By CR Crayton
The time has come! The WNBA is tipping off, and that can only mean one thing: summer sports season is officially on. While the NCAA women’s game might still have some talent gaps, that’s not the case in the W. The league is deeper, more competitive, and more exciting than ever.
So let’s take a look at a few teams headed into the 2025 season—and yeah, we’re calling out the ones we think might miss the playoffs. (Don’t worry, we’ll get to the playoff locks next time.) Remember, these are predictions, not gospel… though we’ve got a pretty good track record.
Seattle Storm
Let’s start right here in good ole Seattle. Gone are the days of Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, and even Swin Cash. The biggest shock of the offseason? Jewell Loyd wanted out—and got her wish. She’s now with the Aces. Meanwhile, Kelsey Plum is in L.A., and the Storm picked up Alysha Clark (still serviceable, but past her prime) and Li Yueru (who averaged just 5 points in 14.5 minutes last season).
The real question: who’s going to replace Jewell’s 20 points and 4 assists a night? Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and newcomer Gabby Williams have their work cut out for them.
Prediction: MISS
Offense will be shaky, and the defense might be even worse. A rebuilding year feels inevitable.
Golden State Valkyries
Ah, expansion teams. The Valkyries are shiny and new, but they’ve got the usual problem: great role players, not a lot of fully developed stars. Tiffany Hayes, Tami Fágbénlé, Kayla Thornton, and Katie Vanloo have solid skills, but they’re still figuring out how to play together—and who’s the go-to?
Prediction: MISS
No post presence, no clear alpha. It’s going to be a long 44 games for the Bay’s newest squad.
Washington Mystics
Losing first-round pick Georgia Amoore was a huge blow. The plan was to rotate her with Brittney Sykes to spread the floor and create space for Stefanie Dolson and Aliyah Edwards in the paint. Dolson even showed off a legit three-point shot last year. But now? That spacing and offensive flexibility just isn’t there.
Plus, with Ariel Atkins and Myisha Hines-Allen both gone, the talent drain might be too much to overcome.
Prediction: MISS
The pieces left are solid, but not enough to make up for the ones they lost.
Connecticut Sun
No team took a harder hit than the Sun this offseason. Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, Tiffany Mitchell, DiJonai Carrington—all gone. What’s left? Marina Mabrey and a couple of new faces: Tina Charles (who’s definitely not in her prime) and Lindsay Allen.
Sure, they beat the Liberty in preseason. But can this new-look squad hold it together over the long haul?
Prediction: MISS
Tina’s age is showing, and Allen’s just not enough to support Mabrey. Chemistry could be a problem here.
Dallas Wings
Now this is interesting. On paper, Dallas looks like a future powerhouse. They’ve added UConn star Paige Bueckers, NaLyssa Smith, Myisha Hines-Allen, DiJonai Carrington, and Aziah James. That’s a stacked lineup.
But here’s the thing: Arike Ogunbowale is electric—but sometimes a little too electric. She can win games by herself, but also shoot the Wings right out of them.
The question is: how quickly can this group gel?
Prediction: MISS
Too many scorers, not enough cohesion—yet. Give them a year.
That’s it for the teams we think will be on the outside looking in come playoff time. Next time, we’ll break down the contenders—who’s making noise and who’s built for a deep postseason run.
Until then, keep shooting.
