WNBA Player News

Griner had her most productive scoring outing since she was moved to the bench on August 10 after she missed a few games after dealing with a neck injury. With head coach Karl Smesko wanting to not play his starters too many heavy minutes just days before the playoffs begin, Griner got more of an extended opportunity. Also, the matchup against the Sun is advantageous for Griner in particular when she matches up against a smaller center in the Sun’s Tina Charles. Griner shot 63.6 percent from the field, mostly by getting great position on Charles, and then later in the game, Griner outmuscled the even smaller power forward Aaliayh Edwards, who was defending Griner. Griner also made WNBA history on Wednesday night, passing Swin Cash for 16th on the league’s all time rebounding list with 2,522 career boards.

The final head coaching vacancy in the WNBA has been filled, with the Liberty reportedly landing on current Golden State Warriors assistant DeMarco. He’s been part of Steve Kerr’s staff since 2012, beginning his time with the franchise as the video coordinator. During his time with the Warriors, DeMarco has helped the franchise win four NBA titles. He’ll have large shoes to fill in Brooklyn, as the Liberty parted ways with Sandy Brondello at the conclusion of the 2025 season. Brondello led the Liberty to the franchise’s first WNBA title in 2024 and three playoff appearances in four seasons at the helm.

Following a first-round exit at the hands of the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces, the Storm parted ways with Noelle Quinn after five seasons at the helm. She’s been replaced by Raman, who becomes the first Indian-American head coach in WNBA history. A member of Sandy Brondello’s coaching staff with the Liberty this season, Raman spent the prior four seasons on Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff in Memphis. Like many teams, the Storm have multiple key players who will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, including Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike. However, promising rookie Dominique Malonga is under contract for 2026 after playing well to finish the 2025 campaign.

The Fire are one of two teams that will enter the WNBA next season, and the franchise has gone to the NBA ranks to find its first head coach. Sarama most recently served as an assistant on Kenny Atkinson’s staff in Cleveland, helping lead the Cavaliers to 64 regular-season wins and a second-round playoff appearance in 2024-25. His focus as an assistant coach at multiple stops has been on player development, which can be helpful for a franchise that will build its roster from scratch, starting with the expansion draft (if the WNBPA and the league’s owners agree to a new collective bargaining agreement).

While there’s been a recent trend for the WNBA to look to the NBA assistant coaching ranks to fill head coaching vacancies, the Wings have chosen the college route for the franchise’s next head coach. Fernandez moves to the professional ranks after a highly successful run at the University of South Florida, leading the Bulls to 11 NCAA tournament appearances in 25 seasons. USF has won at least 19 games in 14 consecutive seasons, and Fernandez led the program to 12 20-win seasons. He’ll now be asked to lead a rebuild in Dallas featuring WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, and the Wings will also have a high lottery pick in the 2026 draft.

The Tempo have reportedly zeroed in on their first head coach, and Brondello brings an impressive résumé to the table. She has 13 seasons of WNBA head coaching experience, leading franchises in San Antonio (now Las Vegas), Phoenix and New York. Brondello led her teams to three WNBA Finals appearances, winning titles with the Mercury in 2014 and the Liberty in 2024. New York was hit hard by injuries this season but still won 27 regular-season games before being eliminated from the playoffs by Phoenix. Toronto’s bringing in an established coach who also played in the WNBA to lead the franchise in its inaugural season is a significant development for the franchise.

After appearing in 40 and 39 games the two seasons prior, Jones made 31 regular-season appearances for the Liberty in 2025. She missed time before the All-Star break with a right ankle injury and managed to play through persistent issues during the post-break portion of the schedule. According to Powell, Monday’s procedure was minor and addressed instability in Jones’ ankle. Jones is one of six Liberty players who will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, including Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart.

Bonner recorded a double-double in her first start of the series. Her impact was less significant than her 25-point, 10-rebound Game 3, but the veteran forward still managed to provide some value on both ends of the floor. She finished as one of five Phoenix players to score in double figures and one of two to collect double-digit rebounds.

Copper went out swinging in the Mercury’s final game of the season. She repeatedly attacked downhill and put pressure on the Aces’ defense throughout, which was especially notable in her 13-point third quarter that helped get Phoenix back in the game. The former Finals MVP ultimately set a new personal best for points scored in a WNBA Finals game before fouling out of Friday’s contest late in the fourth quarter. She averaged 22.8 points through the four games and was arguably the Mercury’s most consistent scorer throughout the series.

Thomas had another balanced performance on Friday, impacting the game in several ways on the offensive end. The MVP finalist briefly left the contest late in the second quarter after colliding with the Aces’ Jewell Loyd when attempting to run through a screen. She eventually returned to begin the third quarter and helped the Mercury mount a spirited comeback attempt. Ultimately, Thomas’s production wasn’t enough, and her game-high nine turnovers were costly, accounting for half of Phoenix’s total turnovers. She finished her first postseason run with the Mercury, fittingly, having recorded a triple-double.

Gray came alive in the fourth quarter in time to give the Aces a much-needed lift on the offensive end down the stretch. In the frame, she made multiple momentum-changing three-pointers just when the home crowd seemed ready to unleash during the Mercury’s comeback attempt. She drew fouls down the stretch on both ends of the floor, as well, helping the Aces run through the tape and capture their third WNBA championship. Gray, a former Finals MVP, proved her value on both ends of the floor throughout the series and finished as one of five Aces players to score in double figures.