Valuable Player Award to A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces following their Game 4 victory in the 2025 WNBA Finals at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona on October 10, 2025. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Champion
I don’t have an overwhelming feeling that any team will win the championship, but there are some clear favorites. The Aces have won three of the last four and have the best player in the league. The New York Liberty are the +220 favorite and that makes complete sense with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. The Fever are +450 after reaching the semi-finals last season without Caitlin Clark. I can’t see them repeating that success, but it’s certainly possible. They are a deep team.
For value, I’d lean toward the Minnesota Lynx, the best team from last season at +800. But they have lost a ton of depth. The Fever is my next favorite with their depth and continuity. Liberty is a good value though.
CAITLIN CLARK’S FEVER MAKES MORE KEY OFF-SEASON SIGNINGS IN CHAMPIONSHIP PUSH
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays in the first half against the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on April 25, 2026. (John Jones-Imagn Images)
Win totals
The Chicago Sky stand out to me as potentially the worst franchise in the entire WNBA. This team is going to be decent, but I have a lot of questions about where the offense is coming from. They have a lot of veterans – DiJonai Carrington, Skylar Diggins, Courtney Vandersloot and Natasha Cloud. At this point in their careers, most of them are known for defense over offense. I like under 19.5 on them.
The Los Angeles Sparks went 21-23 last season and should improve this year. They have Cameron Brink for a full season and Nneka Ogwumike returns. Kelsey Plum proved she could carry the scoring load for the team. She is one of the more reliable scorers in the league. I have some questions about their depth, but I like it over 25.5.
AZZI FUDD QUESTIONS WNBA REFS BEFORE PLAYING A REGULAR SEASON GAME YOURSELF AS A DALLAS WINGS ROOKIE
Dallas Wings is probably my favorite game this season. I expect them to improve significantly after going 10-34 last season. They got the No. 1 overall pick and took Azzi Fudd to pair with Paige Bueckers. The UConn duo should be elite this year. As a third scorer, Arike Ogunbowale is one of the best options in the league. I love the Alanna Smith signature. She does a little bit of everything, from scoring to rebounding and defense. I take over 22.5.
The WNBA logo is displayed on the court before a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., on June 25, 2025. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Prices
A’ja Wilson is a beast on defense and at +250 I think we still have good value on the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson has won three of the last four, with Alanna Smith tied last year. Napheesa Collier is the other winner. Cameron Brink is a great value at +1200. She has a great rim presence and is athletic enough to switch to many positions.
Fudd is listed as the second favorite for Rookie of the Year. I could see her not winning because she will probably be a second or third option on her team. My guess is that Fudd won’t get enough credit for the Wings’ improvement to warrant a winner. I like Lauren Betts at +700. She will be an offensive force for the mystics. Washington is not a great team, but that means Betts will probably get more playing time.
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Last little note: I’m sprinkling Buecker’s MVP at +1400. She is going to be the focal point of her team and they will be much improved. Now, with more talent around her, she will likely lead them to the playoffs. Clark probably won’t play enough, and Wilson may be suffering from voter fatigue. I like the odds on her.
Let’s get down to the season. Remember, all WNBA tickets are cash the same as any other sport.
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