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Five games will tip off on Thursday, Sept. 17, as the league concludes the regular season and prepares for the playoffs. Each team has four games remaining. The top eight teams have already locked in their postseason bids but are jockeying for seeding.
As teams march toward the WNBA playoffs , which begin on Sunday, Sept. 27, USA TODAY's Studio IX is taking a look at some of the top storylines as the 30th regular season of the league concludes.
Here are six things to keep a pulse on before the 2026 WNBA playoffs:
The standings for playoff teams are so tight one loss could send a team into a freefall. How slim are the margins with just days left until the postseason? Razor-thin. As of this publication, a No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs hasn't been determined and neither have the remaining seven seeds.
The Golden State Valkyries (29-11) are only two games behind the Minnesota Lynx (31-9) for the best record. The Las Vegas Aces (27-13) trail the Valkyries by two games. The Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever , who have the same record (26-14), are both one game behind the Aces. There are also three teams ― New York, Washington and Dallas ― in a three-way tie (24-16). The pressure is on, and for anyone keeping track, last year, seeding was up in the air until the final day of the regular season. This season could be barreling towards the same outcome.
It's fair to assume A'ja Wilson, after sweeping the Western Conference Player of the Month awards this season, has a good shot at winning a record fifth MVP. Olivia Miles is a lock for Rookie of the Year. One could argue Janelle Salaün is the unequivocal frontrunner for Sixth Player of the Year. However, who wins Defensive Player of the Year? Coach of the Year? Most Improved Player? All of those awards, plus the All-WNBA, All-Defensive and Rookie Teams, are up for grabs. With four games left, who walks away with top honors?
Once the WNBA season officially concludes, Cathy Engelbert is retiring .
"In 2019, I had the privilege of being appointed the league's first commissioner and to lead a league with enormous potential yet untapped awareness and significant undervaluation. Over the years, it has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women's sports," Engelbert said in a statement.
With Engelbert stepping down, the chatter about who will replace her and what to expect from the next commissioner will grow. What's more, Engelbert doesn't often make public appearances at regular-season games, but will she decide to do a farewell tour leading into the postseason? Time will tell.
As the WNBA season rolls on, there are records that could fall. Here's a look at what to keep an eye on as play resumes:
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike is retiring from the WNBA at the end of the season as one of the league's most consistent players ever.
"I've learned there's power in knowing when to walk away," Ogwumike said about retiring. "For so long, that strength meant finding a way to keep pushing. Now, it means recognizing when you feel complete. I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and at peace with everything this game has given me."
It's unclear what the 2016 WNBA champion and league MVP, 11-time All-Star and president of the Women's National Basketball Players Association will do after retiring. For now, she plans to play in Project B , an international basketball league that begins in January 2027.
The WNBA continues to find new fans. Here are some of the latest growth numbers in 2026, according to the WNBA:
Reporting synthesized and verified under Nexvoro.tech editorial guidelines. Full primary records referenced via USA Today.
Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams dominated the gridiron as the Los Angeles Rams cruised to a commanding 28-6 victory over the New York Giants. However, the lopsided affair was severely marred by a potentially devastating MCL sprain suffered by Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
NFL legend Aaron Donald made a triumphant and surprising return to the gridiron, wreaking havoc in the Los Angeles Rams' dominant rout of the New York Giants. The defensive powerhouse admitted the game felt surprisingly slow despite his two-year retirement.
The New York Giants' promising start to the season crashed to a halt on September 21, 2026, after a 28-6 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams was overshadowed by a severe knee injury to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Initial medical evaluations point to an MCL sprain, throwing the franchise's offensive strategy into immediate turmoil.
