WNBA regular season nears its close ahead of Sept. 27 playoff start

Season winding down

The WNBA regular season has just a handful of games remaining before the playoffs tip off on Sunday, Sept. 27, according to USA Today. The outlet published its final Power Rankings of the regular season, looking at what each of the league's 12 teams needs to address heading into the offseason.

Team rankings

According to USA Today, the Minnesota Lynx posted the league's best record this season at 32-10, yet the top overall ranking went to the Golden State Valkyries (31-11), thanks to the league's strongest defense — even though the team scores just 82.3 points per game, the third-lowest mark in the league. The Las Vegas Aces (29-13) climbed to second from fourth, with their biggest need identified as an offensive rebounder, while the Atlanta Dream (29-14) sit third and are said to need a stronger rim protector. Despite having the league's best record, Minnesota dropped to fourth, with USA Today citing a lack of bench depth beyond the starting five.

Further down, the Indiana Fever (27-15) were noted for strong scoring but weak defense, while the Washington Mystics (26-16) — the league's youngest team at an average age of 23.5 — were said to need a veteran guard. The Los Angeles Sparks (16-26) and Phoenix Mercury (15-27) rounded out the bottom of the rankings and are both bracing for changes; the Sparks' leading scorer, Nneka Ogwumike, has already announced she will retire at season's end.

Player rankings

Separately, Bleacher Report published an updated top-25 player ranking for the season, weighing both offensive and defensive contributions. Players who appeared in fewer than half of their team's games were excluded, ruling out names such as Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier. The list highlighted several standouts, including Portland's rising star Carla Leite, who is averaging 22.4 points per game out of pick-and-roll possessions — a mark the outlet says no player has previously reached in league history — as well as veterans Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix) and Jonquel Jones (New York).