WNBA Power Rankings, Way-Too-Early edition: Where the Las Vegas Aces, Connecticut Sun and every other team check in

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The 2022 WNBA season ended with a franchise winning its first title. The Las Vegas Aces, who originated as the Utah Starzz when the WNBA debuted in 1997, won the championship Sunday, beating the Connecticut Sun 3-1 in the WNBA Finals, and the Aces show no signs of slowing down for 2023.

Two of the WNBA's biggest legends — Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird and Minnesota Lynx center Sylvia Fowles — have retired. This offseason, we will wait to see if two other iconic players, the Chicago Sky's Candace Parker and the Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi, will return for 2023. And the league and its players will keep their thoughts on Phoenix center Brittney Griner, who has been imprisoned in Russia since February.

There are at least two head-coaching hires to be made, for the Los Angeles Sparks and Indiana Fever. After another difficult season, the Fever will await the draft lottery, where they will see if they finally get a No. 1 pick for the first time in franchise history.

We updated our WNBA Power Rankings every Monday of the regular season. Here we list where teams were in final regular-season rankings a little over a month ago and where we project they might start the 2023 season — knowing a lot can change with trades, free agency, the draft and prioritization rules that could impact players' eligibility for the season depending on their overseas commitments.

MORE: Complete WNBA Finals coverage

1. Las Vegas Aces 2022 record: 26-10 Result: WNBA champion Final regular-season Power Ranking: 2

The Aces celebrate a championship with a core five — A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Dearica Hamby — who are all 30 or younger (Gray turns 30 on Oct. 8) and under contract for next season. Many