Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark and more lessons we already learned from the WNBA preseason

Let's be honest, the preseason of any professional league can get boring. After an especially tumultuous WNBA offseason, I think fans are beyond ready to get the regular season tipped off. But the preseason can also add a lot of context to how teams look on opening day, especially in a league like the WNBA, where we see a lot of players waived before the regular season.

There are so many new faces on new teams this year, from free agency signings, rookies and overseas players to players making their return to the W. So, at the same time, the preseason might seem pointless, but it serves an important purpose of allowing these players to get acclimated before the real chaos begins. We've now seen almost every team in at least one preseason matchup; here are four key takeaways so far.

1. These young stars aren't rusty at all

Last night, Paige Bueckers recorded 20 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 20 minutes. She drained 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Caitlin Clark dropped 21 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists in 16 minutes. She shot 2-of-3 from 3. This was only Clark's second game back on a WNBA court since July due to injury.

These are two of the brightest young stars in the league. They faced off in what would be Clark's second preseason game, and Bueckers' first. Both showed out in their time on the court. While they weren't out there with their normal starting 5's, it was still nice to see them playing loosely. They are two young players who are expected to have a lot of production for their squads night in and night out — playing in this preseason game showed us they're coming out swinging. These two face off in their season openers in about a week, with seemingly no rust on either of them; there's no doubt it will be an entertaining matchup.

2. The Mystics might be the most entertaining, but coordinating on the court will take time

We know the Mystics have a lot of talented and entertaining pieces. 2025 AP Comeback Player of the Year, Shakira Austin, stayed with Washington through free agency. Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron are coming off All-Star rookie seasons. They've added Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalić, who are fresh off a national championship. They drafted Cotie McMahon, a three-time All-American. Georgia Amoore is also in the lineup for the first time after spending last season sidelined with a torn ACL. The question is: will all these elite pieces mesh?

Some people might look at this young squad and write them off. But if their preseason matchup taught us anything, it's that this team is entertaining and the chemistry is building. Despite taking the loss, the potential was there. They played with high intensity, but just let the game get away from them in the second half. Seemingly, a lot of the rookies' talents translated, with both Betts and McMahon scoring in double-digits. There's only so much we can learn from one game, but I'd feel confident saying this team is worth keeping an eye on as their chemistry develops.

3. Undrafted players could end up being game-changers

Let's be real: the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx had rough offseasons. Both lost some elite talent. The Mercury parted ways with Satou Sabally, and the Lynx lost Alanna Smith, Bridget Carleton, Jessica Shepard and Natisha Hiedeman. Neither team really brought in any big free agents either. So, despite still having elite players like Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, and the Lynx holding onto Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride, the trajectory of their seasons are a bit up in the air.

Both teams will have to rely on some younger talent this season. For the Lynx, they drafted Olivia Miles, who has played well in the preseason but one undrafted rookie has caught some people's eyes. Saylor Poffenbarger signed a training camp contract wth Minnesota only a couple of days after the draft. She knows she's playing for a spot on the roster and has shown out. In their first preseason matchup, Poffenbarger recorded 9 points, 13 rebounds and 1 block. During her second outing, she put up 8 points — draining two from deep — 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. She could make a great addition to this Lynx squad as she develops through the season.

Kara Dunn also signed a training camp contract after going undrafted, with the Phoenix Mercury. She has made the most of the opportunity. The Mercury have played one preseason game so far, in which Dunn recorded 13 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in only 12 minutes. She was perfect from beyond the arc, shooting 3-of-3. Of course, this is only preseason, but these are the types of players who can not only add depth to a bench but can end up being real difference-makers later in the season.

4. Players making comebacks could be what pushes the top contenders over the edge

Going into this season, the consensus seems to be that the New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces will be top contenders yet again. Both of these squads kept the majority of their biggest stars from last season. But that's not all they have in common. They both also signed players who are making their return to the WNBA.

Han Xu re-signed with the Liberty this offseason after two seasons away. During the 2022 WNBA season, she averaged 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. At 6-foot-11, Xu absolutely dominates in the paint. In her first game back in the W, she made her presence known. She finished the Liberty's preseason matchup against the Fever with 20 points, 2 rebounds and 2 blocks in 22 minutes on the court. New York is rich in bigs this season, especially with the addition of Satou Sabally, but adding Xu to the roster only adds more depth to their already elite bench.

Chennedy Carter is another player who is rejoining the WNBA this season, as she signed with the Las Vegas Aces. Carter spent the 2025 season playing overseas. In 2024, with the Chicago Sky, she averaged 17.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. She seemingly has not skipped a beat as she showed out during the Aces first preseason game. Carter finished the night with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 block. The Aces were already a scary talented team, and Carter only increases their threat level.

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