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The 2026 WNBA season has been full of surprises.
From unexpected win streaks and losing skids to shocking player performances, no prediction is safe — except maybe that Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson will win a record fifth MVP and Minnesota Lynx point guard Olivia Miles will win Rookie of the Year.
The Lynx and Aces lead the WNBA standings with respective 18-6 and 17-7 records, but which team tops our power rankings? And, what trend or player has been the biggest surprise from each franchise at the halfway point of the year?
We break it all down in this week's USA TODAY Sports' WNBA power rankings, released every Tuesday this season:
More: Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson among 2026 WNBA All-Star starters
What is the biggest surprise at the midway point? Overall success
The Valkyries lead the league in made 3-pointers game (10.6) and have the second-best defensive rating behind the Lynx (100.4). While those facts shouldn't come as a shock with head coach Natalie Nakase at the helm, this expansion team's sustained success is no less impressive. Golden State, which made a playoff run in its inaugural season, is a game back of the top spot in the league's standings.
Golden State forced a season-best 20 turnovers in Wednesday's 83-75 win over the Toronto Tempo. The Valkyries then bested that mark against the Connecticut Sun by forcing 22 turnovers in a 79-64 win on Friday.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Record without Napheesa Collier
When it was announced that five-time All-Star forward Napheesa Collier would be out with an ankle injury to start the season, expectations took a nosedive. Minnesota's stock dropped even more with free agency departures. Despite all that, the Lynx sit alone atop the WNBA standings.
After consecutive wins over the Connecticut Sun, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury, it's clear that the Lynx's resilience shouldn't be questioned. Rookie All-Star starter Olivia Miles came back from a two-game absence (calf) with 23 points against the Liberty and 33 versus the Mercury.
And the scariest part? Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said Collier is "really close" to a return.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Justine Pissott
Whether you were surprised the Aces waived early 2026 Sixth Player of the Year favorite Chennedy Carter, it’s safe to say her replacement came in and exceeded expectations. Justine Pissott, a 6-foot-4 guard who was signed to Carter's roster spot, made five 3-pointers in her debut — a WNBA record. She was stunningly efficient with 17 points in 10 minutes on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point?F Jessica Shepard
After coming over in free agency from the Minnesota Lynx, Jessica Shepard has excelled in a season where most expected teammate Alanna Smith to breakout. A first-time All-Star this season, Shepard scored in 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field with 10 rebounds and five assists during Sunday's 96-91 win over the Sky. It was her fourth consecutive double-double, which is her second-longest such streak this season alone. Shepard has double-doubles in 15 of 24 games in 2026 after averaging 6.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in five seasons with the Lynx.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point?Offensive distinction
Even with star guard Caitlin Clark on a minutes restriction due to a lingering back injury, Indiana is clicking offensively as it leads the league with a whopping 94 points per game. That offensive potency was on full display as they dominated the Aces in a 109-75 blowout victory on Sunday for their fourth win in the last five games.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Losing skidAfter starting the season 12-4, who would have anticipated the Angel Reese and Dream losing six of eight? Certainly not us. After a five-game skid that included losses to Valkyries, Mystics and Storm, the Dream have fallen in the league’s standings and our rankings. They did manage a victory over the Sparks on Monday night, perhaps the sign of turnaround.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Lack of consistency
Since beating the Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup championship on Jun. 23, New York has won one game. The losses have shown an unexpected level of inconsistency despite having one of the league’s deepest rosters. Although there have been injuries to key players like Sabrina Ionescu, that’s where the star-studded bench – which feature Satou Sabally – should be picking up the slack.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? C Lauren Betts
When center Lauren Betts entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick on the heels of winning a national championship with UCLA, it seemed she'd be an impactful paint presence for a young team oozing potential. Her 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 16.2 minutes per game haven't lived up to expectations but represent an adjustment to the pros. That said, Shakira Austin’s recent play for the Mystics is a bright spot as she's averaging 14 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game — all career highs.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? GM Raegan Pebley being fired
The Sparks started this season with turnaround expectations, a charge All-Star Kelsey Plum was supposed to lead. But she has been out with a leg injury since Jun. 21. Sitting at ninth in the league standings, the Sparks would miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season if they started today. Thus, the team made a shocking move and fired general manager Raegan Pebley.
The Sparks have dropped six of their last nine games, including Monday's loss to the Atlanta Dream. Not the expected result after trading Rickea Jackson to the Sky for Ariel Atkins and signing Nneka Ogwumike back from the Seattle Storm in free agency.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Marina Mabrey
Veteran guard Marina Mabrey, whose previous career-high was 14.9 points per game, is averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 29.2 minutes during her first season with the Tempo. She’s doing that while making 40.4% of her 3-point attempts.
In powering the expansion team to its 10th win, Mabrey scored 20 of her game-high 30 points against the Liberty on Sunday in the second half. It was her fifth game with at least 30 points this season.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Carla Leite
After averaging 7.2 points per game off the bench last season for the Valkyries, Carla Leite is a top-20 scorer in the league this year. Although she struggled from the field Saturday's 102-92 win over Atlanta (2-of-7 shooting from the floor), she logged 10 assists and three rebounds.
She’s averaging 15.1 points, 5.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 25.2 per game this season.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Finals falloff
Phoenix doesn’t look like a team that made it to the WNBA Finals last season, even though it retained most of the players on that roster. Their 106-58 loss to the host Las Vegas Aces on Saturday offered plenty of whiplash considering the Mercury handed their Finals' opponent a 99-66 loss in their season opener. To add insult to injury, the Mercury have no All-Star representatives for the first time since 2002.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Everything.
This is shaping up to be the Sky’s worst season in three years -- which speaks volumes considering the team went 10-34 in 2025, its first year under head coach Tyler Marsh. From Rickea Jackson’s season-ending injury to Sydney Taylor breaking out as the only true bright spot, it’s likely no one saw this coming. Even seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins has been open about her disappointment, admitting everything from the facilities and resources to the coaching decisions has been different from what she expected when she signed a two-year deal in free agency.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Overall record
Similarly, the Storm wasn’t supposed to struggle this much. While they’re a much younger team than the Sky, there was hope first-year head coach Sonia Roman and 2026 No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam could inject some excitement and give the franchise a fresh start. Fam is averaging 5.3 points per game across her last three outings, well below her season average of 11.3 points a game.
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Injury woes
A few injuries are normal for any team, but Connecticut has been bitten by the injury bug so frequently that they have had to rotate through nine different players in their starting lineup. Diamond Miller has been the only player to start all 23 games, averaging 8.6 points and 2.4 rebounds. Saniya Rivers, Brittney Griner, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aneesah Morrow have all missed games with injuries. As a result the Sun have had trouble getting on track.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA power rankings: What's the biggest surprise of the season so far?
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From unexpected win streaks and losing skids to shocking player performances, no prediction is safe — except maybe that Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson will win a record fifth MVP and Minnesota Lynx point guard Olivia Miles will win Rookie of the Year.
The Lynx and Aces lead the WNBA standings with respective 18-6 and 17-7 records, but which team tops our power rankings? And, what trend or player has been the biggest surprise from each franchise at the halfway point of the year?
We break it all down in this week's USA TODAY Sports' WNBA power rankings, released every Tuesday this season:
More: Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson among 2026 WNBA All-Star starters
1. Golden State Valkyries (17-7)
Previous rank: 2 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at the midway point? Overall success
The Valkyries lead the league in made 3-pointers game (10.6) and have the second-best defensive rating behind the Lynx (100.4). While those facts shouldn't come as a shock with head coach Natalie Nakase at the helm, this expansion team's sustained success is no less impressive. Golden State, which made a playoff run in its inaugural season, is a game back of the top spot in the league's standings.
Golden State forced a season-best 20 turnovers in Wednesday's 83-75 win over the Toronto Tempo. The Valkyries then bested that mark against the Connecticut Sun by forcing 22 turnovers in a 79-64 win on Friday.
2. Minnesota Lynx (18-6)
Previous rank: 1 (⬇1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Record without Napheesa Collier
When it was announced that five-time All-Star forward Napheesa Collier would be out with an ankle injury to start the season, expectations took a nosedive. Minnesota's stock dropped even more with free agency departures. Despite all that, the Lynx sit alone atop the WNBA standings.
After consecutive wins over the Connecticut Sun, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury, it's clear that the Lynx's resilience shouldn't be questioned. Rookie All-Star starter Olivia Miles came back from a two-game absence (calf) with 23 points against the Liberty and 33 versus the Mercury.
And the scariest part? Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said Collier is "really close" to a return.
3. Las Vegas Aces (17-7)
Previous rank: 3 (⬌)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Justine Pissott
Whether you were surprised the Aces waived early 2026 Sixth Player of the Year favorite Chennedy Carter, it’s safe to say her replacement came in and exceeded expectations. Justine Pissott, a 6-foot-4 guard who was signed to Carter's roster spot, made five 3-pointers in her debut — a WNBA record. She was stunningly efficient with 17 points in 10 minutes on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor.
4. Dallas Wings (16-8)
Previous rank: 5 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point?F Jessica Shepard
After coming over in free agency from the Minnesota Lynx, Jessica Shepard has excelled in a season where most expected teammate Alanna Smith to breakout. A first-time All-Star this season, Shepard scored in 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field with 10 rebounds and five assists during Sunday's 96-91 win over the Sky. It was her fourth consecutive double-double, which is her second-longest such streak this season alone. Shepard has double-doubles in 15 of 24 games in 2026 after averaging 6.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in five seasons with the Lynx.
5. Indiana Fever (14-9)
Previous rank: 6 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point?Offensive distinction
Even with star guard Caitlin Clark on a minutes restriction due to a lingering back injury, Indiana is clicking offensively as it leads the league with a whopping 94 points per game. That offensive potency was on full display as they dominated the Aces in a 109-75 blowout victory on Sunday for their fourth win in the last five games.
6. Atlanta Dream (14-10)
Previous rank: 7 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Losing skidAfter starting the season 12-4, who would have anticipated the Angel Reese and Dream losing six of eight? Certainly not us. After a five-game skid that included losses to Valkyries, Mystics and Storm, the Dream have fallen in the league’s standings and our rankings. They did manage a victory over the Sparks on Monday night, perhaps the sign of turnaround.
7. New York Liberty (13-11)
Previous rank: 4 (⬇3)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Lack of consistency
Since beating the Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup championship on Jun. 23, New York has won one game. The losses have shown an unexpected level of inconsistency despite having one of the league’s deepest rosters. Although there have been injuries to key players like Sabrina Ionescu, that’s where the star-studded bench – which feature Satou Sabally – should be picking up the slack.
8. Washington Mystics (11-10)
Previous rank: 8 (⬌)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? C Lauren Betts
When center Lauren Betts entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick on the heels of winning a national championship with UCLA, it seemed she'd be an impactful paint presence for a young team oozing potential. Her 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 16.2 minutes per game haven't lived up to expectations but represent an adjustment to the pros. That said, Shakira Austin’s recent play for the Mystics is a bright spot as she's averaging 14 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 blocks per game — all career highs.
9. Los Angeles Sparks (10-12)
Previous rank: 11 (⬆2)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? GM Raegan Pebley being fired
The Sparks started this season with turnaround expectations, a charge All-Star Kelsey Plum was supposed to lead. But she has been out with a leg injury since Jun. 21. Sitting at ninth in the league standings, the Sparks would miss the playoffs for the sixth straight season if they started today. Thus, the team made a shocking move and fired general manager Raegan Pebley.
The Sparks have dropped six of their last nine games, including Monday's loss to the Atlanta Dream. Not the expected result after trading Rickea Jackson to the Sky for Ariel Atkins and signing Nneka Ogwumike back from the Seattle Storm in free agency.
10. Toronto Tempo (10-13)
Previous rank: 9 (⬇1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Marina Mabrey
Veteran guard Marina Mabrey, whose previous career-high was 14.9 points per game, is averaging 21.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals over 29.2 minutes during her first season with the Tempo. She’s doing that while making 40.4% of her 3-point attempts.
In powering the expansion team to its 10th win, Mabrey scored 20 of her game-high 30 points against the Liberty on Sunday in the second half. It was her fifth game with at least 30 points this season.
11. Portland Fire (10-13)
Previous rank: 12 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? G Carla Leite
After averaging 7.2 points per game off the bench last season for the Valkyries, Carla Leite is a top-20 scorer in the league this year. Although she struggled from the field Saturday's 102-92 win over Atlanta (2-of-7 shooting from the floor), she logged 10 assists and three rebounds.
She’s averaging 15.1 points, 5.8 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 25.2 per game this season.
12. Phoenix Mercury (8-17)
Previous rank: 10 (⬇2)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Finals falloff
Phoenix doesn’t look like a team that made it to the WNBA Finals last season, even though it retained most of the players on that roster. Their 106-58 loss to the host Las Vegas Aces on Saturday offered plenty of whiplash considering the Mercury handed their Finals' opponent a 99-66 loss in their season opener. To add insult to injury, the Mercury have no All-Star representatives for the first time since 2002.
13. Chicago Sky (7-16)
Previous rank: 13 (⬌)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Everything.
This is shaping up to be the Sky’s worst season in three years -- which speaks volumes considering the team went 10-34 in 2025, its first year under head coach Tyler Marsh. From Rickea Jackson’s season-ending injury to Sydney Taylor breaking out as the only true bright spot, it’s likely no one saw this coming. Even seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins has been open about her disappointment, admitting everything from the facilities and resources to the coaching decisions has been different from what she expected when she signed a two-year deal in free agency.
14. Seattle Storm (6-19)
Previous rank: 15 (⬆1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Overall record
Similarly, the Storm wasn’t supposed to struggle this much. While they’re a much younger team than the Sky, there was hope first-year head coach Sonia Roman and 2026 No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam could inject some excitement and give the franchise a fresh start. Fam is averaging 5.3 points per game across her last three outings, well below her season average of 11.3 points a game.
15. Connecticut Sun (5-18)
Previous rank: 14 (⬇1)
What is the biggest surprise at midway point? Injury woes
A few injuries are normal for any team, but Connecticut has been bitten by the injury bug so frequently that they have had to rotate through nine different players in their starting lineup. Diamond Miller has been the only player to start all 23 games, averaging 8.6 points and 2.4 rebounds. Saniya Rivers, Brittney Griner, Olivia Nelson-Ododa and Aneesah Morrow have all missed games with injuries. As a result the Sun have had trouble getting on track.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA power rankings: What's the biggest surprise of the season so far?
Continue reading...
