The GQ Guide to the WNBA Playoffs

Boors the world over once insisted that no one watches women’s sports. Now, grown men are trying to declare for the WNBA draft. That should illustrate just how popular women’s basketball has become over the last few years, buoyed in part by an insurgent class of superstars.Made possible by the historic CBA that was signed in the eleventh hour of the off-season, the WNBA’s 30th anniversary season has been must-see TV. This year, the league welcomed two new expansion franchises—the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire—and a generational talent in rookie Olivia Miles, not to mention boatloads of new fans. And for the first time ever, the WNBA’s All-Star game was better-attended than the NBA’s.Despite what the sensational headlines might lead you to believe, there has never been a better time to be a fan of the WNBA. The hoops, too, are as competitive as ever—league-wide parity means that any team can be beat on any given night. Case in point: the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx won only six more games this season than the eighth-seeded New York Liberty, who they’ll play in the opening round when the playoffs begin on Sunday.As someone who grew up watching the NBA, I’ll admit that it took me a few years to get accustomed to the flow of the women’s game. But diving deeper into the WNBA, and sitting in the upper bowl of a sold-out United Center at the WNBA All-Star Game in July, has brought back the kind of pure excitement and curiosity I felt when I first fell in love with basketball as a kid.So, here’s a pro-tip for any WNBA newbies: instead of allowing right-wing panic about trans athletes to dictate your experience of the W, try actually watching the games. (Better yet, get to one in person). Trust me, the hoops (and the vibes) will not disappoint. What follows is a comprehensive guide to the WNBA postseason, tailor-made for fans who may only just be coming around to the beauty and ferocity of women’s basketball.Note: The first round of the WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three series, the Semifinals is best-of-five and, for the second time in league history, the WNBA Finals will be best-of-seven.The JuggernautsJackie Young, A’ja Wilson, and Dana EvansSteph Chambers/Getty ImagesIn this economy, it wouldn’t be wise to bet against the Las Vegas Aces. The reigning champs are seeded third, behind the Minnesota Lynx and the Golden State Valkyries, But the Aces are experienced and well-oiled, led by Becky Hammon and a staff of hoodie-blazer-wearing coaches who know exactly how to get their team playing their best basketball when it matters most. Oh, they also have four-time MVP and three-time DPOY A’ja Wilson, who every year strengthens her case for being the greatest player in league history. Leading the league once again in points and blocks, Wilson wisely opted to remain stateside to recover from a nagging back injury instead of competing in the FIBA World Cup. If the Aces continue playing the way they did in the final week of the regular season, they may well win their fourth chip in five years. To get in the mood, run back A’ja’s fadeaway game-winner during game three of the 2025 Finals as time expired. Absolute cinema.The FavoritesOlivia MilesDavid Sherman/Getty ImagesNapheesa CollierNoah Graham/Getty ImagesRookie Olivia Miles came into the league and commanded immediate attention. The 23-year-old star, dubbed “the Spectacle” by fans in reference to her nifty play and the goggles she wears on the court, was drafted into the perfect situation under the guidance of Head Coach Cheryl Reeves (who’s coached and won four championships with the legendary Maya Moore). The fact that the Lynx finished with the league’s best record is notable considering the team only returned four players from the previous season, including All-Star Courtney Williams (½ of the StudBudz) and former Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, who returned from injury midway through this season and continues to return to form.Reeves has given Miles the ultimate green light to explore her fresh, uncanny brand of basketball in Minnesota. With one dribble, she can make defenders disappear from view. Her court vision is unmatched, too. Even perennial MVP candidate Collier said “she’s never played with someone” quite like Miles. Chances are you haven’t seen anything like her either.The Dark HorsesSonia CitronScott Taetsch/Getty ImagesAt the start of the season, no one was checking for the Washington Mystics. Steadily and impressively, they’ve proven themselves. The self-proclaimed “Young Hos” of the league are the only other team besides the Lynx and the Aces to have defeated every playoff team in the regular season.This will be the first playoff appearance for sophomore stars Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. But watch out for the Mystics’ red-haired, fifth-year center Shakira Austin, who’s made a strong case for Most Improved Player as the team’s 26-year-old relative elder stateswoman. The Mystics play fearless and confident. And without the burden of high expectations, they’re primed to pull off an upset. “We cook on high heat, not on low heat,” Citron said. Translation? They aren’t waiting for permission to be great.The CinderellasKaila Charles, Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton, and Kiah StokesCameron Browne/Getty ImagesYou might be wondering how the Valkyries can be considered a Cinderella candidate when boasting the league’s second-best record. But they’re only in their second season of existence, and the Bay Area expansion team led by Head Coach Natalie Nakase and General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin (former assistant GM of the New York Liberty) has become an absolute force, playing team ball on both sides of the court.The Valkyries signed elite two-way All-Star Gabby Williams in the offseason to bolster a roster that’s mostly unchanged. In year two, the Valkyries have bought into playing a hard-nosed and stifling style of defense (they’re the number-one rated defense in the league) and also benefit from a deep and high-scoring bench. The big question, though, is whether Golden State will be able to win it all without a go-to bucket-getter to turn to in late game situations. If the Valkyries manage to pull off a championship in year two, a Bay Area parade might just generate enough good vibes to offset the bad juju coming from Silicon Valley.The HeadlinersCaitlin ClarkAndy Lyons/Getty ImagesThis season, the noise around Caitlin Clark and her role-playing teammate Sophie Cunningham has been a massive distraction, to say the least. Clark got off to a slow start but kept shooting. Sure enough, in July, she had her breakout game, notching a career-high 45 points and 10 assists against Seattle. The game gave fans a glimpse of Clark at her very best, and she continued apace, ending the season averaging nearly 23 points a game.Alongside her All-Star backcourt mate Kelsey Mitchell, Clark and the Fever are running the league’s most high-octane offense, with two of the W’s top three scorers (not to mention former first overall pick Aliyah Boston operating inside the paint). Last season, a Clark-less Fever took the Aces to four games in the semifinals; now at full force, they’ll be a very tough out.The SleepersArike Ogunbowale, Jessica Shepard, Paige Bueckers, and Azzi FuddAli Gradischer/Getty ImagesIn their first playoff appearance, the Paige Bueckers-led Wings will be missing key pieces, with 2026 number-one pick Azzi Fudd sidelined indefinitely after undergoing knee surgery. In their first season under first-time WNBA Head Coach Jose Fernandez, the Wings went from a 10-win team that missed the playoffs entirely to a 27-win team and the seven seed. Bueckers has put up MVP-caliber numbers all season long and is one of most enjoyable guards to watch on the planet. Plus, the Wings have nothing to lose. They won’t be going down easy if Bueckers and her fellow All-Stars Jess Sheppard and veteran Arike Ogwunbowale have anything to say about it.The DisruptorsDeWanna Bonner and Angel ReeseElsa/Getty ImagesIn her third season, Angel Reese found a home in Atlanta, leaving the Chicago Sky to team up with four-time all-stars Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard. Reese notched the first-ever 500 rebound season in league history and seems ready to silence her critics once and for all. Already boasting a stingy defense, the Dream added 18-year veteran DeWanna Bonner to their roster just a few weeks ago. Bonner, who ranks third among the league’s all-time leading scorers, was released by the Phoenix Mercury so she could chase a championship in what could be her final season. Frankly, I don’t completely understand how the rules allow a player to leave and join another team so late in the season, and I’m not sure the basketball Gods will look fondly on this strange transaction. We’ll know soon!The WoundedBreanna StewartAvery J. Munroe/Getty ImagesAfter their 2025 first-round playoff exit, the Liberty parted ways with Head Coach Sandy Brondello and brought in some new blood. Enter first-time head coach Chris Demarco, who’s presided over a disjointed season plagued by injuries, most notably a season-ending concussion suffered by free-agent addition Satou Sabally. The Liberty, then, had little opportunity to truly find a rhythm. But I would never count out a team headlined by two former MVPs (Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones) or one that can rely on the best mascot in professional sports to rile up the Barclays Center crowd.