Overview

• The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA's first expansion team in over 15 years, play their inaugural game against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night.
• The league has expanded to a record 44-game season and introduced its first-ever best-of-seven Finals format, highlighting structural growth.
• Caitlin Clark, last year’s Rookie of the Year, is the betting favorite for MVP after leading the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
• Paige Bueckers, the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Dallas Wings, is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year and will make her professional debut Friday.
• The reigning champion New York Liberty bolstered their roster with the acquisition of Natasha Cloud, while the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces remain top title contenders.