Nearly half of the league’s 15 teams have played 22 of its 44 scheduled regular-season games, putting us almost at the midway point of the WNBA season. Per usual, little has been completely consistent — those players who were hot last week aren’t the ones stuffing the stat sheets today.
Let’s dive in and see which of the world’s best players are rising and falling.
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▶ HEATING UP 🔥
Kahleah Copper, G, Mercury
The Mercury, for the first time all season, recently put together a winning streak of more than two games. During their three-game winning streak, which was snapped on Tuesday with an 11-point loss to the Sky, Kahleah Copper’s scoring was among the top reasons for Phoenix’s success. She went for 25 or more points in each of the three wins and even squeaked in another 25-point outing in the loss to Chicago. Additionally, the former Finals MVP shot above 50.0 percent in each of those games and made at least one three-pointer. Copper is playing at a very high level on the offensive end at the moment. She’s the primary scoring option in Phoenix — that shouldn’t change going forward, whether the team is winning or losing. There’s a good chance she stays productive for a while.
Who better to end the 3Q with a bucket than Kahleah Copper 😎
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 8, 2026
The kid from North Philly leads her team in scoring with 16 PTS & 3 REB
CHI-PHX | League Pass
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Kayla McBride, G, Lynx
Minnesota lost consecutive games for the first time this season before returning to the win column on Wednesday in a rematch against Connecticut. But even with the recent team struggles, McBride’s production has remained steady. The veteran guard logged a season-high 28 points in Monday’s matchup against Connecticut before following with 23 points in Wednesday’s contest. Unsurprisingly, the three-point shot has been McBride’s biggest value. She’s tallied at least four made threes in four of the last five games on 44.2 percent from deep over that stretch. She’ll have more on her plate while rookie Olivia Miles is sidelined with an injury, so it’s fair to expect McBride’s role and usage to remain high in the meantime.
Jonquel Jones, C, Liberty
Jones’ numbers are up, once again, following a solid 2025 season. She’s currently averaging her most points and rebounds per game as a member of the Liberty. She’s actually averaging her second-most points as a pro and the most since her 2021 MVP season, thanks to stretches like her fairly recent back-to-back 20-point games against Golden State and Seattle. Excluding the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, Jones has totaled 11 three-pointers over the past four games, underscoring her role as a floor-spacing center. She remains impactful at the rim defensively and continues to soak up heavy minutes in the frontcourt for a New York roster that isn’t very deep at backup center. Jones’ importance to the Liberty is immense. If she can remain healthy, she’s proven capable of sustaining strong play for long stretches.
▶ COOLING DOWN ❄️
Skylar Diggins, G, Sky
It’s been a challenging 2026 season for Diggins. Her averages aren’t far off from last season’s, but she’s been part of a Sky team that’s really struggled to stack wins over the first half of the season. Amid the team’s struggles, she was demoted to a bench role over the past week. Diggins had put up solid numbers over her past four appearances, averaging 12.8 points and 6.0 assists, but didn’t play on Tuesday due to a knee injury. And between the ailment and the demotion, it’s hard to imagine things turning in her favor anytime soon.
Ariel Atkins, G, Sparks
The Sparks have been in a tough spot over the past three weeks. They’ve lost five of their last seven games, are without their best player, Kelsey Plum, and were riding a three-game losing streak until a nice double-digit win at home on Wednesday over the Fever. Many of Los Angeles’ players have struggled to produce and contribute to winning recently. One of the more noteworthy is Ariel Atkins, who was acquired by the Sparks via trade during the most recent offseason. She’s scored in double figures only three times in the past 10 games and was scoring 5.7 points per game during the losing streak. She’s certainly not the only one to blame, but her lack of scoring contributions on a team without one of the league’s best bucket-getters (Plum) is tough to ignore, especially since the veteran had been an efficient double-digit points-per-game contributor up until this season. But Atkins’ 12 points and pair of triples against Indiana on Wednesday could be the game that resets her season.
Naz Hillmon, F, Dream
Hillmon, unfortunately, returns to the wrong side of the Heat Check after an early-season appearance. Atlanta continues to lose games (five straight), and the 2025 Sixth Player of the Year, Hillmon, continues to struggle with finding production. She’s scored five or fewer points and made no more than one field goal in each of the last four games, and is also averaging just 3.8 rebounds over that stretch while remaining a subpar playmaker for others. Hillmon is still a regular in the Dream’s nightly rotation, whether she comes off the bench or starts. But if Atlanta continues to lose games, it’ll be interesting to see how many of Hillmon’s minutes are lost to Brionna Jones in her eventual return from injury.
