The 2025 WNBA season tips off this week, and all 13 teams will take the floor on the opening weekend. With the league expanding for the first time since 2008, a historic 2024 rookie class taking its next steps, and multiple franchises in position to challenge for a title, this figures to be one of the WNBA’s most exciting seasons.
Every week during the regular season, The Athletic’s power rankings will provide a deep dive into noteworthy players’ performances and team trends. To start the season, however, I’ll take a look at the league with one statistic I’m keeping an eye on for each team.
As is my tradition, the champions get the top spot until someone knocks them out. Even though the New York Liberty started the preseason with a loss to the likely lottery-bound Connecticut Sun, they open at No. 1. After all, New York did lose to Chicago during the 2024 preseason (by 48 points!) and went on to win the franchise’s first title.
1. New York Liberty
Three-point attempts per game
The Liberty have spent training camp emphasizing a shift in offensive identity that leans into pace and more five-out concepts. Five-out offense doesn’t necessarily mean that New York is exclusively trying to create 3-point looks — the goal of spacing the floor and having credible shooting…
