Who are the current WNBA teams? A look at the 13 teams and the league’s history

The WNBA began play in 1997 and will have 13 teams in the 2025 season.
Sports Illustrated

How Mercury Established Themselves In 1997

The Phoenix Mercury had a nice year in 1997, and their four picks in that year's WNBA Draft helped them achieve success. Aug 19, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; The WNBA logo is seen on a ball ...
Sports Illustrated

Why The Mercury Were A Strong Offensive Team In 1997

The Phoenix Mercury started their journey in 1997, as they were one of the WNBA's first teams. They finished that season with a record of 16-12, and they were one of the league's first playoff teams.

The Portland Power: A year-by-year history of professional women’s basketball before the WNBA

As the Portland Fire prepare for their return to the WNBA in 2026, many longtime women’s basketball fans have been looking back to the previous iteration of the team that ran from 2000 to 2002. But ...