The 2026 WNBA season is underway. The New York Liberty got their quest for a championship started in style with a 31-point win over the Connecticut Sun, while the Washington Mystics outlasted the Toronto Tempo in the expansion team’s first game. Still to come, the Seattle Storm are hosting the Golden State Valkyries. Opening weekend will continue Saturday with four more games, including a highly-anticipated showdown between the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings, which will feature the last four No. 1 picks: Aliyah Boston (2023), Caitlin Clark (2024), Paige Buckers (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026). Final scores, schedule:Liberty 106, Sun 75 (Box score)Mystics 68, Tempo 65 (Box score)Seattle Storm at Golden State Valkyries, 10 p.m. ETDallas Wings at Indiana Fever — Saturday, 1 p.m. ET (ABC)Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces — Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ABC)Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx — Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (League Pass)Chicago Sky at Portland Fire — Saturday, 9 p.m. ET (NBA TV)Seattle Storm at Connecticut Sun — Sunday, 1 p.m. ET (League Pass)New York Liberty at Washington Mystics — Sunday, 3 p.m. ET (League Pass)Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks — Sunday, 6 p.m. ET (USA)Phoenix Mercury at Golden State Valkyries — Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ET (League Pass)Now that the season is off and running, let’s take a look at some of the winners and losers from opening night:Winner: Breanna StewartStewart’s 2025 was frustrating. She underwent meniscus surgery on her right knee prior to the season, suffered a right knee bone bruise late in the season that kept her out for a month and then sprained the MCL in her left knee during Game 1 of the Liberty’s first-round playoff series with the Phoenix Mercury. Not only did the Liberty’s title defense end in the first round, but Stewart averaged her fewest points since her rookie season and failed to make an All-WNBA team for the first time since 2019.
Entering 2026, Stewart was fully healthy and ready to get back to an MVP level under new coach Chris DeMarco. It didn’t take her long. She scored on the Liberty’s first possession of the season and finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, one steal and three blocks in a dominant two-way performance to lead New York to a 31-point win despite Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally’s absence. Including the playoffs, Stewart only had two 30-point games all of last season.
Loser: Connecticut’s defense…
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2026-05-09 04:11:28
