3. Golden State Valkyries
After being the biggest surprise in the W last season, becoming the first expansion team to make the playoffs, the Valkyries have once again surpassed expectations. Golden State owns the second-best record at 19-8, which puts them just five victories short of their total last year. The Valkyries saw their nine-game winning streak snapped in their last game before the All-Star break, falling 90-82 to the Washington Mystics.
Golden State owns the WNBA’s top defense, allowing just 76.4 points a game — six fewer than the Lynx. The Valkyries are holding opponents to 42.3% from the field, the second-best mark in the league. They have done a solid job defending the three-point line, though opponents are making 34.5% of their attempts from the 3-point line, which is sixth best. Fouls are an issue for the Valkyries as well.
Offensively, Golden State ranks in the bottom half of the league, including 12th in scoring at 81.2 points a contest. The Valkyries have been the lowest-scoring team in the league over the last 10 games (78.7), though they have stepped up their defense during this stretch, outscoring their opponents by 7.4 points a contest.
Golden State ranks dead last in field goal percentage (41.9%), and part of the issue is shot selection, as 45.2% of their attempts come from beyond the arc. The Valkyries lead the league in 3-pointers (10.6) and 3-point attempts (30.5), though they are only shooting 34.5% from deep. They don’t get to the free-throw line and are only an average rebounding team.
The Valkyries are a deep team. Gabby Williams, known as an elite defender, is having a career season with 14.8 points and 1.8 triples. Meanwhile, Janelle Salaun has developed into a legitmite 3-point threat with 2.5 treys on 6.3 attempts at a 39.4% clip.
Defense will only carry the Valkyries so far. The Valkyries have the second-most 10-point wins, but they are just 14-8 against teams with a winning record. So, they need to upgrade their roster. They specifically need another two-way wing, backup center, and a late-shot clock creator.
4. New York Liberty
Injuries have played havoc on the Liberty in the first half as Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Leonie Fiebich have missed significant time. Sabally concussion) and Fiebich (foot) don’t have a specific timeline to return. Meanwhile, Marine Johannes has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.
Despite all the injuries, New York is 15-12 on the season after winning two straight before the All-Star break and is led by 2026 All-Star selections Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, 2026 All-Star Game MVP. The Liberty, who have a +2.3 scoring margin, are 9-7 against teams with a .500+ record but only 3-4 in games decided by three or fewer points. Still, if healthy, the 22026 Commissioner’s Cup champion will be a problem in the postseason. The Liberty have used 13 different starting lineups already.
Built for the moment 🥹
Jonquel Jones talks on her love for the game after becoming the All-Star MVP, and she’s appreciative of it ALL!#WNBAAllStar2026 | @ATT pic.twitter.com/fmUN9CbX0y
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2026
