Another jam-packed week of WNBA basketball means heading into the weekend with another edition of Swish Happens Here, and what a week it was.
After dropping four of the first six games of the 2026 season, the Phoenix Mercury’s downward spiral resumed, losing two games to the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty this week. The Minnesota Lynx and head coach Cheryl Reeve continue to impress everyone with a 5-2 record after losing five key players in the offseason. Minnesota leads the WNBA in points (86.1), field-goal percentage (47.2), three-point percentage (37.8), and assists (23.3).
Following two straight losses to the Dream and Lynx, the Dallas Wings exploded on the scene, claiming signature wins over a fully healthy Liberty team on Sunday and the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces in primetime Thursday night. We already have a favorite for Rookie of the Year in Lynx floor general Olivia Miles, but Toronto Tempo guard and Dallas Wings sharpshooter Azzi Fudd have something to say about that. In the last five games, Rice (15.6 PPG) and Fudd (15.4 PPG) are a hair apart in leading their rookie class in scoring with dynamic performances that helped lead their respective teams to wins.
We have to talk about the masterclass being put on a nightly basis by the upstart Portland Fire and first-year head coach Alex Sarama. Before the season started, most basketball folks instantly tossed the expansion team in the Sarah Strong sweepstakes for 2028, which was a mistake. Out of the 14 players on the roster, at least seven have extensive, successful careers overseas in Europe.
Portland absolutely loving their WNBA team from the jump was the lock of the century
Fueling the Fire to a Cinderella start 🌹🔥 pic.twitter.com/KTC5j2pZGs
— Blazers Lead (@BlazersLead) May 28, 2026
That level of experience counts for something, contrary to public opinion. Fire general manager Vanja Černivec led the Golden State Valkyries to an unprecedented inaugural season in 2025 and looks to be the first front office executive to lead two separate expansion teams to a playoff berth. Portland sits at 5-3 after winning four of its last five games. It’s too early to chest-pound about being right, but we’ll check back in when appropriate.
Everyone outside of the Grand Canyon State saw this trainwreck coming. It turns out that you actually can’t replace a perennial All-Star forward by committee. After being the first WNBA franchise to be swept in the league’s new seven-game Finals format, the Phoenix Mercury had arguably one of the most underwhelming offseason periods that flew under the radar because of Alyssa Thomas’ greatness, the return of a fully healthy Kahleah Copper, and a top-five defense that carried the team through bouts of instability in 2025.
The return of Monique Akoa Makani should help matters at the point of attack, but the defense as a unit has lacked the teeth that tore through opponents last season. Phoenix wraps up a two-gamer against the Liberty after dropping the first matchup Wednesday, 84-74. Copper won’t shoot 6-for-18 again, and Makani will most likely have an increase in activity after playing 19 minutes. Her first showing was productive, notching nine points, four assists, and two steals. It’s too early to sound the alarms, but the Mercury can’t afford to lose this one.
It may be hard to believe, but we’ve reached the end of the first week of the 2026 WNBA season. Rookies are shining and leading their teams, like Minnesota Lynx […]
