Michael VoepelMay 27, 2025, 09:00 AM ET
- Michael Voepel is a senior writer who covers the WNBA, women's college basketball and other college sports. Voepel began covering women's basketball in 1984, and has been with ESPN since 1996.
Caitlin Clark sitting out at least the next two weeks because of a quad strain is the type of bad news all WNBA franchises must be prepared to navigate.
With a 12-player limit and teams often operating with only 11 on the roster for salary cap reasons, the loss of any player is a concern. Losing a starter who affects every part of your team the way Clark does for the Indiana Fever is what keeps coaches and general managers awake at night. That's why the structure of a roster is key.
The most successful teams figure out how to deal with personnel losses. Last season, the Minnesota Lynx went 3-2 without star forward Napheesa Collier, who sat out five games in July because of plantar fasciitis before returning to play in the Olympics and then leading Minnesota to the WNBA Finals. And this season, the Lynx have remained steady enough without guard Kayla McBride (personal reasons) to go 4-0 and retain their No. 1 position in the second weekly edition of ESPN's WNBA Power Rankings.
Some injuries can be played through while others force teams to adjust and even try to learn something from it. That's what the Fever hope to do without Clark.
1. Minnesota Lynx (4-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: vs. SEA (May 27), @ PHO (May 30), @ GS (June 1)
The Lynx stay on top despite close wins over the Wings and Sun at home. Collier has led Minnesota in scoring in all four games, averaging 29.5 points. Guard Courtney Williams as well as forwards Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard are also scoring in double figures.
2. New York Liberty (3-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Next seven days: vs. GS (May 27), vs. GS (May 29), @ WAS (May 30), vs. CON (June 1)
New York blew out Chicago 99-74, and had a back-and-forth game against Indiana that the Liberty ultimately won 90-88 with their execution in the fourth quarter. Point guard Natasha Cloud is excelling offensively and defensively, which is what they needed when they traded for her in March.
3. Seattle Storm (3-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Next seven days: @ MIN (May 27), vs. ATL (May 30), vs. LV (June 1)
After a rough season-opening loss to Phoenix, Seattle has won three in a row against Dallas, Phoenix and Las Vegas. Forward Nneka Ogwumike (20.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG) and point guard Skylar Diggins (19.0 PPG, 8.8 APG) each turn 34 later this season but are playing in "ageless" mode so far.
2:27
Nneka Ogwumike drops 23 points in Storm win
Nneka Ogwumike drops 23 points and passes Candace Parker for ninth on the WNBA's all-time scoring list in a big Storm win over the Aces.
4. Phoenix Mercury (3-1)
Previous ranking: 5
Next 7 days: vs. CHI (May 27), vs. MIN (May 30), @ LA (June 1)
Phoenix beat Los Angeles and Washington at home last weekend and fell at Seattle. The Mercury's biggest uncertainty coming into this season -- their personality with so many longtime players gone -- seems to have a good answer. Forwards Satou Sabally (19.8 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and Alyssa Thomas (16.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG) are establishing themselves as team leaders, and rookie guard Monique Akoa Makani (10.0 PPG, 2.0 APG) is off to a good start.
5. Atlanta Dream (3-2)
Previous ranking: 9
Next 7 days: @ LA (May 27), @ SEA (May 30)
Atlanta split games against Indiana and had wins over Dallas and Connecticut last week. The Dream have been offensively balanced with four different scoring leaders in five games. Overall, they have been much better on offense this season than last -- their 83.8 PPG ranks fourth in the league compared to their last-place 77.0 PPG mark in 2024. So far, so good for new coach Karl Smesko.
6. Indiana Fever (2-2)
Previous ranking: 3
Next 7 days: @ WAS (May 28), vs. CON (May 30)
Indiana split games against Atlanta and lost to New York last week. Fans and observers will worry about the impact of Clark's injury and when she will return, but having veteran guards and wings such as Kelsey Mitchell, Sydney Colson, Sophie Cunningham and DeWanna Bonner will help. Still, nobody can replicate everything Clark does offensively. The Fever must get a lot out of their defense while she is sidelined.
7. Las Vegas Aces (2-2)
Previous ranking: 7
Next 7 days: vs. LA (May 30), @ SEA (June 1)
Las Vegas won at Connecticut, then rallied to beat Washington at home thanks to Jewell Loyd's 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left. But that momentum didn't carry over into Loyd's return to Seattle, where she spent the first 10 seasons of her WNBA career. The Aces shot 43.9% to the Storm's 60% and fell 102-82 on Sunday. Loyd is shooting 31.3% for the season.
0:29
Jewell Loyd helps Aces complete comeback win with go-ahead 3
Jewell Loyd drains a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1.9 seconds left as the Aces complete the comeback against the Mystics.
8. Golden State Valkyries (2-1)
Previous ranking: 13
Next 7 days: @ NY (May 27), @ NY (May 29), vs. MIN (June 1)
Look which team already has two victories. The expansion Valkyries won at home against the Mystics and on the road at the Sparks to jump from the bottom of our debut power rankings to No. 8. Golden State has five players who are averaging double-figure scoring, led by rookie forward Janelle Salaun of France (14.0 PPG). Guard Veronica Burton leads the WNBA in steals per game at 3.0.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (2-3)
Previous ranking: 6
Next 7 days: vs. ATL (May 27), @ LV (May 30), vs. PHO (June 1)
Los Angeles lost at Phoenix and at home to Golden State last week but had no trouble beating Chicago. In her first season with the Sparks, guard Kelsey Plum is second in the league in scoring average (24.8) and first in minutes per game (37.4). Forward/center Azura Stevens is averaging 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds, which would both be career bests if she can sustain those marks.
10. Washington Mystics (2-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Next 7 days: vs. IND (May 28), vs. NY (May 30)
Expectations were low for the Mystics this season, but they weren't that far away from a 5-0 start. Their three losses came last week on the West Coast, losing to Golden State, Las Vegas and Phoenix by two, three and six points, respectively. Forward Kiki Iriafen has four double-doubles and fellow rookie Sonia Citron has scored in double figures in each game so far.
0:18
Sonia Citron dimes Kiki Iriafen for a Mystics bucket
Sonia Citron dimes Kiki Iriafen for a Mystics bucket.
11. Dallas Wings (0-4)
Previous ranking: 10
Next 7 days: @ CON (May 27), @ CHI (May 29), vs. CHI (May 31)
It has been a difficult start for Dallas, which lost at Minnesota and Atlanta last week. One bright spot was No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers posting a double-double in her homecoming to Minneapolis. Next up, the Wings face two teams that also haven't won yet this season.
12. Connecticut Sun (0-4)
Previous ranking: 11
Next 7 days: vs. DAL (May 27), @ IND (May 30), @ NY (June 1)
Two of the Sun's four losses were by single digits, so there were positives. But overall, Connecticut is struggling to score; its 68.0-point average is the league's worst and its 26.3% rate from beyond the arc is second worst.
13. Chicago Sky (0-3)
Previous ranking: 12
Next 7 days: @ PHO (May 27), vs. DAL (May 29), @ DAL (May 31)
Chicago fell to New York and Los Angeles last week. The Sky's offensive (86.4) and defensive (116.5) ratings are the worst in the league, as is their free throw shooting (59.2%). The only team with a lower shooting percentage from the field is Golden State.
No Sky player is averaging double figures in scoring. One of the positives, though, is Angel Reese again leads the league in rebounding average (13.7) as she did last season as a rookie (13.1).
