2024 WNBA First Half Analysis and Second Half Quick Takes

What a fun first half of the season. Ratings are higher than they’ve been in decades. A’ja Wilson is setting franchise and league records. The eight team playoff race will have an exciting finish. Then there’s the number of comeback wins we’ve lost count over. As the second half of the regular season begins tomorrow, let’s take a look at what stood out most before the All-Star break.

The kids are more than all right…they’re the real deal.

The 2024 WNBA draft was hyped as one of the biggest events for the league since 2008. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Stanford’s Cameron Brink, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso and LSU’s Angel Reese were the big names. Not only did most teams exceed expectations with their picks, but a good number give veteran players fits.

Many thought Caitlin Clark would be good before the All-Star break. The first overall pick looks more comfortable in coach Christie Sides’ system alongside franchise anchor Aaliyah Boston. Angel Reese is the most impressive player as she’s second in the league in rebounds per game. Her play is a big reason the Chicago Sky have the last playoff spot. Reese also broke Candace Parker’s double-double streak less than two months into the season and held her own against the league’s best player A’ja Wilson (more on her soon). Cardoso and Brink both lead their teams in blocked shots (despite the latter out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL) and are the hardest rookies to defend against when they attack the basket.

Other pleasant surprises include Rickea Jackson and Aaliyah Edwards. Jackson is Los Angeles’ second leading scorer and rebounder after starting the season on the bench. Edwards continues improving on both offense and defense the more she plays for Washington. There hasn’t been a better WNBA rookie class ready to carry the league into a brighter future than this one.

It’s an A’ja Wilson world and we’re all living in it.

There also hasn’t been a more dominant all-around WNBA player since Sylvia Fowles in her 2017 season. Interestingly, Fowles was the hardest player Wilson played against her first few years in the league. Those one-on-one matchups turned Vegas’ superstar into the world’s best women’s basketball player and the face of the WNBA.

Wilson and the Aces started the season coming off two straight championships with a lot of questions on a possible three-peat. The Aces are a playoff contender because their superstar center carries them each game. Vegas might not have a deep playoff run, but with A’ja Wilson in the peak of her career and a 100% lock to win league MVP, it’ll take everything to knock the two time reigning champions out of the postseason.

The only thing holding the league back is the commissioner.

If you’re a first time reader, viewer or fan of anything WNBA related, the name Cathy Engelbert is one to remember. Engelbert has been the current commissioner of the league since 2019. Most of the well educated fans and a good number of players don’t like Engelbert because of how she’s held the league back despite massive pushes for salary raises, charter flights and increased advertisement revenues.

So far, the league’s massive growth (despite some miscalculated blunders) are mostly due to a surge in new fans and more exciting games. The one thing holding back future success after this season are mishaps and terrible decision making from the WNBA’s commissioner. Owners from New York to Las Vegas have been pushing for higher player salaries going back to pre-pandemic days, but Cathy Engelbert nixed a lot of these decisions opting instead to pay more money to executives and finalize puzzling t.v. deals. The WNBA needs to keep increasing team salaries as money keeps pouring in. If Engelbert can’t find the balance between satisfying the players, advertisers and fans, she must step down.

Expansion came at the perfect time.

One thing commissioner Cathy Engelbert moved fast on was adding expansion teams due to the leagues continual growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. There are a lot of talented basketball players not in the WNBA because there aren’t enough teams or enough roster space. The league finally approved two new franchises in May. Both can start business activities soon and play the 2025 regular season.

The approval’s significant because a lot of talented players are set to join the league next year. Teams will scramble for UConn’s Paige Bueckers, USC’s JuJu Watkins and LSU’s Aneesah Morrow as franchise stars to build around. New teams could lead to extra players on each roster, guaranteeing foreign stars Emma Meesseman and Gabby Williams can come back and compete for a permanent depth spot.

The Diamond Dozen: Time for one view for each team. The view can range from improvement to an easier transition during the second half of the season.

Atlanta Dream: Franchise star center Tina Charles becoming the third highest scoring WNBA player all-time might be the only bright spot in the Dream’s season. Despite having Aerial Powers, Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray on the roster, Atlanta’s won seven of their 24 games. There’s still time for a turn-around but if the Dream miss the playoffs they have to hire a new coach. Charles deserves at least one more chance to get close to the WNBA Finals and it can’t be with a team that lost all but three games in June and July.

Chicago Sky: What a perfect trade before the All-Star game. Marina Mabrey was a hefty trade then-coach and general manager James Wade made before the 2023 season. Shipping Mabrey off to Connecticut for two future first round picks was excellent. Chicago getting Rachel Banham and Moriah Jefferson in the trade is a big win for the franchise. The Sky now have four solid guards and won’t have to press the Most Improved Player of the Year Chennedy Carter every night to average a double-double. This could be the breakout team if coach Teresa Witherspoon figures out how to use center Kamilla Cardoso as a bully on both sides of the ball.

Connecticut Sun: The trade for Marina Mabrey shows viewers it’s title or bust for a franchise that’s been to the finals multiple times but can’t win when it matters most. Thankfully Mabrey is expected to be a three-point shooter and not lead the offense. It’ll be interesting how her style fits with DeWanna Bonner at guard and who she defends when DiJonai Carrington and Alyssa Thomas lock up the best opposing players.

Dallas Wings: We can debate who the Wings should’ve drafted before the 2024 season began and the season-ending injuries at forward all we want, but it doesn’t change Dallas’ position. While the second half returns of forwards Satou Sabally, Maddy Siegrist and Jaelyn Brown are a plus, cutting the team’s second leading scorer Odyssey Sims and Monique Billings damage roster depth. They’re tied for the league’s worst record with a stubborn coach in Latricia Trammell and an abhorrent general manager in Travis Charles. Franchise cornerstone Arike Ogunbowale wowed everyone in the All-Star game and leads the league in scoring with little to show in the win column. There has to be pressure put on the organization to hire new, competent management and retain quality scoring depth.

Indiana Fever: Indiana has more wins than many serious analysts thought they would at the All-Star break. There was also a lot of pressure for coach Christie Sides to do something with this roster. The additional storylines, rumors and body language of the players weren’t helping Sides’ decisions. The Fever must start the second half by showing viewers the run before All-Star weekend wasn’t a fluke. If Indiana wants to end the season on a high note and make the playoffs, they have to improve or fix some of the team defense. It’s atrocious each game.

Las Vegas Aces: If not for MVP front-runner and league’s best player A’ja Wilson, the Aces would be in serious trouble. There’s little roster depth and the team struggles to find consistency at either forward position. Now the lawsuit from former Ace and current Los Angeles Spark Dearica Hamby could jeopardize many jobs at the coaching and managerial positions. There couldn’t be more pressure to play better once the second half of the season starts. I’m sure all four of Vegas’ Olympic champions weren’t thrilled to be counted on this early after hearing this news.

Los Angeles Sparks: There’s no team in a worse position than Los Angeles. Second overall pick Cameron Brink’s ACL injury exposes a major defensive hole with little depth at center. The Sparks have to play up-tempo offense against veteran defenses, and their best scorer is rookie Rickea Jackson. On the positive, Los Angeles should lock up a high draft pick and probably land another franchise cornerstone player. The trio of whoever’s picked with Jackson and a returning Brink for 2025 makes the Sparks an attractive option for veterans wanting to win.

Minnesota Lynx: What a polar season for coach Cheryl Reeves. Reeves has been excellent leading the Lynx to a first place tie in the west. Despite the Olympic gold medal, Team U.S.A. won despite Reeves coaching on the bench. Maybe it’s due to other countries catching up, but it’s something to watch the second half of the season.

New York Liberty: New York’s nagging issue is how hard they want to consistently play. When the Liberty are locked in and focused, they’re the best team in the W. New York lost last year’s finals because they had mental lapses, just like they’ve had against younger, inexperienced teams like Indiana and Chicago this season. They can’t do that in a series against a more physical opponent like Connecticut.

Phoenix Mercury: Despite a 13-12 record entering the second half of the season, Phoenix is one of the more dangerous teams. Center Brittney Griner looks great on both sides of ball and the Mercury have the best clutch performer in Kahleah Copper. Like several teams mentioned, roster depth could hold Phoenix back from a chance at the finals but they’ll make it hard for whichever team knocks them out.

Seattle Storm: Seattle’s starting five plays well against most of the 11 teams. The glaring hole is roster depth, especially at guard. The drop off is pivotal for how far the Storm go in the playoffs. Current coach and three time champion Noelle Quinn should press for roster moves before the start of September.

Washington Mystics: Thankfully the Mystics were more competitive and won all of their seven games the last two months. It won’t be enough for a playoff run, but Washington should continue working the Ariel Atkins-Aaliyah Edwards duo and try finding a center close to Stefanie Dolson’s caliber (if she doesn’t return) in the offseason.