With the 2025 WNBA regular season coming to a close, fans can take solace in the fact that the excitement isn’t fully over – playoffs kick off this Sunday, Sept.14. For many WNBA fans, this season has already seemed drama-filled: from the amount of close games leading to tight wins and loses, to injuries suffered by key players, to mid-season trades, fans are left to wonder what playoffs might look like in a year that has already had so much turbulence. Whether you’re an avid WNBA fan, a casual follower, or completely unfamiliar to the world of women’s basketball, this year’s playoffs have plenty of excitement in store.
The playoffs will take place in three rounds, with eight teams starting. Four teams will go on to make it to the semifinals, with two teams eventually left standing in the finals. The results of the first round will be decided by the winners of the best of three games, followed by a best of five games in the semifinals, and new this year, the best of seven games in the final round.
With only eight playoff spots available for the WNBA’s 13 teams, the second half of the summer has been marked by fierce competition among a handful of teams for the chance to make it to the post season. With some hard fought wins and loses, the playoff teams were officially set by Tuesday night, when the Seattle Storm sealed their place in the playoffs with their win over the Golden State Valkyries. The Storm’s hard fought victory shut the door on the Los Angeles Sparks last chances of making the playoffs. In addition to the Sparks, the teams who missed the cut include the Dallas Wings, the Chicago Sky, the Connecticut Sun, the Washington Mystics, and the Los Angeles Sparks.
The Minnesota Lynx
The top four teams in the league have been finishing the regular season out strong and hope to carry that momentum into the playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx have sealed their place as the number one team going into the playoffs. The Lynx, who have led the league all season, and who barely lost the championship last year, look to capture their fifth franchise title this year, with team leader Napheesa Collier seeming like one of the most likely candidates for this year’s MVP trophy.
Las Vegas Aces
The Lynx will be face fierce opposition from the Las Vegas Aces, who despite having a very rocky start to their season, have mounted an incredible comeback. The team seeks their third championship in the past four years after a tough semi-finals loss in last year’s playoffs. A’ja Wilson, who has led her team in excellent form through their highs and lows, could stand to earn her 4th MVP title.
The Atlanta Dream
While many teams this year have experienced dramatic highs and lows, the Dream have demonstrated steady excellence all season. The Dream’s chemistry and mix of fresh and familiar faces made them one of my favorite teams to watch this season. Their consistency and dedication to giving it all, in addition to their well rounded collection of talented players, particularly Allisha Gray, seem like key factors to helping them advance through the playoffs.
The Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury rounds out the top four teams. Mercury fans faced lots of uncertainty at the beginning of the season, as the offseason saw not only the retirement of WNBA legend Diana Turasi but the moves of several key Mercury players to new teams. These offseason shifts meant that most of the Mercury’s 2024 starting lineup was now gone. Despite this intimidating prospect, the Mercury also picked up several excellent new players, including Alyssa Thomas, who have gone on to prove throughout the season that any nervous fans had nothing to worry about.
The bottom four playoff teams have all seen great successes and epic wins at various points of the season, and yet these four teams have also struggled at many other points, particularly being impacted by star player’s injuries.
The New York Liberty
The New York Liberty, last year’s champions, have clinched their spot as the number five seed going into the playoffs. The Liberty have shown remarkable team chemistry when all players are healthy, but many of their star players who helped secure last year’s title have been plagued by injuries that have sidelined them for long stretches of the season. Hopefully a healthy roster and the support of their iconic mascot, Ellie the Elephant, will drive the Liberty in their pursuit of back to back championships.
The Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is often at the center of women’s basketball news, as the home of Caitlin Clark. While the Fever had a strong start to the season, winning the Commissioner’s cup in the middle of the season, the team has since been riddled with injuries to key players, with six of their players, including Clark, out for the season. However, the Fever have also pulled off several decisive victories, even with their diminished roster, that signal that they aren’t going down without a fight this season.
The Golden State Valkyries
The Golden State Valkyries were a 2025 addition to the WNBA and their spot in the playoffs marks the first time in league history that an expansion team has made the playoffs in their inaugural year. The Valkyries have proved all season that no one should be underestimating them, despite being the fresh franchise in the league. Their exciting performance this season has garnered them an energetic fanbase, who will be eagerly awaiting to see just how far the Valkyries history making playoffs run will go.
The Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm was the last team to clinch a playoff spot. The usually dominant team experienced an extended mid-season losing streak that proved to be a major hit in their league standings and risked knocking them out of playoff contention. However, a late season shift and a handful of hard fought decisive wins were able to revitalize the team and secure them the final spot in the playoffs.
Starting Monday these eight teams will be giving it their all to battle it out for the 2025 championship. With the stakes high at the end of a dramatic 2025 season, and with all the teams looking for something to prove, these playoffs will be full of fierce competition and an exciting watch, no matter which team you’re rooting for. For a full guide to which teams will be facing off, and when and where to watch the first round of playoffs, you can find more information on the playoffs schedule here.