WNBA Player News

A two-time All-ACC selection who helped lead the Wolfpack to the program’s first Final Four during the 2023-24 season, James averaged a career-best 17.9 points per game as a senior. In 35 games, the 5-foot-9 guard also contributed 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.2 three-pointers in 31.1 minutes, shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. In addition to being a first-team All-ACC selection for the second straight season, James was an honorable mention All-American this season. James joins a backcourt rotation with veteran Arike Ogunbowale and first overall pick Paige Bueckers. James’ improvement as a scorer throughout her college career bodes well for her WNBA prospects, especially when sharing the floor with prolific scorers who will demand a lot of defensive attention.

Atkins scored efficiently but struggled on Tuesday as a floor general in the Sky’s first game without Courtney Vandersloot, who tore her ACL in Saturday’s loss to Indiana. Atkins entered Tuesday averaging 3.1 assists per game, but went without an assist for the first time all season against an incredibly tough Liberty defense that also forced the veteran into a season-high five turnovers along the way. There could be an adjustment period for Atkins as she steps into more of a playmaking role. Still, she’ll have the ball in her hands often, which should ultimately lead to productive outings as the season progresses.

Reese logged her best offensive game of the season on Tuesday, posting season-highs in points and shooting efficiency while adding her second made three-pointer of the season. Her 8-of-13 shooting marked the first time this season the sophomore forward finished above 50 percent from the field, and the double-digit rebounds she accumulated netted her fourth double-double of the season. Reese has taken positive steps forward in recent games, which should be encouraging for fantasy managers. She’ll look to string together consecutive strong games when the Sky face the Dream on Friday.

Sabally returned on Tuesday from a six-game absence due to a knee injury that had sidelined her for much of the season. Her return coincided with Jonquel Jones’ absence (ankle), which led the third-year forward to the first start of her WNBA career. Sabally didn’t miss a single shot en route to a new season-high in scoring, while making subtle contributions across the board in just 15 minutes. She’ll likely continue to start in Jones’ place should the 2024 Finals MVP remain out with the ankle injury, making Sabally a streaming option with upside in fantasy leagues.

Stewart logged just 27 minutes in New York’s lopsided win over Chicago on Tuesday, but still managed to put forth a quality game from a fantasy standpoint. The two-time MVP shot efficiently and nearly scored 20 points, despite continuing to struggle from beyond the arc, while also leaving her mark as a facilitator. Stewart has only played 30 or more minutes in three of New York’s nine games to begin the season, as blowout wins are preventing her from more dominant numbers from a fantasy standpoint. Such could remain the case moving forward, which could be a tough pill to swallow for fantasy managers.

Ionescu filled that stat sheet in the Liberty’s ninth consecutive win to begin the season. In the blowout victory, she needed only 27 minutes to reach the 20-point mark for the fourth time this season and tie a season-high in assists. The former No. 1 overall pick made significant contributions on the defensive end as well, tallying multiple blocks in consecutive games and earning more steals on Tuesday than in any other game to this point. Ionescu is putting up similar numbers to recent years and continues to provide fantasy managers with a ton of production.

Mitchell scored a season-low in the Fever’s first double-digit loss of the season. The veteran guard didn’t lack aggression, however, with her 16 field goal attempts equaling the second most she’s taken in a game this season. Inefficiency ultimately kept her production low, which is untimely, considering the scoring production that the team is missing in Caitlin Clark’s absence due to a quad injury. The Fever will need more from Mitchell moving forward, and she’ll have a chance to bounce back on Saturday against the Liberty.

The Dream kept Boston in check on Tuesday, forcing her into an inefficient shooting performance while holding her to below 10 points for the second time all season. Ironically, the third-year center’s only other single-digit scoring performance came earlier this season in a victory over the Dream, when she scored a season-low four points. The good news for Boston, and her fantasy managers, is that Indiana won’t face Atlanta again until July. In the meantime, her next opponent will be the Liberty on Saturday, which is a team she scored a season-high 27 points against back in May.

Howard was one of the few bright spots for the Fever in their 19-point loss to the Dream on Tuesday. The veteran forward led Indiana in scoring, using an efficient 6-of-8 shooting from the field to do so. In addition, her effort on the glass led her to double-digit boards for the first time through nine games and her first double-double of the season. Indiana fell to 2-3 on the year in games without Caitlin Clark, whose return from a quad injury could be nearing. Nevertheless, the Fever will hope to see continued production from Howard moving forward.

Howard’s four-game streak of double-digit scoring performances came to an end on Tuesday as she was held under 10 points for just the second time all season. The fourth-year guard was in a facilitating mode from the onset, which led to a season-low in field goal attempts and points scored. Yet, the lack of scoring didn’t stop Howard from logging another productive game as a passer and glass cleaner, areas in which she’s sustained success throughout the season en route to career-highs in rebounds and assists per game. Her well-roundedness continues to provide her a solid floor in fantasy leagues on nights that she doesn’t fill it up as a scorer.

After recording her fewest points of the season when returning to Connecticut to face the Sun, Jones pieced together her first 20-point game of the season in the win over Indiana on Tuesday. She shot the ball efficiently to reach her season-high, scoring all nine of her buckets inside the paint en route to her fifth double-double as a member of the Dream. The veteran center has fit seamlessly in her debut season with the Dream and has helped turn Atlanta into a legitimate championship contender. She’ll have a chance Friday against the Sky to continue building on what’s already been a strong first part of the season.