WNBA 2026 Season Thread

If CC doesn’t get to shine as the point god, then well I won’t be watching nor buying Fever merch.

I agree of not buying into this, well sorta. I think there's some truth in what your saying that she'll still give Caitlin a chance to cook at times. But imo not as much as Caitlin had in her 1st season before White was hired. White started messing around with playing Caitlin off the ball last year some. Caitlin had a bad year becasue of this imo, but also obviously because of the injuries. I doubt White has a bias/dislike against Caitlin to try and lessen her shine. Though some believe that, i don't think so, but understand their worries of it. I think White thinks it's better for the overall team chemistry and production. I don't agree but she's prolly doing it for these reasons. Other reasons i think she likes having Caitlin play off the ball at times is 1. To give Caitlin a break sometimes to make her fresher in a particular game at the end, but also for the season. 2. To build the confidence of her other guards like she did with Kelsey Mitchel last year. And may try to do with Raven this year some. Like making them believe their just as important as Caitlin, or close, to build their confidence/egos to make them better players.

The 1st question is does this make the team better? I'd say no. When you have a mix of Steph Curry/Luka/potential wnba goat on your team you let her cook. And let the others get in where you fit in. Not hamper Caitlin's skills to rise the ego's of teammates. 2. Does Caitlin have the same feelings White has about White's plan to play her off ball sometimes for the bettermint of the team? Imo Caitlin understands what White's trying to do and wants to be a team player. But also doesn't like it as she's been a ball dominant point guard her whole career and now you're making her do stuff that's less natural for her, and Caitlin's aware that it does lessen her shine even if not done for negative reasons towards Caitlin. I think Caitlin's apprehensive to express this as she doesn't want to look like a selfish ball hog/non team player. But if it continues not to work for the team, and or herself she will eventually say something. And if it doesn't change would ask for a trade someday.

Bottom line Caitlin is your/White's/gm/owner's generational talent and she should be treated as such. They should be making decisions based on what make Caitlin happy. As opposed to trying to treat her like she's just another one of your talented players but she answers to you as the head coach. And Caitlin is a very smart basketball mind, and not selfish. She wouldn't abuse her situation. So let her make decisions on the court. LET HER COOK!!!!!!!!!!!!

People wonder if Caitlin signed off on drafting Raven. You'd think Caitlin would have to be asked. Maybe she was, but even if she was, again didin't want to look selfish if others think it's best for the team. Or they didn't ask her and Caitlin could be fuming at the pick. Like why draft another guard when we had 7 guards already and we need a big. And you draft a player that may not like me due to beef on top of it? It was pointed out that on draft night Caitlin was tweeting all the good picks in the first round but when it came to the Fever pick she ddin't make a comment. Sunday is Fever first practice and Caitlin will speak to the press. My guess is she will say the politically correct thing and say she's excited for Raven joining the team. But i bet she at least concerned by the pick, if not very unhappy.

Sorry for the long post. Excited for the season to start and see what happens.

Yeah. That's another issue that many Fever fans are Fever fans solely through following Caitlin's career from Iowa to Indiana and want to see her ball out. Whether it's best for the team or not. Like Jordan fans didn't watch the bulls just to see the Bulls win. They watched to see the greatest player alive ball out and do things they would never forget thier entire lives. Imo letting her balling out better for the team anyway. But the reason that the Fever team is worth much more than it was is becasue people want to see Caitlin. Not Raven or Mitchel. Give the people what they want!

I started watching wnba solely becasue of Caitlin. I started watching her when she was making the final four runs and i was super entertained. Her pulling up at the logo and draining jumpers on the regular like Steph Curry. Jordan pulled me more into loving the nba. Kaitlin did the same for me in wnba.

Then addin the personal drama between the players and it"s must see tv

If your a fan of the Dallas Wings are you happy that Paige is happy with the draft pick? Or upset you didn't get Lauren Betts or Olivia Miles? I think i wouldn't be happy. Letting the Minnesotsa linx get Olivia Miles sets them up nicely for the future. And many said Lauren Betts was best overall. Paige is great btw so if it were her decision than ok keep your superstar happy i get. Though if i was gm/owner/coach i woulda tried to reason with her where it's not a great idea.

they could have Foxy Boxy nights with plush toys of foxes in the team jerseys for the fans.

If CC is healthy she's the 2nd or 3rd best player in the league. A'ja is pretty hard to take the top spot from but the Fever could easily be better than the Aces this year, the Aces were a mediocre champion last year and are just running it back more or less.

They are all dating now so it would be domestic violence

Lol!

Yeah, pretty much agree with all of this. A'ja prolly the best at the moment. She has that patented move of the short mid-range jumper that she rarely misses, and she's taller than ever.yone, so she can shoot over everyone. It's extremely efficient. And she's blocks lot's of shots. Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, and Caitlin have things that make them more versatile, but at the moment A'ja prolly still holds the top spot. Paige prolly has the best mid-range jumper in the wnba where little more range/further from the hoop than A'ja. Caitlin maybe better than Paige mid-range too, but hard to know cause she's always shooting the 3's over the mid-range jumper. Paige from around the foul line rarely misses. That's her favorite shot.

And yeah, Fever could easily be better this year. Aces weren't that good most of last season but then turned it on in the playoffs.

Watched a little of the Fever-Liberty preseason game yesterday, CC is definitely all the way back and up to her old tricks. Also looks like she's been putting in extra time in the weight room, just (to my casualfan eye) looks stronger. Seems like they're going to be really up tempo and will be fun to watch when they're on - lots of sharp passing when the starters (no AB yesterday) were in. Still going to struggle against size, and if a decent big shakes loose during the preseason I bet they'll kick the tires.

Good to hear! Let's go!!!!!

Flipping back and forth between Liberty-Sun and Mystics-Tempo.

If I were a Sun season ticket holder I would have called and demanded a refund before the end of the first half, that was a thoroughly embarrassing performance.

Say it ain't so! Caitlin gets a chance to tie, by Dallas mising a bunch of free throws, she was near the logo for her pattened long distance 3 and just barely misses. Brutal!

rankings probably something like

paige
aja
phee

I think after that is a drop. Stewie has aged out imo. still an elite player! just not best of the best.

I love that Paige gained 20 pounds to be a better player despite her agent and sponsors almost certainly HATING the weight gain.

what I really love though is that chennedy Carter is back!!!! and she's ballin out! such a shame to see her out of the W because of mental problems. really root for her every time I see her play.

idiotic of teams not to take a chance on her. if she can keep her head on straight then you have one of the best players in the league on your team! or you can have a whatever bench player in the last spot on your team? gotta take a chance on chen!

it definitely matters! not as much as in men's, but it still matters. especially if you have players who specialize, like CC pass and shoot... angel Reese rebound and D. Aja dominates the paint... etc.

I'm guessing avg big in the w is 6'3 190, and avg guard is 5'9 150

A'ja is clear #1, she's just turning 30 and Paige isn't MVP level yet.

I don't see Carter making it the whole year, best case she does work out but she's only going to get 5-8fga mostly the minutes A'ja is on the bench, and that that point she's just taking Loyd's role who's getting 800k for the next 3 years.

They have horrid front court depth, so if you wanted Carter they needed to spend that 800k on a big.

You can really feel the expansion on every single bench. Also with too many damn games. This isnt a fun little league anymore. And the gall to start your little facade while the varsity is still playing games every day.

Paige Bulkers.

I also can’t get enough of the CC commercials. Even if they’re corny af.

The league is still holding Caitlin back imo. I think this is due to pressure to not let her have the most spotlight so other players don't get jealous and angry. But love Caitlin, or dislike her, people watch. So i think they should show ALL her games on free tv to increase viewers and build the league. People would watch for her talents, but also the controversy of players resenting her. The league would grow bigger and faster if the league highlighted their biggest/more famous star. Instead they give more exposure to Aja, and others. While Aja deserves the spotlight as a player, people would watch Caitlin more because she's more famous, and must see tv.

Also if you showed all Caitlin's games on tv it would build up even more jealousy and anger from other players. Then their would be even more chippiness between players vs Caitlin and her team on, and off, the court. And drama sells. So embrace the animosity instead of trying to avoid it. It's better for the whole league. Everyone would benefit.

And just show more wnba games in gereal on tv. It's the summer time so there's not as much competition. So give the league, and players, a chance to grow. It would bring in more fans that would otherwise not know much about the league.

Yeah. The commercials are great. But i think Caitlin does those without the help of the wnba? I could be wrong but i think that's her getting those commercials from other companies because of her star power. But not the wnba directly pushing her star. Where it feels like the wnba pushes the star of Aja and others more. Not sure about that but it feels like that.

I really enjoy the wnba but feel they need to market their product better for it to grow more.

Kinda sad no fights yet.

You know they are coming. The amount of physicality in the league is eye opening and the refs let an awful lot of it go.

I mean.... you see clips like this. and idk... to me it's just amazing. arenas full of crazed fans! watching women play!

sure, men are better at basketball. so what? these women are great athletes! and i've seen too many little girls discouraged from playing sports.

even still in the first post of this thread, the neighbor was shitting on the women(funny post btw).

but the joy and the celebration. there is a just a whole vibe in women's basketball that is not there in men's.

growing up these players didn't even think this was possible. this kind of interest just didn't exist. just a month or so ago, some women were making like 40k a year to play.

they played purely for the love of the game.

women's tennis is a great example of being accepted for what it is. men are better tennis players. so what? women's tennis(imo) is way better to watch.

another point... you don't watch sports just to see the best players.

pretty much everyone agrees aja is better than cc. but we would all rather watch cc. we like cc's story(or we're racist).

but in whatever manly sport you watch, football or NBA, the best player isn't always your favorite to watch. usually you'll have favorites who aren't the best, but you like to watch them compete.

my favorite to watch is angel reese. not even close. and she's not the best player. I love her trash talking, the fierce competition, but also she's kind and supportive. she's very well liked among players, even her competitors. and I even kinda like how volatile her play can be. sometimes she misses layups. sometimes her shots are so ugly. sometimes her plays are awesome.

rocky wasn't the best boxer, but everyone rooted for him

Agree with mostly all of this. Except Reece is kind and supportive? Was she kind and supportive when she was sitting on the bench when her teammate blindsided Caitlin away from the ball decking her. Then Reece vigorously stands up to give a standing ovation? I like Reece for how hard she plays, but she's a villain in this league imo. She should embrace it and just say how she feels instead of whining and pretending she's not the villain. I like watching her because of her villain character. And i'd prolly like her away from the game. Her comp[etitive spirit sometimes brings lut the wporst in her i'd guess. She's a little like Draympnd Green where people don't like him. I like Draymond but see why some think him a villain. She may be liked by some in the league, but not all. Kind people are kind to all, not just the one's she likes to hang with. You say caitlin fans some might be racist. Are they? Or do they just react to the racism being directed at Caitlin? Racism goes both ways.

cc fans are NOT racist!!! *some* are.