The Atlanta Dream top this week's ESPN Power Rankings, while last week's No. 1 -- the New York Liberty -- are on a skid.
The past seven days were busy across the league. Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally made their season debuts for the Liberty before Ionescu sat out again during Monday's 81-74 loss to Portland and Sabally exited because of an illness. New York has lost three in a row, all at home.
No. 3 draft pick Awa Fam made her WNBA debut, contributing 10 points to the Seattle Storm's win Sunday over the Washington Mystics. No. 1 pick Azzi Fudd had her first breakthrough scoring performance with 24 points for the Dallas Wings in Sunday's win over the Liberty. The WNBA also issued a warning to the Indiana Fever for ruling Caitlin Clark out less than two hours before Wednesday's game after not initially listing her on the team's injury report. (The Fever, incidentally, make the biggest jump this week, rising seven spots.)
The Las Vegas Aces lost for the second time, after hosting a championship ceremony. And the Connecticut Sun became the last team to get into the victory column.
Through it all, the Dream made the climb to the top with two victories. Karl Smesko, coach of the league's only one-loss team, said even though it's early, the Dream have responded well to challenges.
"When teams play Atlanta, this is a big game for everybody now," Smesko said of the Dream's higher profile after a franchise-record 30 wins last season. "We're going to see everybody's best shot. I'm just very happy that we've met the moment a few times already."
1. Atlanta Dream (4-1)
Previous ranking: 3
Next seven days: @ MIN (May 27), @ POR (May 29)
Atlanta beat Dallas and Phoenix over the past week as Rhyne Howard scored 46 points, Angel Reese grabbed 19 rebounds and Jordin Canada recorded 20 assists between the two wins. Allisha Gray added 34 points, emerging as the Dream's top scorer at 21.8 PPG.
Atlanta's only loss was a 85-84 defeat to Las Vegas on May 17. The Dream have outscored their opponents in the fourth quarter of all five games so far, which Canada attributes to resilience, good execution and that "everybody is always on the same page with what needs to get done."
2. Minnesota Lynx (4-2)
Previous ranking: 5
Next seven days: vs. ATL (May 27), @CHI (May 29), @ PHO (June 1)
The Lynx bounced back from their May 17 loss to Chicago and the bad news of Emma Cechova's season-ending knee injury. First they beat Toronto 100-72 on 55% shooting from the field, then avenged the loss to the Sky with a 85-75 victory.
Back in Minnesota after having playing the 2016 and 2017 seasons with the Lynx, veteran forward Natasha Howard is surging in her 13th WNBA season with 17.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 3.8 APG. She has been very valuable to Minnesota's inside game with Napheesa Collier still out after ankle surgery and the loss of Cechova. Howard had 26 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and shot 73.3% from the field against Chicago.
3. Indiana Fever (4-2)
Previous ranking: 10
Next seven days: @ GS (May 28), @ POR (May 30)
Clark didn't play in Wednesday's 90-73 victory over Portland because of back soreness. On Friday, Clark and coach Stephanie White expressed frustration with the league's warning and over the social media speculation that this was anything other than a flare-up on the day of the game. Then Clark went out and led the Fever to a 90-82 win over the Valkyries with 22 points and nine assists.
Indiana also welcomed Aliyah Boston back after she missed a game on May 17; she had a combined 44 points, 24 rebounds and six assists in the two wins.
Caitlin Clark finishes with 22 points as Indiana beats Golden State 90-82.
4. Dallas Wings (4-3)
Previous ranking: 6
Next seven days: vs. LV (May 28), vs. SEA (June 1)
It was only a matter of time before Fudd lit up the scoreboard. She scored 24 points in her sixth WNBA game, matching teammate Paige Bueckers in Dallas' 91-76 victory at New York on Sunday. Earlier in the week, the Wings beat the Sky 99-89 behind forward Jessica Shepard's triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists). Dallas then fell at Atlanta 86-69. Shepard has been a major addition to the Wings; she is averaging career highs of 11.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
5. Las Vegas Aces (4-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Next seven days: @ DAL (May 28), @ GS (May 31)
The Aces have played twice in Las Vegas so far this season and lost both times. It happened at the May 9 opener at their alternate home, T-Mobile Arena, following their 2025 championship ring ceremony. And it happened again Saturday after they raised their championship banner in their usual home, Michelob Ultra Arena. Suffice to say, the Aces don't want to talk about last season anymore. The latter loss came against their former star Kelsey Plum and her new team, the Los Angeles Sparks.
The good news for Las Vegas, besides the consistent excellence from A'ja Wilson, is Chennedy Carter averaging 20.0 PPG on 66.2% shooting in her first season with the Aces.
6. Golden State Valkyries (4-2)
Previous ranking: 7
Next seven days: vs. IND (May 28), vs. LV (May 31)
Gabby Williams is fitting in well in her first season with Golden State. She led the Valkyries in scoring in their two victories this past week: 87-70 over New York on Thursday and 97-70 over Connecticut on Monday. The Valkyries fell 90-82 at Indiana on Friday but have another shot at the Fever this week. Guard Justé Jocyté, who was picked No. 5 in the 2025 WNBA draft but didn't play last season, made her Valkyries debut Monday with five points and two assists in five minutes.
7. Los Angeles Sparks (3-3)
Previous ranking: 13
Next seven days: @ WAS (May 29), @ CON (May 30)
It was a good week for the Sparks, who went 2-0 on the road and seemed to get some good vibes going. They won 97-88 at Phoenix on Thursday behind Dearica Hamby's 27 points and 15 rebounds. Then Saturday, they spoiled Las Vegas' championship banner day, winning 101-95. Former Aces star Kelsey Plum, now in her second season with the Sparks, had 38 points and 9 assists and is leading the WNBA in scoring (26.8 PPG). Cameron Brink had her best game of the season with 16 points and eight rebounds against Las Vegas.
Kelsey Plum finishes with 38 points for the Sparks in the win vs. the Aces.
8. Portland Fire (4-3)
Previous ranking: 12
Next seven days: vs. CON (May 27), vs. ATL (May 29), vs. IND (May 30)
With three games against New York in their first seven as an expansion franchise, the Fire were not expected to win the season series against the Liberty. But they did, going 2-1. Monday's 81-74 Fire victory in New York came after the teams split two games in Portland on May 12 and 14. They won't meet again in the regular season. In all, Portland went 2-1 this past week, falling 90-73 at Indiana and winning 99-80 against fellow expansion team Toronto. Carla Leite, the Fire's second pick in April's expansion draft, led the way with 18 points against the Liberty.
9. New York Liberty (3-4)
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: vs. PHO (May 27), vs. PHO (May 29)
The Liberty had not lost three games in a row at home since 2022, when they lost four straight during a monthlong stretch. These three defeats came in five days and highlighted that the Liberty just aren't in sync yet. Sabally, a prized free-agent acquisition, made her Liberty debut after being out with a cyst, getting five points in the Liberty's 87-70 loss to Golden State on Thursday and 20 in their 91-76 loss to Dallas on Sunday. But in Monday's 81-74 loss to Portland, she played just four minutes, leaving the game with an illness. Ionescu, who has been dealing with a foot injury, made her debut Sunday but sat out Monday. The Liberty are still waiting for Leonie Fiebich's debut; she recently returned from playing overseas. It's too early for the Liberty to overreact, but this is not the start anyone was expecting.
10. Seattle Storm (3-4)
Previous ranking: 14
Next seven days: vs. WAS (May 27), @ TOR (May 30), @ DAL (June 1)
The Storm lost 80-78 to the Sun (marking their first win of the season) on Wednesday, then turned around two days later to beat Connecticut 77-59. Fam watched the latter from the bench after winning the Spanish League championship before taking the court on Sunday, recording 10 points and two rebounds in 20 minutes as Seattle defeated Washington 97-85.
The Storm are eager to have two other post players -- Ezi Magbegor (foot) and Dominique Malonga (concussion protocol) -- return from injury to join Fam.
11. Toronto Tempo (3-4)
Previous ranking: 11
Next seven days: @ CHI (May 27), vs. SEA (May 30)
Toronto opened last week well with a 98-90 win at Phoenix behind Brittney Sykes' 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists but followed that with losses to Minnesota (100-72) and Portland (99-80). The latter was the first of three meetings between the 2026 expansion franchises. The Tempo are relying heavily on their guards, so we'll see whether the post play improves as they get healthier. Nyara Sabally (neck), Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder) and Isabelle Harrison (right thumb) are all battling injuries.
12. Washington Mystics (2-3)
Previous ranking: 9
Next seven days: @ SEA (May 27), vs. LA (May 29)
The Mystics had just one game over the past week: a 97-85 loss at Seattle in which they made only four 3-pointers to the Storm's 13. After a solid start for the Mystics, their youth has shown over the past two games, both road losses. Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 16 points against the Storm and is Washington's top scorer this season (19.2 PPG).
13. Chicago Sky (3-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Next seven days: vs. TOR (May 27), vs. MIN (May 29)
The early stretch of each season tends to feature some large week-to-week jumps and drops in these Power Rankings. The Sky fell big-time this week after two losses at home: 99-89 to Dallas and 85-75 to Minnesota. The best news for Chicago after losing forward Rickea Jackson (knee) for the season is the play of center Kamilla Cardoso, who had a combined 41 points and 18 rebounds while shooting 70% from the field in the two games.
Kamilla Cardoso knocks down the shot
14. Phoenix Mercury (2-5)
Previous ranking: 8
Next seven days: @ NY (May 27), @ NY (May 29), vs. MIN (June 1)
Speaking of big falls, the Mercury have plummeted after their season-opening win at Las Vegas. They have lost five of their six games since, including all three over the past week. They lost at home to Toronto (98-90) and Los Angeles (97-88), then surrendered an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter at Atlanta on Sunday, losing 82-80. It's not yet clear whether there's a specific pattern to the losses.
15. Connecticut Sun (1-7)
Previous ranking: 15
Next seven days: @ POR (May 27), vs. LA (May 30)
The Sun got their first victory of the season Wednesday, 80-78 at Seattle behind rookie Charlisse Leger-Walker's 16 points. That joy was short-lived, though, as the Storm came back two days later to beat Connecticut 77-59. On Monday, the Sun fell 97-70 at Golden State. The Sun's highest scoring total each game is likely to come from several different players this season.