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A week into WNBA Commissioner’s Cup play, familiar names have taken an early lead in the yearly event that results in an extra payday for WNBA players. Here’s what you need to know about where things stand one week in.
What is the Commissioner’s Cup?
Starting in 2021, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert started the event that designates certain games early in the season as Cup games. In five games for each team against their conference rivals, teams can earn points based on wins, losses and point differential. The top teams from the Eastern and Western conferences will then face off on July 1. Each player from the winning team will earn an extra $30,000, while the losing team’s players will win $10,000 each.
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For the last two seasons, the Commissioner’s Cup has been a preview of the WNBA Finals. The New York Liberty won it over the Aces in 2023, while the Minnesota Lynx won it against the Liberty in 2024. Notably, the team that lost those Cup championships ended up winning the WNBA title.
Who are the early leaders in the Commissioner's Cup?
Much like with the overall WNBA standings, the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx are at the top of the Eastern and Western conference standings, respectively. Neither team has lost a game yet this season. The two teams, which became very familiar with each other last season, seem destined for another clash.
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However, the fun thing about the Cup is that teams that didn’t start the season off as well as they might have liked can get a new beginning. The Indiana Fever are 4-4 overall this season, but 2-0 in the Cup. If they can get Caitlin Clark back soon — she is "ramping back up," but won't play against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday — the Fever could throw a wrench into the Liberty’s run to win the Cup.
What are the key games to watch this week?
The week ahead features two major matchups that could have Cup implications:
Minnesota Lynx vs. Seattle Storm: Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on League Pass
These two teams don’t need the Cup to make their games must-watch. The two franchises are tied for WNBA championships and have been pushing each other toward greatness for as long as they’ve existed. With the current teams, you have two of the league’s best leaders on and off the court in Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike and Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier facing off, and two of the league’s best trash talkers in Seattle’s Skylar Diggins and Minnesota’s Courtney Williams. Not to mention Collier is an MVP front-runner.
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New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever: Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Their first match-up felt like a playoff game, with New York taking the win after the game ended on a play the Fever called a foul. (The referees didn’t agree.) The rematch is even more important as it could decide who will play for the Commissioner’s Cup. We won’t know if Clark will play in the game until later this week, but either way, it should be a thrilling matchup at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday.
Commissioner’s Cup games will continue through June 17, with the Cup championship on July 1.
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