Excluding the All-Star Game and the day prior’s events, not a lot has happened in the WNBA between now and last week’s Heat Check. No team has played more than one game since returning from the break, leaving us with little new data to analyze. Still, we can use what we have to track some trends we haven’t already touched on.
Let’s get into them.
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▶ HEATING UP 🔥
Sabrina Ionescu — G, Liberty
Injuries delayed Ionescu’s start to the season, and then kept her in and out of the lineup upon her initial return, which had a lot to do with her inconsistent play early on. But as she’s been able to remain healthy and string together games, the former first-overall pick has really started to resemble one of the best versions of herself. Ionescu, a proven, high-volume three-point shooter, has been exactly that throughout July, knocking down 3.1 threes per game en route to averages of 21.6 points on efficient 45.2/37.9/91.9 shooting splits. She’s also scored 20 or more points in each of New York’s last three games to help the team to a perfect record over that stretch. The playmaking she’s provided along the way has also been helpful to the team’s success. And given the Liberty’s spot in the standings, they likely will want to stick with the formula that’s brought them recent success — Ionescu should remain a high-usage player from here on out.
GAME CHANGER 🗣️
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 23, 2026
Sabrina Ionescu caught fire in the 4Q dropping 13 PTS on 4/5 shooting to help the @nyliberty get the comeback win against the Sky! Of those 13 PTS she dropped 9 in the final 56.1 seconds!#WNBASeason30 pic.twitter.com/9u4gFJp3zq
Caitlin Clark — G, Fever
There shouldn’t be many gripes with how Clark is going about her business on the floor of late. Simply put, she’s been spectacular. Indiana’s riding a four-game win streak, which commenced with Clark’s 45-point, 10-assist masterpiece in a win over the Liberty on July 18. Since then, she’s recorded a 17/7 game, a 27/11 performance, and a 32/7 outing, operating at a level as high as any player in the league today. Clark has shot 17-of-34 from beyond the arc during the streak to help boost her scoring numbers. Between the good bill of health and consistent shooting, the former No. 1 overall pick is in a good flow, and has the Fever looking like one of the most dangerous offenses we’ve ever seen. She is beyond “heating up.”
A’ja Wilson — F, Aces
We round out this portion of the column with yet another former first-overall pick — the most decorated of them all. Wilson’s two-way greatness and nightly contributions can sometimes fade into the background given how standard they’ve become for her. But that doesn’t give us an excuse not to recognize her dominance. The four-time MVP is having her strongest month of the season during July, averaging 27.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 three-pointers over six games. She’s scored over 20 points in each of the six games and registered four double-doubles as well. There hasn’t been a proven formula for stopping Wilson this season, and for that reason, she’ll likely continue operating at an MVP level as the defending champions try to put together another strong post-All-Star break push before the playoffs.
▶ COOLING DOWN ❄️
Leila Lacan — G, Sun
Tuesday’s loss to Washington gave Connecticut its third straight defeat. The team’s offense has struggled during the losing streak, and Lacan’s subpar offensive contributions have been a factor. She’s shooting 33.3 percent from the field over the three-game stretch, and has recorded more turnovers than she has assists. Lacan has consistently performed at a higher level throughout her second season than she has recently — perhaps the oddity of the schedule due to the All-Star break has something to do with her struggles. Perhaps not. Regardless, it’s hard to see her minutes or opportunities being impacted at all by the dip in production. She’ll have more than enough chances to get back on track.
Awa Fam — C, Storm
The talented and versatile forward is experiencing the typical highs and lows of a first-year player throughout the long regular season. She’s looked, at times, like a future two-way superstar, while at other times, she’s performed like someone still getting adjusted to the WNBA. Fam is scoring under 10.0 points per game on 12-of-31 shooting over the last three games, largely due to her inability to get going from beyond the arc. The third-overall pick is still accumulating stocks throughout the three-game stretch while posting rebounding numbers better than her season averages — so not all has gone south. This is more about the rookie’s shooting struggles than anything else; Fam relies often on the three-point shot, so getting back in a groove from distance should help get her scoring numbers back up.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton — F, Liberty
It’s hard to say that Laney-Hamilton is cooling down when, in reality, she hasn’t heated up this season. But her inability to get going this year is my main point. The veteran wing has seen her minutes diminish throughout her first season back from injury, and has reached the point where she’s a regular DNP-Coach’s Decision. There’s no telling what the reason is for her sudden banishment from the rotation, but even when she does see the floor, it’s not typically for long — she’s logged 20 or more minutes just one time since the opening week of the season, and hasn’t attempted more than five shots in a game since the Liberty’s 89-80 win over the Sun on June 8. The likeliest scenario to place Laney-Hamilton in a greater role is probably a trade to another team before Sunday’s deadline.
