The Lead’s Dwayne Marcus, Emilie DeOreo and Jarrett Spence contributed to this article
The WNBA playoffs have begun, and it’s time to hear opinions from a few writers on the team.
Since the new version of the bracket was changed in 2022, we have yet to see the lower-seeded team advance out of the first round. Will that change this year?
Most surprising WNBA team this season?
Dwayne Marcus: If we’re going to have a conversation about the most surprising team in the WNBA this season, that conversation has to start with the Golden State Valkyries.
Led by head coach Natalie Nakase, the Valkyries fully embraced their identity as the league’s newest, most exciting team and ran with it. The Valkyries became the first expansion team since the Detroit Shock in 1998 to finish above .500 in their inaugural season and the only expansion team in league history to make a playoff appearance.
Kayla Thornton, who played for the Liberty in 2024, became an All-Star for the first time this season and was the leading candidate for the Most Improved Player Award — before an unfortunate knee injury ended her season. Despite losing Thornton, the Valkyries continued to press on, led by Veronica Burton, the new frontrunner for MIP, and punched their ticket to the WNBA Playoffs this season.
Not only were the Valkyries the most surprising team in the WNBA this season, they’ve also set a high bar for the Toronto Tempo, Portland Fire, and future WNBA expansion teams to reach.
Emilie DeOreo: I’d have to say the most surprising team for me was the Dream. After a bit of a rough go-around last season and an early departure from the playoffs, the Dream acquired Brittney Griner and rookie Te-Hina Paopao out of South Carolina for the 2025 season. That combination gave them a new dynamic: Griner brings veteran presence and interior dominance, while Paopao adds fresh energy and a perimeter threat.
Together, they changed the rhythm of the team, making Atlanta much more balanced and dangerous on both ends of the floor. Seeing them gel so quickly and push deeper into the playoffs than many expected has been one of the standout stories of this postseason.
The Dream finished second in the league, just behind the Minnesota Lynx, and I look forward to their playoff run.
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Jarrett Spence: The most surprising team for me was the Mystics.
Even though they are in rebuild mode and did not make the postseason, they were still very competitive. The rookie duo of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen became All-Stars right away. They also broke several franchise records.
Shakira Austin stayed healthy for a good chunk of the season and showed why she was a top pick for the Mystics. Before Brittney Sykes was traded away, it looked like Washington would make the playoffs, as they were hovering around the eighth seed.
This team might be already ahead of schedule for their rebuild, but they should not rush it. Keep building year by year and stay patient.
Mac Pham: Indiana.
Despite all the injuries, they snuck into the postseason. Their superstar, Caitlin Clark, played just 13 games this season. Indiana has relied on Kelsey Mitchell, who averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game. She also now holds the franchise record for most points per game in a single-season.
When Indiana plays through Mitchell, they can generate scoring production out of dribble handoff actions, on-ball screens and pull-up three-pointers. Don’t be surprised if they can push Atlanta to a winner-take-all game, or perhaps even pull off a first-round series win.
How do you see the pressure of the playoffs influencing the way the game is played?
Marcus: Pressure does two things. It bursts pipes and it makes diamonds.
For teams who have been here before like the Lynx, Liberty, Aces, and even the Storm and Mercury, the pressure of the WNBA Playoffs isn’t a surprise. As for the Dream, Fever, and Valkyries, for most of the players on those respective roster, the pressure of the playoffs is unfamiliar territory.
The beauty of it all, whether you’ve experienced it or not, is there are always a handful of players that rise to the occasion on their quest for a championship and I’m looking forward to seeing who those players will be this year.
DeOreo: There is a lot of heightened emotion during the playoffs, not just with the players but with the coaches, the staff, and – especially – the fans.
There’s excitement, rivalry, competition, and stress fueling the players in every game, along with the screaming and cheers from fans in the stands. In the playoffs, defense and offense get tightened up, roster changes are made, tactics are switched, and players with something to prove come out and show up in stats.
Spence: The game slows down; every possession matters. No taking plays off. Teams are able to key in on their opponent for a series, so focus is heightened. It’s great watching everyone ascend to a new level.
Pham: The playoffs become more of a half-court game than in the regular season. Coaches can burn a timeout immediately after seeing something like a blown assignment or a miscommunication. Speaking of which, let the coaches coach — they’re trying to call plays on top of doing an interview in the middle of a game.
Which players stand the most to gain from winning a championship this season?
Marcus: Normally, when we think about players who have the most to gain from winning a championship, we usually think about legends of the game who have never won the big one, or young superstars looking to cement themselves into the history books.
A’ja Wilson fits none of those categories, and yet, she’s still the one with the most to gain. Wilson is already a three-time WNBA MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time WNBA champion, 2023 Finals MVP, and a long list of other things in her eight-year career.
However, a third championship will make her just the second player in league history to win three championships and three MVPs. And, if en route to that third title, she wins another MVP award, she’d be the first player ever to win the award four times, making her undeniably the greatest player of all time. So, while some players are looking to validate legendary careers and others are looking to cement their emerging greatness, Wilson is looking to take the top spot as the Queen of the WNBA.
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DeOreo: While A’ja Wilson getting her fourth accolade would be extremely impressive, I have to say the Lynx’s roster would benefit the most from coming home with the Finals hardware.
They’ve built a team that thrives on collective effort rather than just one superstar, and winning an award of that magnitude would validate the balance and resilience they’ve shown all season.
For younger players especially, it would be a signal that their growth and contributions are being recognized on the biggest stage. For the organization, it would mark a new era of legitimacy after a few transitional years. Sometimes an accolade like that doesn’t just highlight one player, it lifts the identity of the entire roster.
Spence: I think the player with the most to gain if they win a championship is Alyssa Thomas. Her triple-double records have validated her as one of the greatest players to play in the W. Her resume speaks for itself. She is now 33 years old, which means her window is closing. A championship will add to her already impressive career.
Pham: Napheesa Collier.
After coming so close to a championship last year, nobody is hungrier than Collier and Minnesota. Collier recorded a 50/40/90 season, becoming the second player to achieve that rare feat; the seven-year veteran shot a career-high 53 percent from the field and 90 percent at the charity stripe. Collier also shot a blistering 40 percent from downtown, a mark that she hasn’t hit since 2020. She turns 29 this month and right now is her and Minnesota’s best chance to capitalize on a championship.
What’s your Finals prediction?
Marcus: Las Vegas over Minnesota in 7
DeOreo: Minnesota over Las Vegas in 6
Spence: New York over Atlanta in 6
Pham: Minnesota over Las Vegas in 5
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