What's Going On With The WNBA
The New York Liberty are out of the playoffs after being eliminated by the Atlanta Dream.
After winning a title in 2024, the Liberty lost in the postseason for the second straight year. In 2025, Phoenix bounced the New York in the first round. This season, the Liberty fell, 85-83, to the Dream in an elimination game in the semifinals.
New York secured the No. 8 seed after a 26-18 regular season and historically swept the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx in the first round. But the Liberty struggled against Atlanta. New York found itself down 2-0 after a turnover-filled defeat in Game 1 and late-game defensive lapses and execution issues in Game 2. In Game 3, it could not contain Atlanta late, and a Breanna Stewart bucket at the buzzer couldn't win it and extend the series.
With the Liberty's postseason push over, what's next? Here's what's on the horizon for New York:
Liberty guard Satou Sabally's healthBefore the 2026 season, forward Satou Sabally signed a two-year deal with the New York Liberty. However, due to a concussion, Sabally played 13 games for New York and started five.
"She's gonna be away from the team for a little bit. It's her second significant head injury in the past 12 months," Liberty head coach Chris Demarco said on Aug. 13. "As with all our players, health will always be the focus. We look forward to getting her back. She's just taking some time right now."
On June 23, during a game against the Las Vegas Aces, Sabally exited the matchup early. With 5:31 remaining in the first quarter, the Liberty star was elbowed in the face by Aces forward NaLyssa Smith as they competed for a rebound. Sabally, who was called for a loose-ball foul on the play, fell to the ground, removed her glasses and rubbed her head. She eventually got to her feet under her own power.
Sabally was subbed out and went to the bench. She returned to action at the start of the second quarter and played for nearly four minutes before checking back out. Sabally did not come back to the court. She played eight minutes, finishing with one assist and one block. The Liberty forward never suited up again.
Sabally, who has a history of concussions, is slated to play in Unrivaled, which begins its third season in January.
"We navigated (this series) well. I think especially Satou (Sabally), she's built for a series like this, obviously, with her ability to be physical, get to the rim, do all those things," DeMarco said Friday. "But again, and not to go down that path, but the priority with her is always going to be health. We want to make sure she feels good before she plays again."
WNBA offseason roster priorities for the LibertyMultiple players will return next season, including Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. That bodes well for a Liberty team that wants to get back to the WNBA Finals. Stewart addressed defense as an area she wants to see improve.
"You see Atlanta, and they really just work well together. I think that for us, it just took a while to find our identity, what we were going to do defensively and how we were going to play with teams," Stewart said Friday.
"So I'm not going to tell (the media) exactly what we need because I don't think that's appropriate. But defense is really, like, what people say: defense wins championships. It's (expletive) true. It does. ... We just needed to really understand our identity a little bit better from the jump."
Liberty coach Chris DeMarco's futureThe New York Liberty hired Chris DeMarco in December 2025 following 14 seasons with the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He replaced former head coach Sandy Brondello, who spent four seasons with New York, winning a championship in 2024.
The Liberty started the 2026 season 3-4 before rattling off an eight-game winning streak. That ended June 19, and New York was inconsistent after. By Aug. 3, the Liberty were 18-13, just above the cutoff line for projected playoff teams. They finished with a 26-18 record and were the No. 8 in the playoffs.
Now, New York is out of the postseason for the second straight year. While DeMarco likely returns in 2027, it's worth noting that the pressure to produce could intensify.
"I'm going to take some time and really assess, as I do at the end of every season (for) not just myself, (but) staff, players, everything, take a look at it," DeMarco said Friday. "The great part about what I do is that you're constantly learning, and there's new things you learn every single day, every season, things you'll take away, things you'll get rid of, whatever that may be. But I'm really, really proud of our group. I'll say it again.
"We know we have a team that can win this thing, a team that can get to the Finals. We know we could have played better, but it hurts. It does hurt, and everyone's going to be disappointed if they don't win the championship, or they should be."
It's worth noting when Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu were asked if they expected to see DeMarco return next season, they did not give a resounding "yes."
"That's not our say. Our job is to go out there and play good basketball and represent the organization well, represent the fanbase well and our families. I think we do a good job of focusing on that, and, you know, it is what it is," Jones said.
Ionescu echoed Jones' sentiments and said the team was thankful for everything Demarco had done this season.
"I don't know what's gonna happen. Regardless, (I'm) thankful for him coaching us this year (and) obviously, giving us a chance, and we just fell short," Ionescu added.
"I think it's just tough to kind of talk or think about that right now," Stewart said. "My focus and what I'm thinking about right now is just like ― missed opportunity. You know what I mean? Like really thinking about the opportunity ... I fell like because we (went to the WNBA Finals) twice early on, it was almost like, 'Well, this is gonna be an every year thing.
"In order to do that, you need to be consistent for the full 44 games ... I don't think we were consistent throughout the season. I think that we started to show some life and peak a little bit towards the end and really in the playoffs, but ... this is not like cramming for a test. You gotta be like ready, and ready to go from the jump."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What next for the Liberty? Playoff elimination starts offseason plans
Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty ImagesAngel Reese and the Atlanta Dream have booked a spot in the 2026 WNBA Finals.
The New York Liberty stood no chance against the Atlanta Dream as the latter clinched a spot in the 2026 WNBA Finals following a 3-0 sweep in the semifinals.
This marks the Dream’s return to the WNBA Finals for the first time since the 2013 season. Evidently, 2026 DPOY Angel Reese has played a crucial role in the team’s success this postseason.
Speaking of Reese, she shared her honest opinion about reaching the first-ever WNBA Finals of her career during the post-game interview on the court.
Angel Reese says she ‘manifested’ the Atlanta Dream’s 2026 WNBA Finals placeReese has been pretty vocal about her dream of playing on the biggest stage in the W in the last year or so. Many doubted whether she’d be able to achieve this, especially on a new team.
However, Reese proved her doubters wrong and explained how she ‘manifested’ this run.
“I manifested this. When I came to Atlanta, I knew I wanted to be here. This team has poured so much into me, we pour so much into each other,” Reese said, per ESPN.
She added, “I posted and tweeted [on] 10.10.2025 that I was manifesting the finals and this is my moment.”
Reese looked back at her viral X post from 2025, and she indeed manifested this insane run to the WNBA Finals.
Now, the only question is whether she can finish this run with a WNBA Championship or not. So far, Reese has averaged 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game for the Dream.
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libertyKelsey Mitchell tipped off a fresh round of headlines around the world’s most scrutinized women’s basketball team.
“I have to be selfish,” the high-scoring Indiana Fever guard said this past week in addressing her upcoming free agency. “I think that’s where I am in my career … what I probably need and what’s probably best for me. So I have to be selfish in that room. … I’ve only been with one team my entire career, so it’s all kind of like figuring this out. It’s hard, man.”
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tRY IT NOWMinnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier was a bit more circumspect, while pulling up way short of committing to the franchise in free agency after playing out a notable one-year contract.
“I haven’t even thought about that,” Collier said in an exit interview free of fireworks for a change. “I can tell you that I love it here. I love the organization. I love my team and everything like that, but I just haven’t had the time to give that any thought.”
(A businesswoman enterprising enough to co-found a $650 million startup and the mother of a young child hasn’t given any thought to where she wants to work next year, sure, carry on.)
Las Vegas Aces gold-medal guard Jackie Young rounds out the top three in the WNBA’s 2027 free-agent class, eligible to begin negotiating seven-figure deals with any of the league’s 15 teams starting on Feb. 4.
Breanna Stewart gets fouled by Rhyne Howard during Game 3 of the Liberty’s 85-83 season-ending loss to the Dream in the WNBA semifinals on Oct. 9, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Michelle Farsi for NY PostSo while some of their fellow contenders sweat out the status of a prominent unrestricted free agent, that isn’t something the Liberty have to worry about, at least.
The Liberty — who got swept Friday in the semifinals by the Dream — do not have a significant pending unrestricted free agent on the roster.
Veteran wing Rebecca Allen, who signed a one-year, $350,000 contract last winter, has said she will retire from the WNBA at the conclusion of this season.
Rhyne Howard (10) puts up a shot between Leonie Fiebich (13) and Jonquel Jones (35) during the Liberty’s season-ending loss to the Dream. Michelle Farsi for NY PostAnneli Maley, functionally the 12th player on the roster since signing a standard contract with the Liberty in September, is also set to be an unrestricted free agent, according to the Her Hoop Stats database.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton was playing on an expiring contract to begin the season, but after a protracted saga in which she was dropped from the rotation during failed trade talks, she was waived and finished the year with the Washington Mystics.
The Liberty’s Big 3 of Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu are each signed to three-year contracts through 2028.
Satou Sabally will be entering Year 2 of her free-agent pact as she continues to recover from a midseason concussion.
Marine Johannes and Rebekah Gardner are set to become restricted free agents, and Leonie Fiebich, Pauline Astier, Han Xu and Marine Fauthoux remain under club control.
So changes loom for the Liberty — but it won’t be from free-agent departures.
Angel Reese gets surprising WNBA Finals opponent after A'ja Wilson's Aces suffer stunning exit originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Angel Reese is heading to the WNBA Finals for the first time in her professional career, but the team waiting for her is not the opponent many basketball fans expected to see.
The Atlanta Dream completed a three-game sweep of the New York Liberty on Friday night, winning 85-83 behind another impressive performance from Reese. Just hours later, the Golden State Valkyries delivered an even bigger surprise by eliminating A'ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. The results created an unexpected championship matchup between two franchises searching for their first WNBA title. It also ended the championship hopes of several of the league's biggest stars, leaving Reese and the Dream with an opportunity to complete one of the most memorable postseason runs in franchise history.
Angel Reese delivers when Atlanta needs her mostReese finished Friday's victory with 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. She scored 18 of her points in the first half, helping Atlanta establish an early advantage before New York mounted a determined comeback.
Angel Reese in the semifinals: 20.7 PPG 7.7 RPG 4.3 STL + BLK 48/57/89% Most ever steals & blocks by a center in their first playoff run in WNBA playoff history. https://t.co/tq3Nx1ea1y
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) October 10, 2026The Liberty refused to surrender quietly. Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones each scored 26 points, and New York briefly took control during the second half. However, Atlanta responded behind Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada, who combined to provide the offensive production necessary to finish the series. Howard scored 21 points, while Canada delivered 19 points and 11 assists. Their contributions were particularly important because Atlanta played without Allisha Gray, who missed another game with a finger injury.
The victory sent the Dream to the Finals for the first time since 2013. Atlanta has never won a WNBA championship, and the franchise now needs four more victories to accomplish something that has eluded it throughout its history.
For Reese, the opportunity represents another major achievement in a season that already included Defensive Player of the Year honors. The former LSU star has helped transform Atlanta into a championship contender after arriving from the Chicago Sky during the offseason.
A'ja Wilson and Las Vegas suffer stunning eliminationThe biggest surprise of Friday's playoff action came in Las Vegas, where the Golden State Valkyries completed a three-game sweep of the defending champions.
Golden State defeated the Aces 87-77 in overtime, ending a series that few would have expected to finish without a Las Vegas victory. The Valkyries overcame a late deficit before dominating the extra period 16-6, demonstrating the defensive intensity and depth that have defined their postseason run.
Kayla Thornton led Golden State with 18 points, while Gabby Williams contributed 16. Kiah Stokes provided an important interior presence with 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. The result was particularly impressive considering Golden State lost all three regular-season meetings with Las Vegas. The Valkyries reversed that trend when the games mattered most, eliminating a team led by one of the greatest players in WNBA history.
MORE: Caitlin Clark finishes behind surprising rookie in WNBA MVP voting
Reese faces another difficult championship challengeThe upcoming Finals present an intriguing contrast. Atlanta has been perfect during the postseason, sweeping Washington in the opening round before eliminating New York. Golden State, meanwhile, survived a difficult first-round series against Dallas before producing its stunning sweep of Las Vegas.
There is also an important regular-season statistic worth remembering. Golden State won all three meetings with Atlanta during the 2026 campaign, suggesting the Dream will face a difficult challenge despite their recent momentum. The best-of-seven WNBA Finals begin Saturday, Oct. 17, with Golden State holding home-court advantage.
Reese has already helped Atlanta accomplish something the franchise had not done in 13 years. Now she has an opportunity to deliver its first championship, although the surprising opponent standing in her way has already demonstrated that regular-season expectations mean very little in October.
More WNBA news:Sophie Cunningham’s “Kick Rocks” outfit turns heads at Fever home finalBreanna Stewart and WNBA refs at odds amid reset timeout controversy in Liberty's loss to DreamWNBA Playoffs schedule 2026: Full bracket, times, TV channels, live streams to watch every series
Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty ImagesSophie Cunningham has clapped back at a WNBA analyst who questioned her place on the Indiana Fever.
The 2026 WNBA season has been huge for Sophie Cunningham, as the Indiana Fever guard has gained massive popularity.
A key reason behind the surge in Cunningham’s popularity among fans is her stance on the potential participation of transgender athletes.
Additionally, Cunningham always addresses her in-game incidents or major WNBA problems on her ‘No Hesitation’ podcast, and this is the exact reason why The Athletic’s Candace Buckner asked the Fever to part ways with her in the offseason.
Sophie Cunningham goes off at The Athletic analyst for asking the Indiana Fever to abandon herIronically, Cunningham reacted to Buckner’s demands from the Fever on the latest episode of her podcast, where she lashed out at The Athletic writer.
“I literally don’t care what anyone says about me anymore because I’ve said this so many times: ‘If you’re going to live by the praise, you’re going to die by the hate.’
“And the majority of these people have never picked up a ball in their life, and they’re just thirsty to be relevant in some type of way,” Cunningham said.
She added, “No matter what anyone says to me, I’m going to continue to do me. I know what I bring to the table. It’s not always in the stat sheet. And so for you to like not say I’m effective or any of that, whatever, s___ it.”
Cunningham bluntly called out Buckner’s credibility, as she doesn’t want to pay attention to someone who has no connection as a player or as a coach to the game of basketball.
Ouch! That must sting Buckner. This may lead to another explosive article from the columnist sooner rather than later.
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CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 23: Sophie Cunningham 8 of the Indiana Fever warms up before the regular season WNBA, Basketball Damen, USA game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky on August 23, 2026 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire WNBA: AUG 23 Indiana Fever at Chicago Sky EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260823105 ©IMAGO/Icon SportswireJordin Canada felt counted out. She said it after Game 1 against the Liberty, and then she went out and made the doubters think twice for the rest of the semifinals. That run in the 3-0 sweep did not go unnoticed by Sophie Cunningham, who knows exactly what that kind of long experience looks like.
While the Indiana Fever guard praised the Dream’s roster and the veteran leadership of DeWanna Bonner, it was Canada who particularly caught her attention, especially given what she produced in the semifinal series.
“Jordin Canada, man, she’s a beast,” Cunningham said, speaking on her No Hesitation podcast. “She’s been in the league for a really long time. And I’m pretty sure that she is kind of the head of the snake sometimes. I know that you have Allisha Gray. I know that you have Rhyne Howard, but if your point guard is setting the tone defensively and also with your pace, it’s gonna be a long night for whoever they’re playing. And you see that in this series.”
Losing a star player during a playoff series is usually the kind of setback that can derail a championship run. But with Jordin Canada, the Atlanta Dream had a different response. With Allisha Gray sidelined for much of their semifinal clash against the New York Liberty, Canada turned up the heat, delivering back-to-back 20-point performances before dishing out 11 assists in the series-clinching win.
In those three games, Canada averaged 22.3 points per game, 7.7 assists and three rebounds. In that first game, she even had five steals to her name. To put this in context, her regular-season average was 11.6 points per game.
Canada had been a key piece for the Dream all season, but this semifinal series brought out an entirely different level of her game. When Gray went down in Game 1, Canada immediately made sure the absence would not define the outcome.
She delivered 25 points, four assists, five steals, and a block, shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range. It was a statement performance when the team needed one most, one that also earned praise and recognition from veteran teammate DeWanna Bonner, who also described her as the “head of the snake.”
“I just feel like that’s what we need from [Jordin Canada] and she knows that. She’s been doing that night in and night out,” Bonner said during the postgame interview. “We just rode her wave. She just brings all the energy. She’s the head of the snake on defense and offense.”
She picked up exactly where she left off in Game 2, absorbing an even heavier scoring and playmaking burden alongside Angel Reese to push Atlanta to a 2-0 series lead. She finished with 23 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 3-of-6 from three.
And then, playing on the road at Barclays Center in the series-clinching Game 3, Canada delivered a historic, composed playmaking performance that punched Atlanta’s first ticket to the WNBA Finals since 2013. She finished with 19 points, 11 assists, and three rebounds, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.
With her stat line, she became only the third player in WNBA history to record at least 11 assists with zero turnovers in a playoff series-clinching game, joining legends Cynthia Cooper and Diana Taurasi.
Atlanta will now face the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals, a team that also earned its place by sweeping the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals. The two franchises will meet in a best-of-seven series beginning on October 17.
The Dream cannot afford to lose the momentum and collective focus that carried them through the Liberty series, and if Jordin Canada, in particular, can replicate anywhere near the level of performance she sustained across those three games, Atlanta will be a formidable force in the championship round. The head of the snake, as Sophie Cunningham put it, will need to keep striking.
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The post "Head of The Snake": Sophie Cunningham Reveals Thoughts About Dream Star Ahead of Atlanta's WNBA Finals Clash appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Angel Reese © Instagram/@atlantadreamOn Oct. 10, 2025, Angel Reese publicly manifested a WNBA Finals appearance after a turbulent second season with the Chicago Sky. Her doubters wrote her off after she failed to lead Chicago to the playoffs. Reese also clashed with the Sky after controversial comments about her teammates in a September 2025 interview with the Chicago Tribune.
Fans trolled the All-Star forward, suggesting she wouldn’t make the finals. However, on Friday, Reese’s manifestation yielded the desired outcome after she led Atlanta to a finals appearance with a 3-0 series win over the New York Liberty. Reese took to X to remind everyone about her manifestation.
“364 DAYS LATER…,” she wrote.
Reese tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Game 3. She didn’t shoot that well from the field, going 38.9%, but was 2-for-4 from deep and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Dream won another close battle, 85-83.
The Dream won Game 2 after Reese sealed it with clutch free throws at the end of overtime, giving them a 2-0 lead. No team had ever overturned that deficit and the record stayed after the Liberty lost Game 3 on their home floor.
Angel Reese reflects on moving to the DreamAngel Reese manifested going to the finals months before her trade to the Dream. She secured the move in April with Chicago acquiring two first-round picks and a second-round pick swap. At the time, critics mocked Reese’s trade value. Fast forward to today, it could result in one of the most lopsided trades the WNBA has ever seen.
Shortly after the final whistle, in her walk-off interview, Reese reflected on her manifestation and the trade to Atlanta.
“I manifested this,” she said. “When I came to Atlanta, I knew what I was getting. This team and sport means so much to me. We pour so much into each other.”
Reese’s on-court fit with Atlanta seemed concerning, as the roster lacked floor spacers in the frontcourt. The Dream struggled with it at times during the regular season. However, Reese improved her game away from the basket as the season progressed.
The Dream’s staff did a solid job in developing her all-around skills. Reese was already an established defensive threat, but she took it up a notch and it was reflected in her Defensive Player of the Year win.
Angel Reese and Co. will face the Valkyries in the finals, who have also had a phenomenal run after sweeping the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces in the semis.
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