It has been a busy offseason already. The Golden State Valkyries got their first eleven players in the expansion draft in early December, and several WNBA players are currently preparing for Unrivaled’s inaugural season. Amid all that and the college season requiring a lot of attention, it may be difficult to find time to focus on free agency already.
February should be an exciting month for WNBA fans, though. Several big names are set to enter free agency, and some teams could make serious changes that could alter the WNBA landscape. The Indiana Fever, for example, could turn into a contender with the right signings, the Valkyries could emerge as a big player right away, and the Connecticut Sun could lose three of their best players.
For good reason, most of the free agency conversation has been focused on the big names. After all, what players like Kelsey Plum, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and DeWanna Bonner make can make or break teams’ chances to be competitive.
There are also some less impactful names fans should keep an eye on, however.
3. Natisha Hiedeman
The numbers Natisha Hiedeman put up last season may not jump off the page, but she was still the backup point guard on a team that went to the WNBA Finals and averaged 14.3 minutes per game in the playoffs. The Minnesota Lynx found great team success, but for Hiedeman, it was a down season. 2024 marked the fewest minutes and points she averaged per game since her rookie season in 2019.
While playing for a winning team is always fun, Hiedeman might want to find a team in free agency that can offer her a bigger role. Signing Hiedeman may not be as impactful as, for example, stealing Kelsey Plum from the Aces, but she has shown that she can play an important role on one of the best teams in the league. She could help several teams looking for a backup guard.
2. Myisha Hines-Allen
Considering all the other forwards, who are entering free agency this February, Myisha Hines-Allen may not be the first one teams think about signing. She still has value, though, especially for teams who cannot afford one of the bigger fish or simply do not want to.
After all, Hines-Allen was the player the Lynx decided to trade for to round out their roster. She was a rotational player in the playoffs, averaging 12.3 minutes over ten games, as the Lynx went all the way to Game 5 of the finals.
Any team that needs depth at the forward spots and is looking for a veteran with playoff experience, should keep an eye on Hines-Allen. She even has the ability to space the floor if she increases her 3-point volume.
1. Courtney Vandersloot
At 35 years old, Courtney Vandersloot is not the player she used to be. Losing her starting spot to rookie Leonie Fiebich during the New York Liberty’s title run exemplified that. During the 2024 season, Vandersloot averaged the fewest points, field goal attempts, and minutes per game of her career.
The Liberty may just decide to let her walk in free agency, but that does not mean that other teams should not consider signing Vandersloot. She still has a valuable skillset, even if she is not as attractive as other free agents out there, and could particularly help a young team. Two things Vandersloot will unquestionably bring to the table are veteran experience and playmaking.
Those are generally things young teams need, even if Vandersloot may not be one of the top players on a championship team anymore.