WNBA Player News

Collier struggled significantly on the offensive end on Tuesday night. Her 33.0 percent shooting tied her most inefficient shooting performance of the season, and she finished with fewer than 15 points for just the second time this year. The 2024 MVP runner-up certainly felt the defensive impact of Natasha Howard and the rest of the Fever as a whole, as indicated by her season-high five turnovers. Collier also missed many makeable shots that had led her to average 24.4 points per game heading into the Commissioner’s Cup Championship. She’ll have a chance to bounce back on Thursday vs. Washington.

In her last two games, Wilson has scored 64 points, and 34 of those points came against the Wings on Sunday afternoon. The 3X league MVP leads the WNBA in total 30-point games this season with eight in 30 games played. Wilson made five straight shots to start the game. She hit jumpers in the paint over the Wings’ front court players and took them off the dribble and to the rim. Seven of Wilson’s field goals, over 63% of her total makes, came on passes from point guard Chelsea Gray. On the defensive end, Wilson tied her season high in a game with four blocks and in the first quarter passed Ruth Riley for 9th on the WNBA’s All-Time blocks list.

Mitchell put on an MVP-caliber performance in a 21-point comeback win for the Fever. After going into halftime missing every shot she attempted and only scoring four points off free throws, Mitchell exploded in the final three periods of the game which included a five minute overtime. In the those final three periods, Mitchell shot 73.3% from the field and scored 34 of her total points. She was responsible for 69.6% of the Fever’s total third quarter points and also scored the Fever’s first 10 points in overtime. Mitchell recorded her 11th 30+ point game of her career and surpassed Tamika Catchings to become the player with the most 30+ point games in Fever history. Mitchell also notched six assists and found teammates Aliyah Boston, Odyssey Sims and Natasha Howard for two shots each.

With Monique Akoa Makani out dealing with a left knee injury, Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts turns to the next guard on the depth chart Sami Whitcomb to replace Akoa Makani in the starting lineup. Sunday’s game will be Whitcomb’s 19th start of the season for the Mercury. Expect Forward DeWanna Bonner to get more run off the bench in addition to some meaningful minutes for guards Lexie Held and Kitija Laksa who have gotten less opportunities in the most recent weeks.

During the Mercury’s pre-game press conference on Sunday, head coach Nate Tibbetts told reporters that guard Akoa Makani was dealing with a left knee injury and would be out against the Storm. In the Mercury’s last game against the Aces on Friday, Akoa Makani played in 32 minutes, scored 8 points, had four rebounds and six assists. Without Akoa Makani, the Mercury will be more reliant upon bench guard Sami Whitcomb. Expect more minutes from Lexi Held and Kitija Laksa, two guards that have had reduced roles in the past few weeks.

Once ruled questionable, Wings center Li Yueru did not dress for their game against the Aces on Sunday afternoon. With Li out on Sunday, the Wings will have much less front court depth especially when going up against A’ja Wilson. Undersized post Myisha Hines-Allen will be relied upon more while Diamond Miller, a larger 6'3 wing, will also be called upon for more minutes off the bench.

Cunningham left the game with 8:04 left in the second quarter after Sun guard Bria Hartley collided with her right knee on a drive to the basket. After the collision, Cunningham was jumping up and down and holding her knee and then she was on the ground clutching that same right knee in a lot of pain. With Cunningham out for rest of the game, the Fever have turned to wing Lexie Hull—who started the second half in Cunningham’s place—forward Brianna Turner and stretch big Chloe Bibby in Cunningham’s absence.

Clark will miss her 13th straight game on Sunday as she continues to work her way back from a groin injury suffered against the Sun on July 15. The Fever started the stretch of games without Clark going 5-2, but have suffered additional injuries at the point guard position since then and dropped four of their last five games. Kelsey Mitchell had functioned as the team’s point guard in recent games, but with Odyssey Sims making her first start on Sunday, she should relieve Mitchell of some of the playmaking duties while Indiana waits for Clark’s return to the court.

Fever head coach Stephanie White’s decision to change the starting lineup puts a legitimate point guard on the floor to begin Sunday’s game. Sims, who has been signed to a second 7-day hardship contract as the team awaits Caitlin Clark’s return, accounted for 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and one three-pointer in Friday’s loss to the Mystics. Her move into the starting lineup pushes Lexie Hull into a reserve role, but she should still play plenty.

Johannes had an impactful performance for the Liberty on Saturday. She was one of two New York players to tally double-digit points off the bench, while finishing as the only player with a positive plus-minus. The veteran guard ultimately concluded the contest having scored more points than in any previous game in August. Given her role as a backup guard to a healthy frontcourt of Sabrina Ionescu and Natasha Cloud, it’s hard to imagine Johannes playing enough minutes on a nightly basis to be a difference maker in fantasy leagues the rest of the way. Still, she has the ability to get hot quickly and leave her mark any time she’s on the floor.

After scoring 10 points in a loss to Minnesota less than one week ago, Ionescu scored in double figures on Saturday, but shot inefficiently again. The former first-overall pick also struggled as a playmaker. Yet, her activity on the glass led her to her second double-double of the season and helped her finish with a solid final line from a fantasy basketball perspective. Ionescu will have a chance to bounce back on Tuesday when the Liberty face the Lynx for the second straight time.