WNBA Wraparound: A'ja Wilson dominates, the Sun stay undefeated and Caitlin Clark and the Fever beat the Sky

The WNBA season is entering its fourth week, and there's a whole lot to talk about in this week's edition of WNBA Wraparound. We're seeing some of this generation's most elite players — like the Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson — put up MVP numbers, all while tuning into epic showdowns between this year's top rookies, like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink.

Here's what you need to know to know:

3 highlights from last week around the WNBA

A’ja Wilson is putting together another MVP campaign: It’s early days, but A’ja Wilson looks poised to secure her third WNBA MVP this season after a hot start to begin the year. Wilson had several massive performances last week, including a 29-point, 15-rebound, 4-block, 3-assist game in a win over the Lynx on Wednesday. So far this season, she’s averaging 26.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 2.7 assists. 

Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky headline two exciting rookie showdowns: On Thursday night, the Sky faced off against Cameron Brink and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sky, projected to be the worst team in the league by many, beat the Sparks 83-73. Neither rookie put up big numbers; Brink had 7 points (2-of-6 from the field), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals, while Reese had 6 points (3-of-8 from the field), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. The Sky, however, got at least 15 points from three starters – Dana Evans (15 points, 7-of-16), Marina Mabrey (20 points, 6-of-14), and Elizabeth Williams (17 points, 6-of-9). 

Then, on Saturday, the Sky and Reese faced off against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, a highly-anticipated match-up that served as Reese and Clark’s first game against each other since the Elite Eight. Clark finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists as the Fever pulled out a one-point win. 

The Connecticut Sun are on fire: They didn’t make any splashy offseason moves or draft any high-impact rookies. But the Sun have been the most dominant team in the league so far, owners of both the league’s best record (8-0) and point-differential (plus-13.3). Last week was headlined by a 21-point win against the Mercury, a 19-point victory over the Dream, and a clutch-time win against the Wings. 

“It’s the usual story here in Connecticut – we’ve made it to how many consecutive playoffs? And people still underestimate us,” MVP candidate Alyssa Thomas told reporters after the Sun pulled out their seventh consecutive win. “It doesn’t change anything.” 

2 WNBA games to tune into this week 

New York Liberty @ Connecticut Sun – Saturday, June 8 at 1 p.m.

In a rematch of last year’s Semifinals, the Liberty and Sun will face off for the first time of the 2024 season. Both teams have been hot to start the year, and this showdown includes several of the top players in the game, including Connecticut’s Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, and New York’s Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, and Sabrina Ionescu. 

It’s very likely the Liberty and the Sun will once again square off in the Semifinals this postseason, so this one could be a preview of what’s to come. Connecticut currently holds the best record in the league, but they're not satisfied. "This team is on a mission," head coach Stephanie White said on Sunday. Beating New York in their first showdown of the season would be a good first step toward the championship season the Sun so desperately crave.

Las Vegas Aces @ Los Angeles Sparks – Sunday, June 9 at 9 p.m.

The Aces are the two-time defending champions and the likely favorites to win it all this year, while the Sparks are toward the bottom of the league standings. Still, this one should be fun, as rookie Cameron Brinks, one of the top players in the draft class, faces off against A’ja Wilson, one of the top players in the game. Aces guards Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum have both been elite so far this season, and the Spark’s Rickea Jackson is coming into her own as one of the most efficient rookie scorers. 

It’s the second time that the Aces and Sparks will have faced off, the first being on May 18, when Vegas won by 7 points. Brink struggled in that one (3 points, 1-of-7 from the field), but has become increasingly comfortable offensively ever since. It will be worth tuning in to see how she fares in a rematch.

1 WNBA story to monitor this week: The Commissioner’s Cup 

It’s not just any old week in the WNBA — we’re right in the thick of the league’s annual in-season tournament, which helped serve as a model for the NBA. The Commissioner’s Cup tipped off last Saturday and continues this week, meaning that every game played carries extra weight. 

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever opened their Commissioner’s Cup play with a win over Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on Saturday afternoon, a game that made national headlines due to a flagrant foul committed by Sky guard Chennedy Carter on Caitlin Clark. Notably, the win gave the Fever a chance to compete in the Cup, though they’ll have to string together a series of wins to have a chance to compete in the Championship. 

This year, the tournament is more concentrated, with each team playing a total of five games, one against each conference rival (whereas in the past, teams played in ten Commissioner’s Cup games before the championship). All games played between June 1 and June 13 will be considered Commissioner’s Cup qualifying games, while also counting toward the team’s final record. 

The team with the best five-game record will advance to the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, which will be played on June 25 at the home arena of the team with the better Commissioner’s Cup record. Financial compensation is on the line; players on the winning team will make around $30,000 each, with the championship game MVP getting an additional $5,000. Each player on the losing team earns $10,000. Each team will also be playing for a non-profit organization that aligns with player social justice work, and the donation money will be presented to those organizations in a couple of weeks. 

The Cup began in 2021, when the Seattle Storm won, led by Breanna Stewart, who was named MVP. In 2022, the Aces won, and Chelsea Gray was named MVP. Last season, the Liberty defeated the Aces in the Cup Championship, with Jonquel Jones earning MVP honors. 

Who will be crowned the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup Champions? Results from games played this week will help determine that.