The 2026 WNBA regular season begins Friday with a slate of games that will spill over into the following day. Friday will see matches between the Connecticut Sun and New York Liberty, the Washington Mystics and Toronto Tempo, and the Golden State Valkyries and the Seattle Storm. Saturday's games will be between the Dallas Wings and the Indiana Fever, the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces, the Atlanta Dream and Minnesota Lynx, and the Chicago Sky and Portland Fire.
In other words, the WNBA is officially back.
There are a lot of big storylines to pay attention to this season, many of which we aren't even aware of yet. But before we get there, there are plenty of 2026 season debuts that are of note. Let's look at ten of them.
Top Ten WNBA 2026 Season Debuts Power Rankings
PLAYER | GAME DAY | WHY |
|---|---|---|
Caitlin Clark | Saturday | First post-injury season |
A'ja Wilson | Saturday | Reigning MVP returns |
Angel Reese | Saturday | Sky-Dream trade |
Azzi Fudd | Saturday | No. 1 draft pick demands it |
Paige Bueckers | Saturday | Year 2 takeaways |
Olivia Miles | Saturday | Rookie season |
Flau'jae Johnson | Friday | Rookie season |
Chennedy Carter | Saturday | Return to the WNBA |
Lauren Betts | Friday | Rookie season |
Georgia Amoore | Friday | First actual season in the W |
Top Ten WNBA 2026 Season Debuts Power Rankings: Explained
Caitlin Clark returns post-injury
Caitlin Clark played essentially a handful of games last season after suffering injury after injury, and fans are chomping at the big to see her back on the court. Year three in the league is an opportunity to show what she's mastered, where she has room to grow, and what she wants to experiement with.
A'ja Wilson defends her MVP title
Wilson is already the favorite to win MVP this season, which would give her five total awards. The Aces didn't start off strong last season, but Wilson led them where they needed to go.
Angel Reese shows up for Atlanta
The decision to trade Reese from the Sky to the Dream took a lot of fans by suprrise, and people can't wait to see how she'll impact Atlanta. Reese has a lot to prove to her doubters this season — if she decides it's worth doing so. Odds are, she'll let her (very powerful) game speak for itself.
Azzi Fudd makes her debut
Being the No. 1 draft pick comes with a lot of good, but it also means all eyes are on you. Fudd deserved to be the top pick, and now it's on her to show why.
Paige Bueckers plays her second season
Bueckers is one of the strongest players in the league and is leading a newly rebuilt Dallas Wings. There's plenty of reasons to suspect the team will be the surprise of the season, and she is a contributor to a whole bunch of them.
Olivia Miles shows why she's there
Miles was always one of the most exciting players to watch in NCAA basketball, and Cheryl Reeve always knows what she's doing. Expect to get a glimpse of where Reeve hopes Miles will go.
Flau'jae Johnson makes her case
Johnson is a quiet contender for Rookie of the Year this season and she hasn't even played a regular season game yet. While a lot of eyes will be on Fudd and Miles, that means she'll get the room to experiment. Johnson is a really exciting player and her energy is just right — don't be surprised if she gets big minutes with Seattle.
Chennedy Carter is back in the WNBA
Carter is back in the WNBA after missing last season, and this time she's playing with Wilson and under coach Becky Hammon. Expect a very exciting performance from her — and hopefully no other issues.
Lauren Betts shows what the Mystics are about
Betts is fresh off UCLA's big NCAA win and hungry to show why she was part of the reason they earned it. The Mystics have an exciting, fun young core and she'll be a big part of that.
Georgia Amoore plays her first real season
Amoore missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL tear and will finally get her shot at playing in the W for real. She was a fan favorite at Kentucky, and is likely to be exactly that for the Mystics, too.
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