🔴WNBA training camp 2024: Biggest storylines for all 12 teams🔴
0WNBA training camp 2024: Biggest storylines for all 12 teams
Training camps for the 2024 WNBA season opened Sunday, and the biggest news was the retirement of the Las Vegas Aces' Candace Parker.
While the legend said farewell to the WNBA, new talent is saying hello to the league. No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark is getting to know her Indiana Fever teammates, and the excitement level is building for a Fever franchise looking for its first playoff berth since 2016.
Kamilla Cardoso, fresh off an NCAA title with the South Carolina Gamecocks earlier this month, and Angel Reese, part of the LSU Tigers 2023 national championship team, are two rookies to watch for with the Chicago Sky. Meanwhile, veterans such as A'ja Wilson, who will try to lead the Aces to a third consecutive WNBA title, and Breanna Stewart, who hopes to get the New York Liberty to their first championship, are both likely to vie for MVP again.
There are new coaches with the Sky (Teresa Weatherspoon) and the Phoenix Mercury (Nate Tibbetts), as the league plays its last season before expanding in the Bay Area in 2025. ESPN's Kevin Pelton, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel look at the biggest questions in training camp and for the season for each franchise as the WNBA prepares to tip off the regular season May 14.
Can new coach Teresa Weatherspoon and the Sky get the best out of guards Diamond DeShields and Chennedy Carter? The Sky have turned over much of their personnel since winning the 2021 WNBA title. DeShields, who was on that championship team, was traded to Phoenix in 2022, and then after being traded to Dallas didn't play in 2023 due to injury. Now she is back in Chicago.
When will Brionna Jones return to the court, and how quickly can she return to her usual, healthy form? Coach Stephanie White told reporters Sunday she expects Jones, who ruptured her Achilles last June, to be available for the team's May 14 season opener. The Sun fared relatively well without her in 2023, but they'll be better off with another All-Star to take some of the load off of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner.
The other question is whether this new combination of backcourt players will be the right one to help Connecticut finally get over the hump? The Sun reshuffled their guard rotation in the offseason, bringing in Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell and Rachel Banham to join forces with Tyasha Harris and DiJonai Carrington. Guard play has been the X factor (some would argue the Achilles heel) for the Sun in their quest for the franchise's first title. And that window might be closing imminently with Thomas, Bonner and Jones all set to be free agents after this season