The new WNBA calendar is out and fans couldn’t have been more excited to witness their favorite players in action once again. While the wait is still on the longer side the new season brings with itself the same neck-to-neck clashes and the hunger for the title.
As per the WNBA announcement, the 2024 season will commence from May 14. The season opener will be between the last season’s runner ups the New York Liberty and the Washington Mystics. The game will be held at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington.
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There will be three more games on the same day between the Connecticut Suns and the Indiana Fever, the Seattle Storm and the Minnesota Lynx, and the defending champions the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury.
While the game between the Sun and the Fever will be held at the Mohegan Sun Arena, the clash between the Storm and the Lynx will take place at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Meanwhile, the Aces will lock horns with the Mercury at the Michelob ULTRA Arena.
For the second consecutive year, this year too there will be overall 40 regular season games with the teams playing 20 in their home and 20 in the away conditions. Additionally, there will be a break for the much anticipated Paris Olympics.
The format for the Commissioner’s Cup has also been changed with each game being taken in the regular season. Every team will face five other conference rivals and the best two from each group will lock horns with each other for the ultimate prize money of $500,000. These clashes will be held within the two weeks in June.
As per News18, the previous format had teams playing a total of 10 games with an equal number of home and away contests. However, this time the teams will play different numbers of home and on-road games. While some teams will play only 2 home games, others will feature in 3 home games. They will also change the schedule for those teams who have an extra home game in the next year.
The All Star Game will take place on July 20 whereas the last game of the regular season will be held on September 19. As per ESPN’s Michael Voepel, the WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated, “We would have made the changes to the Commissioner’s Cup even if we didn’t have the Olympic break this year.”
She also remarked that the committee has been “listening to players and fans,” such that the Commissioner Cup “will be before All-Star.”
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Another interesting point to note is that the last year’s finalist – the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty – will square off against each other thrice in the whole regular season. Similarly, the no. 1 and no. 2 draft picks – the Indiana Fever and the Los Angeles Sparks – will fight it off with each other three times.
Talismanic Trio of A’ja, Sabrina and Breanna
Fortunately for the Aces, their star player and leader A’ja Wilson inked a contract extension for 2024. Their point guard Chelsea Gray’s return is still uncertain. She had got an injury in her left foot during the Game 3 of the Finals and it is not known when she will be cent percent fit to ply her trade. Other than that, Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young have signed for the 2024 season with the Aces.
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For the New York, their central player Breanna Stewart will also be a free agent but as per Yahoo Sports their general manager Jonathan Kolb has indicated that Stewart will “100% be cored” by the runner ups of last year. The deal with Stewart might be extended atleast for another year. The 29-year-old had an astounding 23 points per game during the last regular season with a spectacular 9.3 rebounds per match. Thus, it can be gauged how valuable she has been for the Liberty.
Fortunately, another player of their starting five Sabrina Ionescu has two year contract extension beginning 2024. The total value of the deal is worth $410,060. Ionescu potted an average of 17 points per game during last year’s regular season and nabbed 5.6 rebounds per match and 5.4 assists per contest. Their center Jonquel Jones however is a free agent.
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The new season will bring with them a new celebration and it will be intriguing to see if the Aces are able to bag the championship one more year forming a treble.