WNBA Power Rankings: Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty battle for top spot

The WNBA kicks back into gear on August 15 following the Olympic break. A few awards seem like near certainties for the 2024 season, such as Aces' A'ja Wilson winning their third MVP. But will Wilson also get another championship to add to her resume? Teams like the New York Liberty are emerging to give the Aces a run for their money.

2024 WNBA power rankings

1. Las Vegas Aces (16-8)

The back-to-back WNBA champions have had a relatively down year so far, already losing more games this season than they did in the entire 2023 year after finishing with a 34-6 record. Injuries and Candace Parker's retirement have derailed them. But Wilson will right the ship when it matters most come playoff time. Until proven otherwise, the Aces remain at the top of the league.

2. New York Liberty (21-4)

The New York Liberty currently have the best record in the WNBA. The Aces may have the league's best player in Wilson, but the Liberty have arguably the league's best trio of Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Breanna Stewart.

3. Minnesota Lynx (17-8)

The Lynx started the season off to a somewhat surprising hot start after finishing 19-21 last season. But it doesn't feel like a fluke, especially since they pride themselves on the defensive end, which is easier to stay consistent. Minnesota is the real deal and a dark horse for the remainder of the 2024 season.

4. Connecticut Sun (18-6)

Connecticut is right up there, along with Minnesota, in that second tier behind the Aces and Liberty. Similarly to the Lynx, they're another team whose identity is on the defensive end. Whether or not they can generate enough offense, even with the addition of Marina Mabrey, will determine how deep of a run they make come playoff time.

5. Seattle Storm (17-8)

The Storm have a solid duo between Jewell Loyd and free agent signing Nneka Ogwumike, who has led them to be tied for the third-best record in the league at the break. They have a strong starting lineup with Skylar Diggins-Smith (another free agent signing) and Ezi Magbegor in the mix as well. But their depth and lack of three-point shooting (dead last in the league at 29.2 percent) are concerning as the season goes on.

6. Phoenix Mercury (13-12)

The Mercury have already surpassed their win total from the 2023 season, when they had a league-worst record of 9-31. The bad news is that they didn't win the Caitlin Clark sweepstakes, but the good news is that the Kahleah Copper offseason trade is paying huge dividends for Phoenix.

7. Indiana Fever (11-15)

The Indiana Fever are building a scary up-and-coming core after landing Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark with back-to-back No. 1 overall picks. Their ranking should continue to improve in the coming years.

8. Chicago Sky (10-14)

The Chicago Sky haven't improved much from their 18-22 record last season. Rookie Angel Reese, the No. 7 overall pick, has been playing well for them, as her impact and skill set translated immediately from LSU. But she's not a great shooter at this point in her career, which is the epitome of Chicago's roster.

9. Dallas Wings (6-19)

Dallas has been the biggest disappointment so far this season after finishing with a 22-18 record in 2023. A large part of it has been due to injuries to key players, including Maddy Siegrist.

10. Atlanta Dream (7-17)

The Dream have an emerging star in Allisha Gray, but there's not much reason for optimism on this roster outside of Gray. They are dead last in the league in points per game at 75.2 and need to improve in virtually every aspect offensively.

11. Los Angeles Sparks (6-18)

The Sparks were expected to have a bad season after finishing with a 17-23 record last year, but not this bad, even with No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink's ACL injury. At least they are positioning themselves well to rebuild around Brink and their other rookie, Rickea Jackson. Jackson was selected No. 4 overall and has taken advantage of her opportunity in Los Angeles' seemingly lost season.

12. Washington Mystics (6-19)

The Mystics are a team in disarray. They had a decent year last season, finishing 19-21. But the 2024 season is an entirely different roster and story. Elena Delle Donne and Natasha Cloud are gone. And, to make matters worse, the injury bug has hit Washington.