2023 WNBA season
The 2023 WNBA season will be the 27th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Las Vegas Aces are the defending champions.
| 2023 WNBA season | |
|---|---|
| League | Women's National Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | May 19 – September 10 |
| Number of games | 40 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| TV partner(s) | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, CBS, Paramount+, CBSSN, NBA TV, ION Television |
The regular season was expanded to 40 games per team, becoming the most games scheduled in a single WNBA season.[1] The 2022 season saw the schedule increase to 36 games and was the previous high for the regular season.[2] This season will also be the second straight year that the playoffs will be an all-series format after returning to it in 2022. The first round will use a 2–1 format, with the higher seed hosting the first two games (differing from the 1–1–1 format previously used in 2015). The semifinals and the WNBA Finals will remain a best-of-five series.
Arguably the most significant change to the league this season is the enforcement of the so-called "prioritization clause" in the collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players' union. For this season, players with more than two seasons of prior WNBA service who do not report to their teams by the designated start of training camp or May 1, whichever is later, face mandatory fines. Those who miss the start of the regular season will be suspended for the season. From 2024 on, those who miss the start of training camp will be suspended for the season.[3]
2023 WNBA draft
The Indiana Fever won the first pick in the 2023 WNBA draft in the draft lottery. This was the first time in Indiana's franchise history that they won the first pick. They were followed by the Minnesota Lynx for second, Atlanta Dream for third, and the Washington Mystics for fourth. The Mystics received the fourth pick in the lottery after trading for the Los Angeles Sparks pick during the 2022 season. The Dream had originally held the Sparks pick, but traded it to the Mystics prior to the 2022 WNBA draft, when they acquired the first overall pick.[4][5]
Lottery picks
| Pick | Player | Nationality | Team | School / club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aliyah Boston |  United States |
Indiana Fever | South Carolina |
| 2 | Diamond Miller | United States |
Minnesota Lynx | Maryland |
| 3 | Maddy Siegrist | United States |
Dallas Wings (from Atlanta)[lower-alpha 1] | Villanova |
| 4 | Stephanie Soares |  Brazil |
Washington Mystics (from Los Angeles via Atlanta)[lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3] | Iowa State |
Media coverage
In March 2023, the WNBA announced that they and ESPN will show up to 52 possible games throughout the regular season and playoffs. The first broadcast will happen on May 19, 2023, when the Phoenix Mercury visit the Los Angeles Sparks on ESPN.[9]
There will be 10 broadcasts on ABC including the 2023 WNBA All-Star Game, 10 on ESPN, and 5 on ESPN2. The All-Star Game will be aired in primetime for the first time ever, as well.
WNBA Countdown will now be available throughout the regular season with at least 10 editions immediately preceding game broadcasts.[10]
On April 20, 2023, Ion Television signed on as a multi-year broadcast partner, with a doubleheader that includes nationally-televised games and regional games on Friday nights. Their first broadcast will be May 26, 2023, when the Washington Mystics visit the Chicago Sky.[11]
Transactions
Retirement
- Sue Bird publicly confirmed on June 16, 2022 that she will retire from playing professional basketball after the 2022 WNBA season.[12] Her career ended on September 7, 2022 with the Storm's playoff loss to the Las Vegas Aces.[13] Over her twenty-year career she won the WNBA Finals four times (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020). She was a thirteen time WNBA All-Star, and named to the All-WNBA Team eight times, with five being first team selections and three being second team selections. At the time of her retirement she was the career leader in the WNBA in assists.
- During the 2022 season, Sylvia Fowles announced that she would retire at the end of the season. Over her fifteen-year career, she won the WNBA Finals twice (2015 & 2017) and was named Finals MVP in both victories. She was regular season MVP in 2017. She was an eight time WNBA All-Star, and named to the All-WNBA Team eight times with three being first team selections and five being second team selections. Her eight All-WBA appearances are tied for fifth all-time at the time of her retirement. Fowles was the Defensive Player of the Year four times and named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team in eleven of her fifteen seasons. At the time of her retirement, she was the career leader in the WNBA in rebounds.[14]
- On January 16, 2023, Maya Moore announced that she was officially retiring from basketball. Moore had not played since the 2018 season and had taken time off to focus on other initiatives.[15] Over her eight-year career, she won the WNBA Finals four times (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and was named the Finals MVP in 2013. She was regular season MVP in 2014 and Rookie of the Year in 2011. She was a six time WNBA All-Star, and named to the All-WNBA Team seven times with five being first team selections and two being second team selections. She was also named All-Star Game MVP three times, in 2015, 2017, and 2018.[16]
- On August 14, 2022, Kia Vaughn announced her retirement. Over her thirteen-year WNBA career she played for five different WNBA teams and was named the most improved player in 2011.[17]
Free Agency
The free agency negotiation period began on January 21, 2023, and teams were able to officially sign players starting February 1.[18]
Coaching changes
- Off-season
| Off-season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2022 season | 2023 season | Reference |
| Los Angeles Sparks | Fred Williams (interim) | Curt Miller | [19] |
| Indiana Fever | Carlos Knox (interim) | Christie Sides | [20] |
| Dallas Wings | Vickie Johnson | Latricia Trammell | [21] |
| Connecticut Sun | Curt Miller | Stephanie White | [22] |
| Washington Mystics | Mike Thibault | Eric Thibault | [23] |
Regular season
Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta Dream | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 2 | Chicago Sky | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 3 | Connecticut Sun | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 4 | Dallas Wings | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 5 | Indiana Fever | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 6 | Las Vegas Aces | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Sparks | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 8 | Minnesota Lynx | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 9 | New York Liberty | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 10 | Phoenix Mercury | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 11 | Seattle Storm | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| 12 | Washington Mystics | 0 | 0 | .000 | - | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from playoff contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Schedule
Note: Games highlighted in ██ represent Commissioner's Cup games.
All times Eastern
Statistical leaders
The following shows the leaders in each statistical category during the 2023 regular season.
| Category | Player | Team | Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | |||
| Rebounds per game | |||
| Assists per game | |||
| Steals per game | |||
| Blocks per game | |||
| Field goal percentage | |||
| Three point FG percentage | |||
| Free throw percentage | |||
| Points per game (team) | |||
| Field goal percentage (team) | |||
Playoffs and Finals
Season award winners
Player of the Week Award
| Date Awarded | Eastern Conference | Western Conference | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | ||
Player of the Month Award
| Month | Eastern Conference | Western Conference | Reference | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Player | Team | ||
Rookie of the Month Award
| Month | Player | Team | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
Coach of the Month Award
| Month | Coach | Team | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
Postseason awards
| Award | Winner | Position | Team | Votes/Statistic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player Award | |||||
| Finals MVP Award | |||||
| Rookie of the Year Award | |||||
| Most Improved Player Award | |||||
| Defensive Player of the Year Award | |||||
| Sixth Player of the Year Award | |||||
| Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award | |||||
| Peak Performer: Points | |||||
| Peak Performer: Rebounds | |||||
| Peak Performer: Assists | |||||
| Coach of the Year Award | |||||
| Basketball Executive of the Year Award | |||||
| Team | Members | ||||
| All-WNBA First Team | |||||
| All-WNBA Second Team | |||||
| All-Defensive First Team | |||||
| All-Defensive Second Team | |||||
| All-Rookie Team | |||||
Coaches
Eastern Conference
| Team | Head coach | Previous job | Years with team | Record with team | Playoff Appearances | Finals Appearances | WNBA Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Dream | Tanisha Wright | Las Vegas Aces (assistant) | 1 | 14–22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chicago Sky | James Wade | UMMC Ekaterinburg (assistant) | 4 | 74–50 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Connecticut Sun | Stephanie White | Vanderbilt | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indiana Fever | Christie Sides | Atlanta Dream (assistant) | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New York Liberty | Sandy Brondello | Phoenix Mercury | 1 | 16–20 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Mystics | Eric Thibault | Washington Mystics (associate HC) | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Western Conference
| Team | Head coach | Previous job | Years with team | Record with team | Playoff Appearances | Finals Appearances | WNBA Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Wings | Latricia Trammell | Los Angeles Sparks (assistant) | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Aces | Becky Hammon | San Antonio Spurs (assistant) | 1 | 26–10 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | Curt Miller | Connecticut Sun | 0 | 0–0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Minnesota Lynx | Cheryl Reeve | Detroit Shock (assistant) | 13 | 281–149 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
| Phoenix Mercury | Vanessa Nygaard | Las Vegas Aces (assistant) | 1 | 15–21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seattle Storm | Noelle Quinn | Seattle Storm (associate head coach) | 2 | 38–24 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Notes:
- Year with team does not include 2023 season.
- Records are from time at current team and are through the end of the 2022 regular season.
- Playoff appearances are from time at current team only.
- WNBA Finals and Championships do not include time with other teams.
- Coaches shown are the coaches who began the 2023 season as head coach of each team.
Notes
- January 21, 2023: Atlanta to Dallas[6]
- Atlanta acquired Allisha Gray
- Dallas acquired 2023 and 2025 first-round picks
- February 5, 2022: Los Angeles to Atlanta[7]
- Atlanta acquired Erica Wheeler, a 2022 second-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick
- Los Angeles acquired Chennedy Carter and the rights to Li Yueru
- April 6, 2022: Atlanta to Washington[8]
- Atlanta acquired a 2022 first-round pick (1st overall) and a 2023 first-round pick
- Washington acquired a 2022 first-round pick (3rd overall), 2022 second round pick (14th overall), and option to swap its own 2023 first round pick with the 2023 first round pick Atlanta acquired from Los Angeles
References
- "ll 12 teams will play a record-high 40 games apiece this upcoming season". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- Voepel, M.A. (9 December 2021). "WNBA announces 36-game regular-season schedule for 2022, its longest in 26 seasons". ESPN. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- Voepel, M.A. (April 15, 2022). "WNBA prioritization and overseas play: How they will impact the league and its players going forward". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- Maloney, Jack. "2023 WNBA Draft Lottery results: Indiana Fever win the No. 1 overall pick for first time in franchise history". CBS Sports. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "MYSTICS ACQUIRE MULTIPLE DRAFT PICKS IN TRADE WITH ATLANTA DREAM". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "Atlanta Dream Land Allisha Gray". dream.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
- "Dream Acquire Erica Wheeler, 2023 First Round Pick and 2022 Second Round Pick in Trade with Sparks". WNBA. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
- "Dream Lands 2022 Number One Overall Draft Pick". WNBA. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
- "WNBA And ESPN Announce Broadcast Schedule and Added Programming For 2023 Regular Season". wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- Voepel, M.A. "ESPN, ABC to air 25 regular-season WNBA games in 2023". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- "WNBA and Scripps Partner on Multi-Year Agreement for Friday Night Spotlight Games for ION". WNBA.com. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
- Stone, Larry (16 June 2022). "Sue Bird gets to retire on her terms. But the void she'll leave will be substantial". Seattle Times. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
- Lowe, Shauntel (2022-09-07). "Sue Bird Sheds 'Happy Tears' as She Ends W.N.B.A. Career". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
- Lowe, Shauntel (August 19, 2022). "Sylvia Fowles Wants to See Who She Can Be Without Basketball". The New York Times. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- McCarthy, Kelly (2023-01-16). "Maya Moore Irons announces WNBA retirement, details her new book, 'Love and Justice'". Good Morning America. Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- Chang, Alisa (January 20, 2023). "Ex-WNBA star Maya Moore is retiring after overturning husband's wrongful conviction". NPR. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- Koons, Zach (August 14, 2022). "Longtime WNBA Veteran Kia Vaughn Announces Retirement". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- Maloney, Jack (February 1, 2023). "2023 WNBA free agency tracker: Top players, signings, key offseason dates, things to know". cbssports.com. CBS. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- "Los Angeles Sparks Hire Curt Miller as Head Coach". sparks.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "Indiana Fever Hire Christie Sides as Head Coach". fever.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "DALLAS WINGS TAB LATRICIA TRAMMELL AS HEAD COACH". wings.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "Stephanie White Named Connecticut Sun Head Coach". sun.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
- "MIKE THIBAULT TO RETIRE FROM COACHING". mystics.wnba.com. WNBA. Retrieved 13 December 2022.