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The 25th anniversary season of the WNBA tips off tomorrow and there is so much to look forward to. New faces on new teams, playing in their home arenas for the first time since 2019, fans back in the arenas, and tons of great action ahead.
A large majority of WNBA teams have veterans on them, but only a select few have WNBA veterans who have played for many seasons. There’s only a handful of these veterans left as they retire or pursue other ventures outside of the league. Roster space also becomes an issue, making it harder for WNBA teams to keep veterans. Staying in the WNBA gets harder and harder every year.
That’s why these WNBA veterans are so special. They have won the highest awards given out to WNBA players (MVPs. DPOY’s). They are also former WNBA Champions as well as Olympic gold medalists.
Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
Sue Bird is entering historic territory this upcoming season. She is 40 years old and is the league’s oldest player. The expectations for Bird are to stay healthy and to help guide the defending champions this season. She most likely won’t play a ton of minutes. Rest will play a factor if she does not play in some games.
She has a good shot of becoming the first player in league history to have 3,000 assists.
She’s still one of the best point guards the WNBA has and there will be some moments in which she comes up clutch for the Storm. However, it may be limited and Jordin Canada will take more of the point guard responsibilities from her. By the time the WNBA wraps up in October, she may have turned 41 as her birthday is on October 16th.
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Diana Taurasi is the greatest scorer the WNBA has ever seen and she will be the first WNBA player to hit 9,000 career points this season. Taurasi turns 39 next month as her 17th year in the league is in full swing.
Taurasi did not play overseas during the WNBA offseason so she will be rested and ready to play. The Mercury have shown training videos of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Taurasi working out and Taurasi looks great. The expectations for her are to play well and help guide the team. She is in great shape and there may be some games in which she takes over for the Mercury as she did in previous years.
Candice Dupree, Seattle Storm
Candice Dupree is a solid WNBA veteran who is expected to help the defending WNBA champions. The well-traveled Dupree, who turns 37 in August, will be playing for her fourth team after spending time with Chicago, Indiana, and Phoenix.
The expectations for Dupree are to help the Storm in any way she can. Her minutes may be limited, but she can still score and rebound as well as any WNBA forward. She also has a great chance of hitting 7,000 career points this season.
Seimone Augustus, Los Angeles Sparks
Seimone Augustus is entering her second season as an LA Spark just a month after turning 37. She is currently on a training camp contract with the Sparks. If she makes the roster, she will be the oldest player on the roster.
Augustus played sparingly for the Sparks in the WNBA bubble last season and will most likely have the same role this season.
Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx
Sylvia Fowles is entering her 7th season as a member of the Minnesota Lynx. She is still one of the top WNBA centers despite being 35 years old. She is known for her defense and rebounding and that will continue this season. She will be expected to help lead the Lynx to greater heights during the WNBA Playoffs with young stars in Napheesa Collier and Crystal Dangerfield around her. She is the league’s all-time leading rebounder and will look to continue to add to her total this season. She will play a key part for the Lynx this season.
Candace Parker, Chicago Sky
Candace Parker shook up the WNBA when she left her longtime team in the Los Angeles Sparks this past offseason. She chose to return to her hometown by signing with the Chicago Sky.
Parker is still one of the WNBA’s best players even at the age of 35. She will look to help the Chicago Sky reach unprecedented heights by competing for a shot at the title.
Parker should play an integral role within the Sky offense and help to complement the young core of the Sky while assisting fellow veterans Allie Quigley and Courtney Vandersloot. She still has major value as a veteran player.
Allie Quigley, Chicago Sky
Allie Quigley has become one of the best players for the Chicago Sky over the years. She and Vandersloot have teamed to be one of the best guard tandems the Sky has ever seen.
Quigley is expected to maintain much of the same role this season even as she turns 35 next month. Adding Parker to the mix will help her game and she will be even more deadly from three as well as from the mid-range area.
There is one more player that would have been on this list but because of injury, Angel McCoughtry of the Las Vegas Aces will not play this season. She would have been a key member of the Aces who are also in the hunt for a championship. She would have helped the Aces with her defense as well as her ability to score, even at the age of 34.
All of these veterans bring valuable experience to their teams and it greatly helps during tight games down the stretch as well as WNBA playoff games. They are relied upon to bring leadership and help guide younger players to reach new heights. When the WNBA tips off tomorrow, these veteran players will be key reasons why their teams are playing well.
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