10 games to watch during first week of WNBA regular season

The most anticipated regular season in WNBA history tips off on Tuesday. Here’s a closer look at 10 intriguing opening week games.

Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun | Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET • ESPN2/ESPN+/Disney+

Sun at Fever | Monday, May 20, 7 p.m. ET • ESPN

Caitlin Clark picked up where she left off in college in her first WNBA preseason game, scoring 21 points last Friday against the Wings in a 79-76 loss. Her regular season debut is in primetime against the Sun, led by 2023 MVP runner-up forward Alyssa Thomas, who ranked in the top five in rebounds (9.9), assists (7.9) and steals (1.8) last season.

Tickets are “more popular than when we played in the finals,” recently said Jeff Hamilton, president and general manager of Mohegan Sun, where Connecticut plays its home games.

“This [is] one of the biggest games in WNBA history,” he added of the sold-out opener.

The teams meet twice in the first week of the regular season, and the meetings will gauge the Fever’s rebuild. The Sun reached the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, losing to the Liberty 3-1. 

Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces | Tuesday, 10 p.m. ET • ESPN2/ESPN+/Disney+

The two-time defending champion Aces begin their title defense against Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and the Mercury. Phoenix was one of the most active teams during the offseason, adding guards Natasha Cloud, who finished fifth in the league in assists per game last season, and Kahleah Copper, a 40.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc in 2023.

The Mercury backcourt will have their hands full against Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young. We’ll also keep a close eye on the excellent post-matchup between Griner and A’ja Wilson.

Chicago Sky at Dallas Wings | Wednesday, May 15, 8 p.m. ET • WNBA League Pass; Saturday, May 18, 8 p.m. ET • NBA TV

Angel Reese turned heads with her excellent preseason (and Met Gala look) and made her WNBA debut alongside one-time SEC rival Kamilla Cardoso with two games in Dallas. 

Power forward Natasha Howard and center Teaira McCowan give the Sky’s rookies a challenging frontcourt battle. The Wings are led by point guard Arike Ogunbowale, who averaged 21.2 points per game last season. She’ll need to be even more aggressive with small forward Satou Sabally (shoulder) out until after the Olympic break. 

Former Cal shooting guard Jaelyn Brown, not to be confused with former Cal shooting guard Jaylen Brown, may have played her way into a roster spot with a team-high 21 points in Friday’s preseason win over Indiana.

New York Liberty at Fever | Thursday, May 16, 7 p.m. ET • Prime Video

Fever at Liberty | Saturday, May 18, 1 p.m. ET • ABC

If seeing stars is your thing, you’ll want to tune into this home-and-home series between the Liberty and Fever. A three-point contest might break out between Clark and Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, who set a league record with 128 made threes in 2023.

Washington Mystics at Sun | Friday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. ET | ION

Mystics first-round pick Aaliyah Edwards wastes no time returning to Connecticut after playing four seasons at UConn. The Sun’s veteran trio of Thomas, Jones and DeWanna Bonner will aim to spoil her homecoming, but Edwards has help in the form of Brittney Sykes, one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and promising third-year center Shakira Austin.

Los Angeles Sparks at Aces | Saturday, May 18, 3 p.m. ET • ABC

With the Sparks in rebuild mode, Wilson and the Aces should be heavy favorites entering this one. Still, this will be our first chance to see Sparks rookies Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson in a nationally televised game, making it worth our attention. Center Azura Stevens, arguably L.A.’s best post threat, is sidelined after undergoing arm surgery, which may open an avenue for Brink and two-time All-Star Dearica Hamby to receive substantial minutes.

Seattle Storm at Liberty | Monday, May 20, 7 p.m. ET • ESPN3

Jewell Loyd is arguably the most overlooked WNBA star. In a league with a budding dynasty in Las Vegas, superstars in New York and young phenoms in Indiana, Loyd, who averaged 24.7 points per game last season, flies somewhat under the radar.

The Storm made perhaps the biggest splash in free agency by signing former longtime Sparks power forward Nneka Ogwumike, who averaged 19.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season.

Seattle also added Loyd’s former Notre Dame teammate, six-time WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith, who missed the 2023 season while on maternity leave. In 2022 with the Mercury, Diggins-Smith averaged 19.7 points per game and finished sixth in MVP voting.

The trio could be electric, and they can make an early statement by knocking down Ionsescu, 2023 league MVP Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and the rest of the loaded Liberty.