2020 WNBA Season Primer
All the info you need on rosters, depth-charts and player moves as the WNBA gets underway today
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It’s been a long time coming and taken a lot of hard work to bring to fruition, but later today the 2020 WNBA season will finally begin. With a short and compact 22-game regular season, and the unusual circumstances of all the games taking place under the WNBA’s “bubble” in Bradenton, Florida, this could be the most unpredictable and randomised season in WNBA history. Even now, there are some unknowns around the team rosters due to illnesses and absences, but below we present everything you need to know about current rosters, expected depth charts, and players the teams have added and lost over the course of a very strange offseason.
Also included are team statistics from last season (all courtesy of Basketball Reference.com), including record, offensive and defensive ratings, pace, and where the team ranked in those categories. Any player you see in parentheses on the depth charts is currently a question mark to play due to illness or unexplained absence, but the teams are expecting them to join their squads at some point.
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Dream
2019 Record: 8-26, missed the playoffs
Offensive Rating: 91.6 (12th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 101.4 (7th of 12)
Pace: 77.4 (7th of 12)
PG: Chennedy Carter/Blake Dietrick
SG: (Courtney Williams)/Alexis Jones
SF: Shekinna Stricklen/Betnijah Laney/Jaylyn Agnew
PF: (Glory Johnson)/Monique Billings/Erica McCall
C: Elizabeth Williams/(Kalani Brown)/Brittany Brewer
Significant additions: Chennedy Carter (draft), Shekinna Stricklen (free agency), Glory Johnson (free agency), Kalani Brown (trade with Los Angeles), and hopefully Courtney Williams (trade with Atlanta). Johnson, Brown and Williams are all currently question marks, with Johnson and Brown explained as COVID-19 positive tests. The Dream have said they expect Williams to arrive in the bubble some time soon.
Significant losses: Tiffany Hayes (opt-out), Renee Montgomery (opt-out), Brittney Sykes (trade with Los Angeles), Jessica Breland (traded to Phoenix), and Angel McCoughtry (free agency).
Chicago Sky
2019 Record: 20-14, lost in second-round to Las Vegas
Offensive Rating: 103.3 (2nd of 12)
Defensive Rating: 101.7 (8th of 12)
Pace: 81.6 (1st of 12)
PG: Courtney Vandersloot/Stella Johnson(/Sydney Colson)
SG: Allie Quigley/Kahleah Copper
SF: Diamond DeShields/Gabby Williams
PF: Azurá Stevens/Cheyenne Parker
C: Stefanie Dolson/Ruthy Hebard
Significant additions: Azurá Stevens (trade with Dallas), and Ruthy Hebard (draft).
Significant losses: Jantel Lavender (foot surgery), Astou Ndour (traded to Dallas), and Katie Lou Samuelson (traded to Dallas).
Connecticut Sun
2019 Record: 23-11, lost in WNBA Finals to Washington
Offensive Rating: 102.4 (3rd of 12)
Defensive Rating: 98.7 (4th of 12)
Pace: 78.7 (4th of 12)
PG: Jasmine Thomas/Natisha Hiedeman
SG: (Briann January)/Bria Holmes/Kaila Charles
SF: DeWanna Bonner/Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis/Jacki Gemelos
PF: Alyssa Thomas
C: Brionna Jones/Theresa Plaisance/Beatrice Mompremier
Significant additions: DeWanna Bonner (sign-and-trade with Phoenix), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (trade with Seattle), and hopefully Briann January (three-way trade with Phoenix/Atlanta). At time of writing Briann January is still outside the bubble due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Significant losses: Jonquel Jones (opt-out), Courtney Williams (traded to Atlanta), Shekinna Stricklen (free agency), Layshia Clarendon (free agency), Morgan Tuck (traded to Seattle), and Rachel Banham (traded to Minnesota).
Indiana Fever
2019 Record: 13-21, missed the playoffs
Offensive Rating: 100.5 (7th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 104.0 (10th of 12)
Pace: 76.6 (8th of 12)
PG: (Erica Wheeler/)Julie Allemand/Kathleen Doyle
SG: Kelsey Mitchell/Tiffany Mitchell
SF: Victoria Vivians/Kennedy Burke
PF: Candice Dupree/Lauren Cox/Stephanie Mavunga
C: Teaira McCowan/Natalie Achonwa
Significant additions: Victoria Vivians (returning from injury), Lauren Cox (draft), Julie Allemand (signed after being drafted in 2016), and new head coach Marianne Stanley.
Significant losses: Betnijah Laney (waived), and Shenise Johnson (traded to Minnesota).
New York Liberty
2019 Record: 10-24, missed the playoffs
Offensive Rating: 97.4 (10th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 106.6 (12th of 12)
Pace: 79.5 (3rd of 12)
PG: Sabrina Ionescu/Layshia Clarendon
SG: Kia Nurse/Jazmine Jones
SF: Jocelyn Willoughby/Megan Walker
PF: Amanda Zahui B/Leaonna Odom/Joyner Holmes
C: Kiah Stokes/Kylee Shook
Significant additions: The entire roster, bar Nurse and Zahui B. Clarendon was added in free agency, Stokes returns after taking a year off, and everyone else is a rookie drafted this year. Also new is rookie head coach Walt Hopkins.
Significant losses: Tina Charles (traded to Washington), Asia Durr (medically excused opt-out), Bria Hartley (free agency), Rebecca Allen (opt-out), Marine Johannès (opt-out), Brittany Boyd (waived), Reshanda Gray (waived), Tanisha Wright (retired), and Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe (unsigned).
Washington Mystics
2019 Record: 26-8, won WNBA Championship
Offensive Rating: 115.9 (1st of 12)
Defensive Rating: 100.3 (6th of 12)
Pace: 76.7 (8th of 12)
PG: Leilani Mitchell/Shey Peddy
SG: Ariel Atkins/Essence Carson
SF: Aerial Powers/Kiara Leslie
PF: Tianna Hawkins/Myisha Hines-Allen
C: Emma Meesseman/Alaina Coates
Significant additions: Leilani Mitchell (free agency), Kiara Leslie (return from injury), Essence Carson (free agency), and only temporarily Tina Charles (three-way trade with New York/Dallas).
Significant losses: Elena Delle Donne (opt-out), Kristi Toliver (free agency), Natasha Cloud (opt-out), LaToya Sanders (opt-out), Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (traded to New York), and Tina Charles (medically excused opt-out).
Western Conference
Dallas Wings
2019 Record: 10-24, missed the playoffs
Offensive Rating: 96.7 (11th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 104.6 (11th of 12)
Pace: 74.0 (12th of 12)
PG: Moriah Jefferson/Tyasha Harris/Marina Mabrey
SG: Arike Ogunbowale/Allisha Gray
SF: Kayla Thornton/Katie Lou Samuelson
PF: Satou Sabally/Bella Alarie
C: Astou Ndour/Isabelle Harrison/Megan Gustafson
Significant additions: Satou Sabally (draft), Astou Ndour (trade with Chicago), Moriah Jefferson (re-signed after missing last season due to injury), Bella Alarie (draft), Tyasha Harris (draft), and Katie Lou Samuelson (trade with Chicago).
Significant losses: Skylar Diggins-Smith (signed-and-traded to Phoenix), Glory Johnson (free agency), Azurá Stevens (traded to Chicago), Kaela Davis (waived), and Tayler Hill (traded to New York).
Las Vegas Aces
2019 Record: 23-13, lost in semi-finals to Washington
Offensive Rating: 100.9 (5th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 96.8 (1st of 12)
Pace: 80.8 (2nd of 12)
PG: Danielle Robinson/Lindsay Allen
SG: Kayla McBride/Sugar Rodgers
SF: Angel McCoughtry/Jackie Young
PF: A'ja Wilson/Dearica Hamby
C: Carolyn Swords/Avery Warley-Talbert
Significant additions: Angel McCoughtry (free agency), Danielle Robinson (free agency), Lindsay Allen (re-signed after skipping last season).
Significant losses: Liz Cambage (medically excused opt-out), Kelsey Plum (injured), Sydney Colson (free agency), and Tamera Young (unsigned free agent).
Los Angeles Sparks
2019 Record: 22-12, lost in semi-finals to Connecticut
Offensive Rating: 101.6 (4th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 98.0 (3rd of 12)
Pace: 78.5 (5th of 12)
PG: Chelsea Gray/Sydney Wiese/Te'a Cooper
SG: Riquna Williams/Brittney Sykes
SF: Tierra Ruffin-Pratt/Seimone Augustus
PF: Candace Parker/Reshanda Gray
C: Nneka Ogwumike/Kristine Anigwe/Marie Gulich
Significant additions: Brittney Sykes (trade with Atlanta), Seimone Augustus (free agency), and only temporarily Kristi Toliver (free agency).
Significant losses: Alana Beard (retirement), Chiney Ogwumike (opt-out), Maria Vadeeva (opt-out), Kalani Brown (traded to Atlanta), and Kristi Toliver (opt-out).
Minnesota Lynx
2019 Record: 18-16, lost in first-round to Seattle
Offensive Rating: 100.8 (6th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 97.7 (2nd of 12)
Pace: 77.7 (6th of 12)
PG: (Odyssey Sims/)Lexie Brown/Crystal Dangerfield
SG: Shenise Johnson/Rachel Banham
SF: Napheesa Collier/Karima Christmas-Kelly/Bridget Carleton
PF: Damiris Dantas/Mikiah Herbert Harrigan/Megan Huff
C: Sylvia Fowles/Kayla Alexander
Significant additions: Mikiah Herbert Harrigan (draft), Shenise Johnson (trade with Indiana), and Rachel Banham (trade with Connecticut).
Significant losses: Danielle Robinson (free agency), Temi Fagbenle (skipping 2020 WNBA season), Stephanie Talbot (traded to New York), Jessica Shepard (injured), and maybe Odyssey Sims (gave birth, return date currently unknown).
Phoenix Mercury
2019 Record: 15-19, lost in first-round to Chicago
Offensive Rating: 100.5 (7th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 101.9 (9th of 12)
Pace: 75.8 (10th of 12)
PG: Skylar Diggins-Smith/Bria Hartley
SG: Diana Taurasi/Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
SF: Nia Coffey/Sophie Cunningham
PF: Brianna Turner/Alanna Smith
C: Brittney Griner/Kia Vaughn
Significant additions: Skylar Diggins-Smith (signed-and-traded from Dallas), Bria Hartley (free agency), Nia Coffey (three-way trade with Connecticut/Atlanta), Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (trade with New York), Kia Vaughn (free agency), and only temporarily Jessica Breland (three-way trade with Connecticut/Atlanta).
Significant losses: DeWanna Bonner (signed-and-traded to Connecticut), Leilani Mitchell (free agency), Briann January (traded to Connecticut), Yvonne Turner (injured), Essence Carson (free agency), Camille Little (retirement), Sancho Lyttle (retirement), and Jessica Breland (medically excused opt-out).
Seattle Storm
2019 Record: 18-16, lost in second-round to Los Angeles
Offensive Rating: 98.7 (9th of 12)
Defensive Rating: 99.1 (5th of 12)
Pace: 75.7 (11th of 12)
PG: Sue Bird/Jordin Canada
SG: Jewell Loyd/Sami Whitcomb/Epiphanny Prince
SF: Alysha Clark/Morgan Tuck
PF: Breanna Stewart/Crystal Langhorne
C: Natasha Howard/Mercedes Russell/Ezi Magbegor
Significant additions: Breanna Stewart (returning from injury), Sue Bird (returning from injury), Morgan Tuck (trade with Connecticut), Ezi Magbegor (2019 draft), and Epiphanny Prince (free agency).
Significant losses: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (traded to Connecticut), Shavonte Zellous (unsigned free agent), and head coach Dan Hughes (opting out of 2020 season due to health concerns).
Thanks for reading the Her Hoop Stats Newsletter. If you like our work, be sure to check out our stats site, our podcast, and our social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.