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You're watching CBS Sports HQ. The W is officially back tomorrow. It was a whirlwind off season and almost time to begin. Finally, the 30th anniversary season of the WNBA. It's going to feature two new expansion teams, the Fire, the Tempo, and we're all wondering if the Aces can continue their domination. Make sure you check out some select games, by the way, on CBS and Paramount Plus. Some of the biggest storylines this off season. that agreement on the new CBA two months ago. We weren't really clear if the season was going to start on time or happen at all, but some lastm minute frantic negotiations worked everything out.
Again, those expansion teams now a 15 team league with the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Angel Reese going to Atlanta and the Wings. A disaster season for them, but glass half full mentality. They were able to take a FUD number one overall as a result of that. So, let's welcome in our WNBA analyst, Ty Carter. Ty, great to see you. It's been a minute. That's how we know the W is back. So, let's go down the story lines. And we got to start with the Aces because I remember at the start of last season, there were concerns outside of Asia Wilson saying, "What is this team going to do? They don't look like the Aces that we know." Lo and behold, they
win the championship and they're looking to win four in the last five years. Is there any indication that maybe they're not going to be as dominant or do you have pure confidence in this team with Asia Wilson at the helm? Well, with Asia Wilson at the helm, you have to have pure confidence in what this team can do. And even when they had that skid last year, remember they were on like a 15game losing streak and within that they were able to snap and turn things around. And so for the Aces, it really comes down to the experience in which they have and it starts at the top with Asia Wilson. And then you look at the point guard position where Chelsea Gray, she's won four titles in
her career. Jackie Young, she's won three. And then you look at Asia Wilson, she has the most WNBA MVPs in league history. And so within I don't think that you can count the aces out. is more so who is going to step up and be able to compete with them at this point and what they are able to do. And we continue to talk about Asia Wilson and her dominance and her reign and how she is consistent in her play at that post position. So they seem unstoppable when you have a player like her and you always have to count on them to be contenders as of right now. And another team that is always in that conversation, not last season, but for the most part, the Liberty looked like a team that could challenge the Aces, and
we're seeing it here. Vegas seems to think so as well, plus 260 to win the finals. A lot of moves after that first round exit. They get a new coach. They sign all-star forward Satu Sab. So, how do you feel about the Liberty after the changes that they made after last season? Well, following I would say the hype of this squad and what they're able to do. They resigned Brianna Stewart, John Paulo Jones, and Sabrina Anescu. That's their core, right? And Satu Sabi. But you also have to think about who they didn't have last year and is going to be back in the fold, which is Bija Laney
Hamilton. She was a key piece when they won that championship for her defense, her leadership, and how she has a versatility to be able to uh play downhill and really be, I would say, a glue piece for them. And so adding that and then also uh I think they just have better depth this year and that is something that they lacked a season ago. And so are the key recipes when you talk about a team wanting to compete for a title. The overall thing for them is going to be how can we stay healthy? They're already going to have to start the season without Sabrina Anescu where she had suffered that ankle sprain in the preseason. And how can they continue to look forward to I would say the games
of one another and their growth under new leadership and their coach. So the Liberty plus 260 to win the title. Then it's the Aces and then it's the Fever who are there at 5 to one. It was an injuryfilled season for the Fever. Um, trying to keep Caitlyn Clark healthy is certainly key and there was that brief injury scare in the off season. If Caitlyn Clark and everybody can stay healthy, how high is the ceiling for this Fever team? They look good. I think they're set for another deep playoff run. I mean, last year they were nearly, I would say, a bucket away from beating the Aces in the semifinals. And this was on a short-handed roster where they had a
whole bunch of people come in from uh to fill these injury reserve positions. And even then, Kelsey Mitchell, she really drove that team. Aaliyah Boston, she took a step in her game last season to show exactly what this Fever team is made of. And they were able to do this all without Caitlyn Clark. And so, you can just imagine how good they can be this season if they're able to keep her healthy, especially at that point guard position. the way that she's able to push tempo, knock down those three-point shots from deep and then also they have the pieces around now where they had a good free agency adding Maisha Hines Allens from the Dallas Wings. They have Monique Billings where she signed a
great deal under this new CBA. And then you also think about Taia Harris. he also came over and so they also have depth at these different positions if they are to encounter I would say the same injuries and which occurred last season but I would say the ultimate goal is you got to keep that thirdyear guard in Caitlyn Clark healthy. All right. And we listed out the bigger storylines coming into this conversation. And of course, Angel Reese going to the Dream was one of the biggest headlines in the off season, right? Huge. And the Dream won a franchise record 30 games last season, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. So, when we're thinking of Angel Reese being added into the fold,
how much does this move the needle for the dream to make a deep playoff run? Well, they'll definitely get past the first round if you ask me. And that's something that Angel Ree, she hasn't experienced yet in her career. In her first two seasons with the Chicago Sky, they didn't make the playoffs. And it wasn't because of her play. It's because they just simply didn't have, in my opinion, the roster to be capable of doing so. Now she's with a team who has that experience and they have made it to the playoffs. But now for the Dream, it's about a deep playoff run. As you mentioned, Jacqueline, they were eliminated in the first round last year. And for them, that was a sad season
because they were number one in the East. And so, what they were able to do without a force like Angel Ree is very telling and showing of how far this Atlanta Dream team can go, especially if Alicia Gray comes back and she's playing like the all-star that she was an all-star last year. She was an all-star the season before. and then also surrounded by another sharpshooter and Ryan Howard. I think the dream is equipped with players who uh have the motivation but also the tools to be able to go far for a deep playoff run. So the East as a whole, it's looking pretty scary when you talk about uh the Dream, the New York Liberty and what they can do and the Indiana fever. Those are definitely the three teams in which
people need to have their eyes on. Okay, let's let's switch it over and go to the West and talk about the Sparks because they haven't made the playoffs since the bubble season in 2020. Cameron Brink coming back healthy. She's had the whole off season to get there. They signed Agum Kay. Do you think this team can make a deep playoff run or is a success just being able to get to the playoffs at this point? Well, I would say the success is just getting to the playoffs at this point. I don't necessarily know if deep is going to be the word for them as of right now, especially when we're talking about a new reloaded Dallas Wings team who I
think is going to be able to uh compete in the West. But you look at the projected starting lineup now with Ariel Atkins, Ray Barrell, Die Hamby, Plum, and also Neca Agum. They now have a team full of veterans who have been there and done that. And so I think for them um it's about taking a step forward and Cameron Brink, you know, she was a former number two overall pick. She's being appointed into this bench role and hopefully this is a time where she can develop into a potential sixth player of the year. That will be telling to me about how far they can go as far as a playoff run is how do you develop those younger players because the older players I think that they already have
it. they are invested and they know what it takes to win, but now it's going to be about bringing those younger pieces along into the fold in order to uh find success when it comes to playoff basketball and that is where experience comes into play. Yeah, missing the playoffs the last five seasons. That's the longest active drought in the W. So, they're looking to change things up. The Wings also looking to change things up from last year. Last year was just a disaster, but at least they did get the number one overall pick. They pick Azy Foot, of course, paired with Paige Beckers. So, after last season, what do you think would be considered a success for the Wings?
I think after last season, what would be considered success for the Wings is at least getting into the top four, the top five? And within that, you're not necessarily looking for them to make this jump right into being a one seed or a two seed. But when you are in the four, five, or I would say even six, it means that you made the right strides in the offseason to bring in people who, you know, could be capable of making a playoff run and getting back-to-back number one picks definitely help with that. But where they're trying to shape things out is when we look at a FUD's career and what she was able to do at Yukon, 2025 national champion. She played five seasons for them. She's one
of the best sharpshooters that the country has ever seen. is how do you work her into this role in which she's going to be expected to play? What we didn't see in the preseason is Arimbow. She's not yet with the team and she's the person who has led the wings for years on in except for Paige Becker's last season coming over and winning that rookie of the year. And so now they have some questions of how do we work this roster together? you now have the pieces, but do the pieces fit in the puzzle in the way in which they envisioned it. And so they'll have some questions in which they'll need to answer and I think it's going to start early in the season.
Ty, we certainly appreciate it. A lot to look forward to this season for the W. It all kicks off tomorrow. And of course, news highlights, whatever you need for the W, we got you covered here on CBS Sports HQ.
