{"id":220578,"date":"2025-10-17T20:32:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T20:32:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/220578\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T20:32:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T20:32:09","slug":"recapping-the-2025-wnba-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/220578\/","title":{"rendered":"Recapping the 2025 WNBA season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\ud83d\ude0e The 2025 WNBA season by the numbers<\/p>\n

The WNBA had big, squeaky shoes to fill on the heels of a record-breaking 2024 \u2014 and it did exactly that: Fans packed arenas, players rewrote the record books, and a new generation of stars showed that the W\u2019s future is just as bright as its past.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcc8 Over 3.1M fans attended a WNBA game<\/a> this season, shattering the previous record of 2.36M set in 2002. The W boasted a league-high 16 teams when that mark was set 23 years ago, three more than this year\u2019s 13.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfc6 WNBA Finals viewership peaked at 2.5M in Game 1, smashing a record that had stood for 28 years. Fittingly, the legendary Houston Comets headlined that game in 1998 while on the verge of their second consecutive championship. That\u2019s the power of a dynasty.<\/p>\n

In fact, the entire 2025 postseason was appointment viewing<\/a>: The 24 playoff games that aired on major networks averaged an audience of 1.2M, up 5% from 2024.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc9c The Golden State Valkyries \u2014 the league\u2019s first expansion team since 2008 \u2014 wowed in their debut<\/a>: They set an all-time record for total attendance, welcoming 397,408 fans to Ballhalla in 22 sold-out games, and are now valued at $500M, the highest valuation of any women\u2019s sports team.<\/p>\n

But wait, there\u2019s more. The Valkyries also became the first team in WNBA history<\/a> to make the postseason in their inaugural campaign. Talk about a good first impression.\ud83c\udfc6 The Las Vegas Aces: An ode to the three-time champs\"Recapping\"Recapping<\/p>\n

Source: Stephen Gosling\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The most remarkable number of the 2025 season? Three \u2014 as in Las Vegas\u2019 three titles in four years. The Aces have cemented themselves as one of the league\u2019s rare dynasties, joining an exclusive club that includes the aforementioned Comets and Maya Moore\u2019s Minnesota Lynx<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf37 After a middling season start, the Aces bloomed post\u2013All-Star break: A simple text<\/a> from Wilson following a historic 53-point loss changed their trajectory. In fact, Vegas didn\u2019t lose a regular-season game after that, riding a 16-game win streak to second in the standings.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc10 Wilson in a league of her own: Of course, we\u2019d be remiss not to mention one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen. It felt like the three-time champ broke a record every time she stepped on the floor, including becoming the first player to record 30 points and 20 rebounds<\/a> in a single game and winning an unprecedented fourth MVP<\/a> award.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udccb Head coach Becky Hammon raises the bar: Hammon\u2019s expertise was on full display in the Finals \u2014 she put on an absolute masterclass, using different defensive schemes to fluster the Mercury all series long. Postseason brilliance has become her trademark: Hammon\u2019s 10-2 in Finals games, the best-ever coaching record. No pressure, no diamonds.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc23 The 2025 rookies: A class for the ages\"Recapping\"Recapping<\/p>\n

Source: Domenic Allegra\/The Next<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udebd 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers took the league by storm: Her record-breaking Rookie of the Year campaign was one for the history books, highlighted by a 44-point performance<\/a> in August, the most points scored in a single game this season.<\/p>\n

Bueckers was undoubtedly the headliner of the 2025 class, but she\u2019s far from the only rookie who made an impact in their pro debut.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd2e Washington Mystics duo Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen dominate: All-Stars Citron and Iriafen were nothing short of spectacular in the District. Citron set the franchise single-season scoring record, while Irifaen broke the \u2019Stics\u2019 single-season double-double<\/a> and rebounding records.<\/p>\n

Connecticut Sun standout Saniya Rivers and Atlanta Dream sharpshooter Te-Hina Paopao also moved the needle for their respective squads. Rivers\u2019 tenacity almost earned her a spot on the All-Defensive team<\/a>, and Paopao shot nearly 40% from the three-point line.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udf0e International players make their mark: Perhaps the biggest international name in the draft, 19-year-old French phenom Dominique Malonga went No. 2 overall and excelled for the Seattle Storm down the stretch, while her countrywomen Janelle Sala\u00fcn and Leila Lacan averaged double-digit points for the Valkyries and Sun, respectively.<\/p>\n

Plus, the Chicago Sky\u2019s Kamilla Cardoso (Brazil) and NY Liberty\u2019s Leonie Fiebich (Germany) balled out in their sophomore seasons. Turns out W stands for worldwide.\ud83d\udcb0 Let\u2019s get down to business: The CBA negotiations\"Recapping\"Recapping<\/p>\n

Source: Steph Chambers via Getty Images<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be a WNBA season recap without addressing the elephant in the room \u2014 and no, we\u2019re not talking about Ellie<\/a>: It\u2019s the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations. And with the October 31st deadline looming, there remain more questions than answers.<\/p>\n

\u2753 Where are the negotiations currently?: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) have touted the importance of a \u201ctransformational\u201d CBA all season long. But if Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier\u2019s exit interview<\/a> is any indication, the two sides are farther apart than ever.<\/p>\n

\u2753 What do the players want?: Money tops their wish list, but it\u2019s not just about a bigger pay check \u2014 it\u2019s where that money comes from. Players are seeking an improved revenue sharing model, one that\u2019s more reflective of the league\u2019s growth and isn\u2019t tied to unrealistic targets<\/a>, as is the case under the current CBA.<\/p>\n

As for salaries, a recent Front Office Sports report<\/a> indicates the league\u2019s most recent proposal includes an $850K supermax deal, more than the current $250K but less than the $1M the players wanted.<\/p>\n

\u2753 Will Engelbert be fired?: Maybe, but despite mounting tensions and a chorus of boos<\/a>, it has little to do with how the WNBPA or the league\u2019s fans feel about her. Rather, Engelbert\u2019s job depends on NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and the team owners who employ her \u2014 though her relationships with the latter<\/a> have reportedly also become strained.<\/p>\n

\u2753 Are we heading for a lockout?: A new deal likely won\u2019t be done by the October 31st deadline, but that doesn\u2019t mean a lockout is imminent. Notably, negotiations for the 2020 CBA took until mid-January, while 2003 negotiations weren\u2019t finalized until April. There\u2019s plenty of time before May.<\/p>\n

That said, the biggest difference between then and now is player leverage. No one wants to see a lockout, but the WNBPA and its players simply won\u2019t settle for less. The season may be over, but the spotlight on the league is only getting brighter.