We’re lower than 24 hours into the WNBA season, and solely 6 of the league’s 15 groups have made their season debuts. Nonetheless, let’s check out some way-too-early winners and losers from the primary couple of video games of the 2025-2026 WNBA season.
Winner: Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
Sonia Citron had a spectacular rookie season, and she or he began her sophomore 12 months proper the place she left off. Citron was dominant within the Mystics’ 68-65 win over the Toronto Tempo on Friday evening, posting a game-high 26 factors on 9-12 FG and 3-6 from three. She additionally racked up 2 steals and a couple of blocks, persevering with to indicate indicators of being one of many WNBA’s elite two-way guards.
Washington Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson praised Citron’s efficiency.
Winner: Kaitlyn Chen, Golden State Valkyries
Kaitlyn Chen was a third-round draft choose in 2025 and was minimize by the Valkyries in the midst of her rookie season. However she had an incredible offseason, made Golden State’s opening evening roster, and appeared super within the season debut, tallying 14 factors on 5-10 taking pictures, 2 assists, and 0 turnovers off the bench in a 91-80 win over the Seattle Storm.
After the sport, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase credited Chen for her offseason work.
“She’s been working,” Nakase mentioned. “That’s credit score to her within the offseason, proper? Simply placing in additional time. She got here, you understand, to the bay for a few weeks too, to work on her recreation after she went abroad.”
“Simply her potential to attain on all three ranges, that’s principally what she did. And I imply, you noticed her enjoying AU. She simply took over the video games. It was very nice to type of see that carry over.”
Loser: The 2026 rookie class
It’s extraordinarily early, however the 2026 WNBA draftees appear to be they’re going to want slightly bit extra time. Up to now, just one rookie has scored double-digit factors: Seattle Storm guard Flau’jae Johnson, who tallied 12 factors on 25% taking pictures in Friday evening’s loss to the Golden State Valkyries.
No. 1 choose Azzi Fudd got here off the bench for the Dallas Wings and scored 3 factors on 1-2 taking pictures in 18 minutes. No. 2 choose Awa Fam remains to be abroad, and No. 4 choose Lauren Betts went scoreless in her Mystics debut.
It’s early, and the rookies made their influence in different methods, however the first 24 hours of the WNBA season didn’t do something to dispel the notion that the 2026 draft class is generally full of future function gamers.
Loser: The Connecticut Solar
The Solar had been completely crushed by the New York Liberty on opening evening. They led 36-13 after the primary quarter, and by no means let go of the rope, in the end profitable 106-75. The Liberty are one of many WNBA’s most loaded groups, and the Solar are within the midst of a rebuild, however it was not the begin to the season that Connecticut hoped for.
Solely three gamers scored in double-figures: Diamond Miller (16 factors), Aneesah Morrow (15 factors), and Brittney Griner (13 factors). As a collective, Connecticut shot 39% from the sphere, 18% from three, and 47% from the three-point line.
Going through the Liberty on opening evening is a tricky strategy to begin, and the Solar had been with out Leila Lacan, who was one in all their finest gamers final season. Nonetheless, it was not an optimum begin to their last-ever season in Connecticut.
#winners #losers #WNBA #opening #weekend
Supply hyperlink
