The WNBA Is Back — And Opening Weekend Is Stacked

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The WNBA Is Back — And Opening Weekend Is Stacked 

What's going on: The 30th season of the WNBA tips off tomorrow, and opening weekend is action-packed. On Saturday, four recent No. 1 draft picks face off when the Indiana Fever host the Dallas Wings. It’s a chemistry read for Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd, who already look dialed in. The game also marks Caitlin Clark’s big return after just 13 games last season (and a brief preseason scare). No doubt she’s ready to give people something else to talk about. New York Liberty fans should expect a hard start (in more ways than one) now that Sabrina Ionescu will be out for at least two weeks with a nasty ankle injury. But the marquee matchup belongs to A’ja Wilson (already an early MVP favorite) and the Las Vegas Aces. The defending champs take on the Phoenix Mercury Saturday in a finals rematch that’ll be an early litmus test for both teams… and a potential championship preview for the rest of us. 

Our take: Think of opening weekend like a dress rehearsal. You want to see who knows their lines and who still needs to see the script. Week one won’t tell you everything, but it tends to reveal more than people expect, like which teams found their rhythm during preseason and which players can handle the pressure. Keep an eye on sophomore standout Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics) and last season’s most improved player, Veronica Burton (Golden State Valkyries). But mainly it’s just time to celebrate that the league is back and bigger than ever. 

Related: The Player WNBA GMs Would Pick To Start a New Team Today (Sports Illustrated)

PS: We’ll be at the home opener for one of the WNBA's newest teams, the Portland Fire, on Saturday. Follow along at @wellplayedbytheskimm on Instagram.

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No Notes

Skimmed by Mallory Simon and Jordan Galloway. Fact-checked by Barbara Kean.