It seems like most if not all of the attention around the WNBA this summer has been focused on non-basketball issues. Which is truly a shame, because this has been one of the most exciting seasons in the league's history. As we enter the stretch run, any number of teams feel like they can win a championship, with dark horses rising left and right and a historic rookie class doing unimaginable things.
If you'd like to spend more time thinking about the actual games happening on the court, you've come to the right place. Here are the stories that everyone should be paying attention to if they're a true WNBA fan.
1. Rookies Olivia Miles and Sydney Taylor are having a moment
Being the No. 2 overall pick, there was some inkling that the Lynx's Olivia Miles would develop into a phenomenal player. But no one expected her to be this good right out of the gate. And even more shocking has been Chicago's Sydney Taylor, who went undrafted but has still had no problem earning a spot and tearing up the league.
Coming into this season, expectations for Minnesota were low given that they were missing MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier. Then Miles showed up and completely changed the conversation; she's been leading the offensive charge for the Lynx since day one, and by the time Collier came back, the team was at the top of the standings. Miles has had Rookie of the Year honors wrapped up forever, and figures to draw MVP consideration as well. Now, she's chasing something that has only been done once before, by the Lynx's very own Maya Moore: win ROTY and a WNBA championship in the same season.
Taylor has taken a different path. Chicago wasn't a good team and has been plagued by injuries, meaning she had more opportunities to showcase her skills. There wasn't much of any talk about her game until she started putting together 10+-point performances in the middle of June while coming off the bench. She ended up earning a starting spot soon enough and is now averaging 14.7 points and 1.7 assists. Her clutch play for the Sky isn't something that shows up entirely on a box score, but it has been a key to her team's success. Taylor is currently out with a leg injury, but she's not shut down for the season.
2. Sharika Austin made the Washing Mystics a WNBA championship contender
This seems to be the season of surprises, as a young Mystics team that wasn't on anyone's radar entering the year — they checked in at No. 13 out of 15 in The Athletic's preseason rankings — now can't be stopped. A seven-game win streak has them firmly in the playoff conversation. And that turnaround didn't just come out of nowhere; it was largely due to Shakira Austin.
Last year, the center averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. This season, her numbers have risen to 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Her turnaround and impact on this team have really shone in the past month, as she's been Washington's leading scorer in multiple games and delivered in clutch moments.
Since July, Austin's stats have been skyrocketing, averaging nearly a double-double. In 15 games, she's averaged 20.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks, earning Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors after scoring a career-high 29 points against the Las Vegas Aces (including the game-winning 3-point play). She's been the heartbeat of the team and will be key in the Mystics' upcoming playoff run.
3. Kelsey Mitchell has been playing the best basketball of her career with the Indiana Fever
It's a shame there's been a lot of non-basketball conversation surrounding the Indiana Fever of late, because they've grown into real championship contenders — especially after the show Kelsey Mitchell has been putting on. Usually talk about a Fever guard centers around Caitlin Clark. But while Clark is great in her own right, Mitchell is showing her veteran expertise right now.
The four-time All-Star is leading Indiana in scoring at 24.3 to go with 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. She's averaging 50.9 percent from the field and 44.5 percent from the 3-point line, the latter of which is the fourth-best mark in the league. Since June 24, a span of 16 games, Mitchell is averaging 28 points, three assists and 1.3 steals, fueling the Fever's surge up the standings.
Indiana has played one of the hardest schedules in the W after the All-Star break, but it hasn't been a problem for Mitchell. Instead, she's elevated her game. The Fever currently sit in fifth place, only two games back from third. Getting anything better than sixth place will be the best seeding they've had since Mitchell got drafted, and it will be largely thanks to her.
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