The WNBA All-Star break has arrived, which means we’ve hit the halfway point of the WNBA’s longest season to date (44 games). The festivities tip off tonight, July 18, with the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge (8 PM ET), followed by the All-Star Game tomorrow, July 19 (8:30 PM ET). Let’s take advantage of the break in action to check in on how each team fared over the first half of the season. Teams are listed in the order that they currently are in the standings.

1. Minnesota Lynx (20-4)

The Lynx have established themselves as the clear title favorite with a five-game lead at the top of the standings. Minnesota returned all five starters from a year ago, and they are gunning for the WNBA title that they came heartbreakingly close to last year. Especially Napheesa Collier, who is my midseason pick for MVP.

2. New York Liberty (15-6)

New York hit a rough patch when Leonie Fiebich left to play in EuroBasket and Jonquel Jones went down with an ankle injury (from which she has yet to return) but things have been looking up the past few games. If the Liberty can get and stay healthy, I expect them back in the Finals against Minnesota. (Side note: It’s criminal that we haven’t seen the Lynx vs. Liberty yet.)

3. Phoenix Mercury (15-7)

If you had told me at the beginning of the season that Phoenix would be in second place at the All-Star break despite their big three – Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and Satou Sabally – all missing several games, I wouldn’t have believed it. Credit to the Phoenix front office for going overseas and finding older rookies who could immediately contribute in the WNBA. I’m intrigued to see if they can keep up their current success and what role DeWanna Bonner plays in it throughout the season.

4. Seattle Storm (14-9)

This team is perplexing. They have one of the most talented rosters in the league, with three All Stars in Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and Gabby Williams. They’ve beaten all three of the teams currently ahead of them in the standings, but they’ve also lost to the league’s worst, the Connecticut Sun. More than anything, they need to find consistency in the second half of the season.

5. Atlanta Dream (13-9)

Entering the season, there were a lot of questions about how the Dream’s roster (deep at the center position) would work with first-year head coach Karl Smesko’s play style (launching threes). Smesko has answered those questions by adapting his style to fit the players that he has. As a result, Allisha Gray is playing the best basketball of her career and was named an All Star starter this year for the first time. It’ll be interesting to see how Brittney Griner fits in going forward, as she’s currently averaging career-lows in scoring (10.3 PPG), rebounding (5.8 RPG), assists (0.8 APG), and blocks (1.3 BPG).

6. Indiana Fever (12-11)

Due to injuries and mid-season departures, Indiana has been inconsistent at best so far this season, but it looks like they’ve started to figure some things out over their past few games. They came out of the All-Star break hot last year, and maybe they’ll do that again this year, but I still think they’re a year away from seriously contending for a championship.

7. Las Vegas Aces (11-11)

I don’t think anyone had on their bingo card that Las Vegas would be fighting for playoff position at the midpoint of the season. There’s a long way to go, but so far adding Jewell Loyd hasn’t borne fruit for the Aces (she’s averaging the lowest amount of scoring since her rookie season at 11.2 PPG). In search of offense, the Aces gave up a 2027 first round draft pick for NaLyssa Smith who has only scored nine points in two games since A’ja Wilson came back from a wrist injury. I do think the Aces will make the playoffs, but I don’t see them finishing any higher than seventh.

8. Washington Mystics (11-11)

Coach Sydney Johnson and the Mystics get an A+ on their midseason report card. I did not envision the youngest team in the league holding a playoff spot at the midway point of the season; I thought they would look more like last year’s team which started 0-13. Rookies Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen haven’t needed any time to adjust to the W, Shakira Austin is finally healthy and playing like her old self, and Brittney Sykes is having a career year.

9. Golden State Valkyries (10-12)

I don’t think people understand just how impressive Golden State  is. For context, the last two expansion teams, Chicago in 2006 and Atlanta in 2008, won a total of five and four games, respectively. The Valkyries have already beaten their combined win total, and there’s still 22 games to go. Head coach Natalie Nakase is my midseason pick for Coach of the Year.

10. Los Angeles Sparks (8-14)

Although Kelsey Plum is the Sparks’ lone representative at the ASG, Dearica Hamby and Azura Stevens made strong cases. Cameron Brink could be back after the All-Star break from the torn ACL she suffered last June. I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs, but this could be a scary team down the stretch of the season.

11. Chicago Sky (7-15)

The Sky got off to a really rough start, and it only got worse in early June when veteran point guard Courtney Vandersloot went down with a season-ending torn ACL. But Chicago has looked much better recently, pushing league-leading Minnesota to the brink twice and beating them once. Credit to Angel Reese’s all-around play and Kamilla Cardoso’s vast improvement. Their continued improvement hinges on Reese and Ariel Atkins returning quickly from recent injuries.

12. Dallas Wings (6-17)

The consensus around the Wings seems to be that a team with this many pieces should not be as bad as their current record reflects. They’ve already moved on from NaLyssa Smith. Yes, they’ve been hit hard by the injury bug, but they still have Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Bueckers on their team. Bueckers has been fantastic all season and was named an All Star starter; Ogunbowale, on the other hand, wasn’t anywhere near being named an All Star.

13. Connecticut Sun (3-19)

Let’s just say things aren’t going well in Connecticut. But, rookies Saniya Rivers and Leila Lacan have been bright spots, and veteran Tina Charles is quietly continuing her ascent up the record books.

Regular season play resumes on Tuesday, July 22 and the playoff push will intensify with under two months until the first round begins (September 14). Will the Valkyries make history and make the playoffs in their first year? Will the Aces miss the cut for the first time since A’ja Wilson’s rookie season? Keep watching to find out!

Yours in hoops,

Katie