An unprecedented time in the WNBA is upon us. Over the next few weeks, the league will finally hold free agency for 100-plus players. Yes, you read that right: 100-plus. Free agency was put on hold while the league and Women’s National Basketball Players Association negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement, which was ratified by both sides in March.

Knowing that a huge payday could be on its way in 2026, all but two of the league’s veteran players agreed to contracts that would expire following the 2025 season — which means more than 80% of the league currently is not signed to a team.

That said, two major players are already off the board: New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart announced on her podcast this week that she’ll be returning to Brooklyn, and teammate Sabrina Ionescu told reporters Wednesday at USA Basketball camp in Phoenix that she’ll also be re-signing with New York.

The official timetable for free agency has yet to be announced nor shared with teams, sources told ESPN, as the long-form version of the CBA gets completed. A late February memo shared with front offices proposed that free agency could begin April 7 with formal signings starting April 12 if a deal was completed by March 10. But the terms of the new CBA were verbally agreed to March 18, and those dates were thought to be fluid.

Another factor at play is Friday’s two-team expansion draft (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire. Each of the league’s preexisting teams can protect only five players, and Toronto and Portland can each pick only one player who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. That can include a player who is no longer core eligible, but the only benefit the expansion team would have in picking such a player would be that it can offer them a supermax salary.

With training camp still expected to begin on time April 19, this will be the most consolidated free agency period the league has ever seen — and with a $7 million salary cap in 2026, the most lucrative, as well.

ESPN ranked the top 55 free agents into tiers and broke down what factors could be at play as they make decisions this month. The players listed below are unrestricted free agents unless otherwise noted.

MVP-caliber

Napheesa Collier
Alyssa Thomas
A’ja Wilson

It is almost unheard of to see the league’s perennial MVP candidates all hit free agency at the same time. But the likelihood of these stars actually seeking new homes seems minimal. Aside from Stewart’s announcement, the Las Vegas Review Journal has reported that Wilson intends to re-sign with the Las Vegas Aces at the new $1.4 million supermax for 2026 as soon as possible. Collier and Thomas, meanwhile, seem content with the Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury, respectively.

What’ll be worth monitoring are the terms of their eventual deals: Will they end up on long-term contracts, and will they join Wilson in taking the supermax? The supermax constitutes 20% of the salary cap (up from 16.5% in the prior CBA), but historically some stars have been willing to take less than that amount in an effort to sign deals that help their squads sign more talent around them.

All-WNBA level

Kahleah Copper
Allisha Gray
Chelsea Gray
Jonquel Jones
Kelsey Mitchell
Nneka Ogwumike
Kelsey Plum
Jackie Young

This group consists of players who could be prime candidates to be cored by their teams, which is the WNBA’s version of the NFL’s franchise tag. The core rules don’t change in the new CBA until 2027; the most recent rules stipulated that players who have played two seasons while under the core designation cannot be cored again, meaning, of the aforementioned players, Copper, Jones, Ogwumike and Stewart are all ineligible for the designation.

Ionescu indicated that New York’s nucleus — which also features Jones — will remain intact. All eyes will be on whether Las Vegas can also retain its big three of Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Young. Young would be a no-brainer for teams to poach from Las Vegas if she wants to follow in the example of Plum and become a team’s centerpiece.

Caitlin Clark and the Fever, meanwhile, have made it abundantly clear since the season ended that priority No. 1 is to re-sign Mitchell. When Plum was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks last offseason, both sides envisioned it being a long-term partnership, not just a one-off, so it seems likely she will be back there. Elsewhere, does Ogwumike return to the Seattle Storm after coach Noelle Quinn was let go?

It’s possible some of these players end up with the $1.4 million supermax in 2026. If not, the regular max isn’t too much lower ($1.19 million in 2026).

All-Star-caliber

Veronica Burton (RFA)
Skylar Diggins
Brittney Griner
Dearica Hamby
Rhyne Howard (RFA)
Brionna Jones
Jewell Loyd
Ezi Magbegor
Kayla McBride
Arike Ogunbowale
Satou Sabally
Brittney Sykes
Kayla Thornton
Gabby Williams

With such a condensed free agency, some industry insiders predict there will be less movement than initially expected and that players will sign one-year deals to wait to see how the new landscape sorts itself out. So which players could potentially be on the move?

Griner’s presence on the floor was diminished by the end of her first season with the Atlanta Dream — does that fit still make sense for both parties? Ogunbowale’s future will be of primary interest, too, after her productivity dipped last season and then-rookie Paige Bueckers emerged as the clear franchise cornerstone for the Dallas Wings. Loyd shined for the Aces once she started coming off the bench, helping them win their third title. Is that the role that makes most sense for her moving forward?

Magbegor is also hitting free agency at an interesting time following the arrival of Dominique Malonga in Seattle. Must the Storm choose between the two young bigs? Free agency will reveal more about the vision for the team under new coach Sonia Raman (and GM Talisa Rhea).

Seattle is in a position similar to Minnesota of contending but not yet breaking through to win a title with its current iteration. One of the major storylines of free agency will be whether the Storm maintain most of their roster from last year or lean toward heavy changes.

Of note: Players from this group who are no longer core eligible are Diggins, Jones, Griner and Loyd.

High-level starters

Ariel Atkins
Shakira Austin (RFA)
DeWanna Bonner
Jordin Canada
Tina Charles
Natasha Cloud
Tiffany Hayes
Naz Hillmon (RFA)
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (suspended, contract expired)
Marina Mabrey
Emma Meesseman
Alanna Smith
Azura Stevens
Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Williams

There’s an assortment of players facing an interesting set of circumstances in this group. Will the Liberty run back the Cloud-Ionescu backcourt pairing, or go a different route? What does Laney-Hamilton’s future hold as she looks to return to the WNBA after missing a year because of a knee injury? Meesseman is always an unknown given her overseas commitments; does she return to the WNBA in 2026, and would New York want to give it another go with her?

Vandersloot and Atkins seem poised to be in the Chicago Sky‘s plans, with the former also a bit of a wild card as she returns from an ACL injury. Could a player such as Stevens be lured away from Los Angeles for a larger role or more money elsewhere? Veterans such as Bonner and Charles, similarly to Vandersloot, have more years behind them than ahead of them but can still make a difference for teams.

Players from this group who are no longer core eligible are: Bonner, Canada and Charles.

The situation for Mabrey is also tricky: The Connecticut Sun are clearly in a rebuild with young talent but are also relocating to Houston in 2027, with Comets and Sun front office personnel already working in tandem beginning this season. The impact of the franchise’s relocation on its free agency plans remains to be seen.

Key rotation players

Bridget Carleton
DiJonai Carrington
Alysha Clark
Sophie Cunningham
Temi Fagbenle
Tyasha Harris
Natisha Hiedeman
Natasha Howard
Lexie Hull (RFA)
Marine Johannes (reserve)
Cheyenne Parker-Tyus
Jessica Shepard
NaLyssa Smith (RFA)
Erica Wheeler
Sami Whitcomb

These players have the greatest variance in what their roles could look like depending on the makeup and vision of their teams. A player such as Carrington (who was traded from Dallas to Minnesota) is in an uncertain position as a midseason acquisition who proved her value, but there are a lot of unknowns regarding the direction the Lynx will choose. Smith thrived in Las Vegas following a midseason trade and helped the Aces to a championship, and might have found a new home there. The Fever have less uncertainty than others in that they have Clark and Aliyah Boston, both all-WNBA players, under contract, but they must decide whether they’ll look to return that pair’s surrounding cast of Howard (no longer core eligible), Hull and Cunningham.

Since Feb. 1, the San Antonio Spurs have won 27 of 29 games to force their way into the mix for the NBA’s best record.

As a result, 22-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama has forced his way to the top of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player discussion, with a chance to become the first player to win the award as early as his third season since Derrick Rose did so 15 years ago.

But will the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 big man actually challenge Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who can become the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs and the 16th to win it at least twice?

According to ESPN’s third and final NBA MVP straw poll of the 2025-26 season, Wemby’s late-season push will fall just short.

In a poll of 100 NBA media members conducted Monday through Wednesday, Gilgeous-Alexander leads our ballot with only 10 days left in the regular season. The 27-year-old guard’s clutch play has allowed the defending champions to overcome injuries throughout their rotation and remain a step ahead of the Spurs.

And, despite Wembanyama’s late charge, Denver Nuggets‘ center Nikola Jokic‘ continued otherworldly play and Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic coming off a 600-point month — the first in March since Michael Jordan in 1987 — Gilgeous-Alexander remains comfortably in front. SGA landed the top spot on 88 out of 100 ballots while picking up nine second- and three third-place votes for a total of 958 points, 300 clear of Wembanyama.

Those wondering why this race isn’t closer can look to Monday night. Wembanyama was brilliant, with 41 points, three 3-pointers, 16 rebounds and three blocks as San Antonio overwhelmed the Chicago Bulls.

A couple of hours later, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 47 points in Oklahoma City’s overtime win against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. After the game, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked whether he wanted to contribute to any of the ongoing MVP chatter.

“No, I’m good. Thanks for asking, though,” he told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “Yeah, I’m good. I let my game do the talking.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, who has now led five consecutive straw polls since the middle of last season, is having yet another spectacular campaign. He’s averaging 31.6 points on 55.3% shooting with 4.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals.

And he’s doing all of it while powering the Thunder to the best record in the NBA for a second straight season, and with key contributors shuttling in-and-out of the lineup. The most notable of that group: All-Star Jalen Williams, who has played only 30 games this season after offseason wrist surgery and a hamstring strain suffered in January.

But Wembanyama’s case can’t be ignored. Neither can San Antonio’s incredible play as a team over the past couple of months.

Wembanyama, who fell short of the 65-game threshold for 2024-25 awards eligibility, should avoid any such issues this time and is putting up astronomical numbers of his own — averaging 24.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and and a league-leading 3.1 blocks.

He’s also far from bashful about stating his case for the league’s top individual honor.

“I have thought about it,” Wembanyama told reporters last week. “I think right now, there is a debate. There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. I’m trying to make sure that at the end of the season, there’s no debate.”

Unless things change, though, Wembanyama might have to wait until next year to potentially join Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only players to win both Defensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season.

Jokic, who received three first-place votes and landed on 99 of 100 ballots, finished outside the top two for the first time since December 2022, a nod to his remarkable durability and consistency. But his historic per-game averages — 27.7 points (eighth in the NBA), 13.0 rebounds (first) and 10.8 assists (first) — have dipped a bit since the 31-year-old center returned from a bone bruise in his knee before the All-Star break. Denver has also slipped behind the Lakers in the West standings.

Jokic was able to edge the fourth-place Doncic, who appeared on 96 of 100 ballots. Doncic leads the league with 33.8 points per game to go along with 7.1 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals while leading the Lakers to a 15-2 record in March. Doncic’s chances in the official MVP ballot took a hit Thursday night, when he exited the game against OKC with a left hamstring injury. At 64 games played, Doncic would become ineligible for MVP and All-NBA if he misses the Lakers’ final five games of the regular season. (Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who received one fifth-place vote in ESPN’s straw poll, is now out of the running after missing Thursday’s game due to a right knee ailment.)

It’s also important to note that voters were instructed to leave the Detroit Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham off their ballots after the collapsed lung he suffered last month probably ended his regular season at 61 games played.

The consensus among the 100 media members polled was that Cunningham would’ve landed anywhere from third to fifth, probably cutting into the vote totals for both Jokic and Doncic but not doing much to change the tenor of the race between Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama.

Bonus! Where does the Rookie of the Year race stand?

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Why Kon Knueppel is No. 1 in ESPN’s rookie rankings

Zach Kram breaks down why Kon Knueppel has been the best rookie in the NBA this season.

With a contentious Rookie of the Year race all season involving a pair of former roommates at Duke — Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel — we also chose to survey voters on how that race could shake out.

And, like the MVP race, there is a clear leader.

It’s Knueppel, the No. 4 pick last June, who has a massive lead with 10 days to go in the regular season, claiming 80 first-place votes to Flagg’s 20.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick, snagged two second-place votes to go with 94 third-place votes. San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick, had five third-place votes, and New Orleans Pelicans big man Derik Queen received the final third-place vote.

For someone to pass No. 1 pick Flagg, a potential generational prospect who is on pace to become the fourth rookie since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, joining Doncic, Jordan and Larry Bird — it was going to take a remarkable turn of events.

Enter Knueppel, who has not only set the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season but is currently leading the league in 3s on 43.1% shooting from deep.

Those gaudy numbers have been key to Charlotte’s turnaround; the Hornets started the season 16-28 but have won 24 of their past 32 games to surge into the top half of the East play-in picture.

Though winning rarely factors into the Rookie of the Year race, the combination of Knueppel’s play and Charlotte’s success — coupled with Flagg’s Mavericks playing for another high draft pick — has swung the race fully in Knueppel’s favor with just a handful of regular-season games left.

Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers has drawn interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, while Fulham attacking midfielder Harry Wilson also has a host of clubs on his trail.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool are interested in Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, according to The Sun. Rogers, 23, is reportedly open to leaving Villa Park and hopes to join a team competing for major trophies, while Villa’s hierarchy see this summer as the right time to part ways. But any potential deal is expected to require a transfer fee worth in excess of £80 million after he recently signed a six-year contract until 2031.

– Tottenham Hotspur have joined Liverpool and Man United in the race to sign Fulham attacking midfielder Harry Wilson on a free transfer in the summer, per TEAMtalk. The 29-year-old has attracted attention from multiple clubs following his 10 goals and six assists in 29 Premier League matches. New Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi has reportedly identified him as one of his first potential squad reinforcements, while officials from both Anfield and Old Trafford are keeping tabs on the situation.

– Liverpool are looking at signing Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba and Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon as they look to rebuild their squad this summer. The Sun says that seven players are expected to be moved on, with Alexis Mac Allister, 27, and Cody Gakpo, 26, among those that could leave. The Reds are reportedly prioritizing the acquisition of a holding midfielder and have placed Baleba, 22, on their shortlist, while Gordon, 25, is seen as a replacement for Gakpo, though a move for either is likely to require an offer worth over £80 million.

– Officials from the Saudi Pro League have made fresh contact with the representatives of Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, according to TEAMtalk. It is reported that the SPL is pushing to sign the 33-year-old this summer, after he revealed he would be leaving on a free transfer. Salah has been informed that he would have the choice of any of the clubs, with Al Ittihad the frontrunners, but he has also been linked with a switch to MLS and the Serie A.

– Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori is attracting strong interest from Juventus, says Gazzetta dello Sport. Juve are keen to add more Italy internationals to their squad, with the 23-year-old identified as the first they want to sign in the next transfer window. But the report adds that any deal could hinge on whether Calafiori pushes for a switch from the Emirates Stadium.

EXPERT TAKE

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Hutchison: Cucurella ‘out of order’ for Chelsea transfer policy criticism

Don Hutchison reacts to Marc Cucurella’s recent comments about Chelsea’s transfer policy.

OTHER RUMORS

– Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku has been identified by Fenerbahce as a potential future Victor Osimhen replacement. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– Barcelona are in talks with the representatives of Internazionale center back Alessandro Bastoni, but they need to offload players before making a formal approach to sign him. (Florian Plettenberg)

– Real Madrid are continuing to monitor the situation of Borussia Dortmund center back Nico Schlotterbeck. (AS)

– Liverpool have a strong chance of signing defender Ibrahima Konate to a new contract despite interest from several top clubs. (Florian Plettenberg)

– Everton are optimistic of landing on-loan Manchester City attacking forward Jack Grealish on a permanent deal this summer. (Daily Mail)

– Manchester City have presented a contract offer to midfielder Rodri, who is on the radar of Real Madrid. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Flamengo are considering a move for Roma forward Paulo Dybala, who has also been linked with Boca Juniors. (UOL)

– Atletico Madrid have agreed personal terms with Atalanta midfielder Ederson. He is keen on a move to the Wanda Metropolitano despite interest from Manchester City and Manchester United. (Fabrizio Romano)

– Arsenal and Newcastle are among the teams interested in Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia. (Ekrem Konur)

– Juventus have restarted contract talks with the representatives of striker Dusan Vlahovic. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

– AC Milan are close to sealing an agreement with defender Fikayo Tomori on a new contract until the summer of 2030. (Calciomercato)

– Juventus recently sent scouts to watch Real Valladolid attacking midfielder Chuki, who has just two months remaining on his contract. (AS)

– Leeds defender Pascal Struijk is attracting interest from Newcastle, Aston Villa, and Tottenham Hotspur. (TEAMtalk)