The WNBA All-Star Recreation is scheduled for Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana, marking the halfway level of the 2025 WNBA season.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from the primary half of the marketing campaign.
The Minnesota Lynx are WNBA favorites
Not solely does Minnesota have the league’s greatest participant, Napheesa Collier, however the Lynx personal the WNBA’s greatest file at 20-4.
The Lynx are No. 1 in both offensive and defensive ratings, main the league in factors allowed and rating second in factors scored.
Apart from a loss to the Indiana Fever within the Commissioner’s Cup last, the Lynx are undefeated at dwelling. With a 3.5-game edge over the reigning champion New York Liberty (15-6) for the perfect file and home-court benefit within the playoffs, the Lynx have the second-best odds to win the 2025 WNBA championship, per FanDuel.
Napheesa Collier is the MVP
Collier is one among simply three gamers averaging 20 factors this season (23.2), and solely Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson is inside hanging distance (22.3) for the league lead.
Not solely is Collier main the WNBA in scoring, she’s additionally ninth in rebounds (7.3), fourth in steals (1.8) and blocks (1.6). Furthermore, she’s taking pictures 51.7 p.c (sixth within the WNBA) and is third in free-throw share at 94.6.
The reigning Defensive Participant of the Yr has been a pressure this season, and presently, the 2025 WNBA MVP is Collier’s to lose.
Caitlin Clark has been snakebitten
Clark’s sophomore season hasn’t gone as anticipated, as she has been sidelined for a number of video games on three totally different events and suffered by the worst taking pictures stoop of her profession, each within the professionals and in faculty.
She has solely performed in 13 of the Fever’s 23 video games, along with her scoring common reducing from 19.2 PPG to 16.5, and her turnovers have declined barely, dropping from 5.6 per sport to five.1.
Past that, Clark is taking pictures solely 27.9 p.c from three-point vary, with an total field-goal share of 36.7.
It is honest to say she has struggled, however Clark has nonetheless had her moments, equivalent to her season-opening triple-double on Might 17 towards the Chicago Sky, or the seven three-pointers she made within the win over New York on June 14.
Clark will flip it round, however the first half of the season has been a forgettable one for the WNBA’s greatest star.
WNBA title race is flooded with contenders
Though the Lynx are the clear favourite, that does not imply there aren’t different severe contenders.
The Liberty has been hit with accidents and has been with out key gamers collaborating in worldwide competitions. Nevertheless, that should not be a problem for New York within the second half of the season.
New York has but to face off towards Minnesota in 2025.
Moreover, the Fever, Phoenix Mercury, Atlanta Dream and Seattle Storm have all proven glimpses of being title contenders.
With the addition of DeWanna Bonner, the Mercury are harmful. Seattle has three All-Stars. The Fever does, too, and if Clark can rebound within the second half of the season, something is feasible.
Paige Bueckers has lived as much as expectations
Bueckers does not but have the identical star energy as Clark, however she’s each bit as proficient.
The previous Connecticut Huskies standout is averaging 18.4 factors, 5.5 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals this season. In a season the place many newcomers may make a case for Rookie of the Yr, Bueckers has risen above the remainder.
She’s confirmed that she’s a famous person able to carrying the league, just like Clark.
