WNBA's 30th season brings 2 new teams, transformational CBA, another Aces title chase

The WNBA is poised for an historic 30th season after a transformational new collective bargaining agreement was reached in March.

Now the league can focus on the play on the court which will feature the Las Vegas Aces looking for a fourth championship in five years, the return of Caitlin Clark after she missed most of last season with injuries, and the debut of expansion teams the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.

The Aces have their core intact from last season's title run, including four-time league MVP A'ja Wilson. She was picked by a national media panel as the pre-season AP player of the year. She became the highest paid player in WNBA history, earning a $5 million US supermax contract extension over the next three years.

Las Vegas has won three of the last four championships with New York taking home the crown in 2024.

The Liberty look poised to challenge the Aces again with their Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu all returning. Ionescu will miss at least the first couple of weeks of the season with a foot injury she suffered in the pre-season finale over the weekend.

The Liberty added all-star Satou Sabally in free agency and made a coaching change after last season's first-round exit in the playoffs. They replaced Sandy Brondello with former Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco. He's one of five new head coaches in the league.

Brondello didn't stay unemployed long as she is the head coach of the Tempo, the league's first team outside of the United States.

Clark played in only 13 games last year after a series of injuries cut short her sophomore season. The Indiana Fever star spent the offseason getting healthy and stronger and is ready to go.

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