2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Commissioner’s Cup (Week 1)

Over the next two weeks, the weekly power rankings will offer a hybrid look at each team’s play in both the overall season and the Commissioner’s Cup.

The overall power ranking will reflect a team’s performance over the entire season, but the Commissioner’s Cup standings could come into play when it comes to tiebreakers and close calls.

A quick reminder that Commissioner’s Cup play runs from June 1–17, with all games played during that time counting toward both the regular season and Cup standings. The team from each conference with the top record in Commissioner’s Cup games will compete in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game on June 30.

Note: All stats and records are through games played on Sunday, June 7.

1. Minnesota Lynx | Overall: 9-2 | Commissioner’s Cup: 3-0 (+57) ↔️

• Last Week: 1
• This Week: Tue. vs. DAL, Sat. at LVA

The Minnesota Lynx keep winning, and Olivia Miles keeps shining. The Lynx went 3-0 in the opening week of Cup play to sit atop the West standings with an unblemished record and a massive plus-57 point differential. In their lone close game of the week, rookie phenom Olivia Miles broke the WNBA record for 3-pointers made in a game with eight triples in 11 tries.

2. Atlanta Dream | Overall: 7-3 | Commissioner’s Cup: 2-1 (+36) ↔️

• Last Week: 2
• This Week: Tue. at CHI, Thu. vs. NYL, Sun. at TOR

Despite suffering an early loss in Cup play, Atlanta remains in a strong position to strike should unbeaten New York (2-0) falter, thanks to a plus-36 point differential through three games. The Dream get their chance against the Liberty on Thursday, between road games in Chicago and Toronto.

3. Dallas Wings | Overall: 7-3 | Commissioner’s Cup: 2-0 (+31) ↔️

Last Week: 3

This Week: Tue. at MIN, Thu. vs. PHX, Sat. at POR

Winners of four straight and six of their last seven, the Wings are the hottest team in the league outside of Minnesota (and slightly ahead of New York). After opening Cup play against the Storm and Sparks (and their combined 9-13 record), the Wings open the second week of Cup play with a showdown against the Lynx in Minnesota.

4. Las Vegas Aces | Overall: 7-3 | Commissioner’s Cup: 2-0 (+15) ↔️

Last Week: 4

This Week: Mon. vs. SEA, Thu. at POR, Sat. vs. MIN

A’ja Wilson (26.5 ppg, 14.5 rpg) and Jackie Young (21.5 ppg, 61.5% 3P) ranked first and fifth, respectively, in scoring over the past week as the Aces took down both California squads — the Sparks and Valkyries — to open Cup play. Both players came up big in clutch time as Las Vegas earned its first home win of the season in an 84-79 victory over Golden State. Can the Aces extend their three-game win streak when they face Seattle, Portland, and red-hot Minnesota this week?

5. New York Liberty | Overall: 7-4 | Commissioner’s Cup: 2-0 (+23) ⬆️

Breanna Stewart #30 of the New York Liberty

Last Week: 6

This Week: Mon. at CON, Thu. at ATL, Sun. vs WAS

After dropping the first three games of their season-long seven-game homestand, the Liberty closed it out with four straight wins, including victories over the Tempo and Fever to begin Cup play. Now the Liberty must take the show on the road, with seven of their next nine June games taking place outside the friendly confines of Barclays Center. It begins with a two-game trip to Connecticut and Atlanta as New York looks to stay unbeaten in Cup play.

6. Golden State Valkyries | Overall: 6-5 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-2 (+10) ⬇️

Last Week: 5

This Week: Tue. vs. PHX, Fri. at SEA

After opening Cup play with a win over Portland, the Valkyries dropped back-to-back close games to the Lynx (87-84) and Aces (84-79) by a combined eight points. That’s how they still have a plus-10 point differential despite their 1-2 record in Cup play. Only two teams in the event’s history — the 2021 Storm (8-2) and 2023 Liberty (8-3) — have reached the Championship Game with multiple losses.

7. Indiana Fever | Overall: 5-5 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-1 (+4) ⬆️

Last Week: 8

This Week: Mon. at WAS, Thu. vs. CHI, Sat. at CON

Holding a 12-point lead late in the third quarter on Saturday, the Fever appeared poised to knock off the Liberty and improve to 2-0 in Cup play before being outscored 38-18 the rest of the way, falling to 1-1 in Cup play and 5-5 overall. The defending Commissioner’s Cup champs will look to get back on track this week with matchups against Washington, Chicago and Connecticut, who enter the week a combined 10-22 overall and 2-5 in Cup play.

8. Toronto Tempo | Overall: 6-5 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-1 (+2) ⬆️

Last Week: 9

This Week: Wed. vs. CON, Fri. at WAS, Sun. vs. ATL

After dropping their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup game to the Liberty on Wednesday, the Tempo bounced back with a win over Chicago behind 25 points from Brittney Sykes. Isabelle Harrison added 14 points and six boards in 17 minutes off the bench in her Tempo debut after missing the first 10 games of the season. Toronto has won three of its last four games and will look to ride that momentum into this week’s three-game slate.

9. Los Angeles Sparks | Overall: 5-6 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-2 (-1) ⬆️

Last Week: 10

This Week: Wed. at SEA, Sat. at PHX

WNBA leading scorer Kelsey Plum returned for the Sparks on Friday after missing three games with an ankle injury, but her 27 points were not enough to help L.A. overcome Dallas as the Sparks dropped to 0-2 in Cup play. On Sunday, the Sparks got in the win column with a victory over Portland behind double-doubles from Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby. After a 1-2 homestand, the Sparks hit the road for a three-game trip, beginning Wednesday in Seattle, where Ogumike played the last two seasons.

10. Portland Fire | Overall: 6-7 | Commissioner’s Cup: 0-3 (-41) ⬇️

Carla Leite #0 of the Portland Fire

Last Week: 7

This Week: Thu. vs. LVA, Sat. vs. DAL

The Fire had won four of their last five games as they entered their first-ever Commissioner’s Cup last week. However, they were unable to carry that momentum into victories as they dropped their first three Cup contests to Golden State, Phoenix and L.A. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with Las Vegas and Dallas — both 2-0 in Cup play — coming to visit Portland this week.

11. Washington Mystics | Overall: 4-5 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-1 (-14) ↔️

Last Week: 11

This Week: Mon. vs. IND, Fri. vs. TOR, Sun. at NYL

Washington has hovered around .500 all season long, trading wins and losses virtually the entire season (outside of consecutive losses in mid-May). After splitting their opening games in Cup play, the Mystics will try to finally string together some wins when they host Indiana and Toronto before closing out the week in New York.

12. Phoenix Mercury | Overall: 4-8 | Commissioner’s Cup: 2-1 (-24) ⬆️

Last Week: 14

This Week: Tue. at GSV, Thu. at DAL, Sat. vs. LAS

After dropping six straight games — their longest losing streak since 2023 — the Mercury won back-to-back road games in Seattle and Portland to open Cup play at 2-1, albeit with a minus-24-point differential after a 34-point loss to Minnesota. The Mercury were shorthanded in their win over the Fire on Friday, playing without starters Alyssa Thomas (calf) and Kahleah Copper (hip). Both are listed as day-to-day as Phoenix gets set to open a three-game slate in Golden State on Tuesday.

13. Chicago Sky | Overall: 4-7 | Commissioner’s Cup: 1-2 (-30) ⬇️

Last Week: 12

This Week: Tue. at ATL, Thu. at IND

With 11 games played, Chicago is at the quarter-mark of the 2026 season. Entering this week having dropped five of their last six games, the Sky are searching for answers as they look to get on track. Two positive signs emerged from the past week: Azura Stevens is coming off back-to-back double-doubles — her first two of the season in six games played — and rookie Gabriela Jaquez (knee) returned from a four-game absence on Sunday. The Sky hit the road this week to face the Dream and Fever; so far this season, the Sky have been better on the road (3-3) than at home (1-4).

14. Seattle Storm | Overall: 3-9 | Commissioner’s Cup: 0-3 (-47) ⬇️

Last Week: 13

This Week: Mon. at LVA, Wed. vs. LAS, Fri. vs. GSV

The Storm opened Cup play with losses to Dallas, Phoenix, and Minnesota, extending their losing streak to five straight games. Seattle’s challenges continue to be on the offensive side of the court. Seattle ranks last in points per game (75.0), field goal percentage (39.6%), and offensive rating (94.3). While the Storm hold the league’s fourth-ranked defense (102.9 defensive rating), their imbalance has been too much to overcome.

15. Connecticut Sun | Overall: 2-10 | Commissioner’s Cup: 0-2 (-21) ↔️

Last Week: 15

This Week: Mon. vs. NYL, Wed. at TOR, Sat. vs. IND

The Sun have dropped two straight and five of their last six games. Similar to Seattle, Connecticut has struggled offensively (its 94.5 offensive rating is only 0.2 points higher than the Storm’s). Unlike Seattle, Connecticut does not hold a top-five defense. Rather, the Sun rank 14th in the league on both ends of the court, which has led to a -15.3 net rating (the Sun are outscored by 15.3 points per 100 possessions), on pace to be the lowest mark since 2020.