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WNBA 2025: Underdogs Rise, Champions Struggle

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We're diving deep into the WNBA 2025 season standings, analyzing which teams are exceeding expectations and which contenders are struggling to maintain their championship form.

• Minnesota Lynx currently lead the standings with Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty rounding out the top three
• Expansion team Golden State Valkyries surprising everyone at sixth place with standout performances from Kayla Thornton and Tiffany Hayes
• New York Liberty facing challenges with six losses in nine games and injuries to key players like Jonquel Jones
• Las Vegas Aces struggling at eighth seed despite acquiring NaLyssa Smith to add depth
• Indiana Fever won Commissioner's Cup without Caitlin Clark, raising questions about team chemistry upon her return
• Aliyah Boston emerging as potentially the best player on the Indiana Fever with consistent double-double performances
• Phoenix Mercury looking dangerous after adding Dewanna Bonner to an already talented roster
• LA Sparks underperforming despite having three All-Star caliber players in Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, and Azura Stevens

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Speaker 1:

What's up everybody. It's your favorite show's favorite show Get a Bucket. I'm your host, trey, and, as usual, I hope you're all having a wonderful, wonderful day. Today we're going to talk about my WNBA 2025 updates, but before we do that, please make sure to hit that like and subscribe button. Comment, tell anyone who's anyone about the show, try and get the ratings up a little bit. You know just a little bit, but, like I said, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to talk about my. There it goes, wnba 2025 updates.

Speaker 1:

So, with that being said, right, we got a couple of. Let's go ahead and talk about the standings, shall we? Let's go ahead and talk about the standings. So we have here the Minnesota Lynx at number one, the Phoenix Mercury at number two, the New York Liberty at number three, the Mercury at number two, the New York Liberty at number three, the Atlanta Dream at number four, the Seattle Storm at number five, Golden State Valkyries number six, indiana Fever Commissioner Cup champs number seven. Las Vegas Aces number eight. Washington Mystics number nine. Los Angeles Sparks number 10. Dallas Wings number 11. Chicago Sky number 12. And the Connecticut Sun number 13.

Speaker 1:

All right, well, we do have a couple of teams that I did want to talk about. Matter of fact, let's go ahead and go, in order from how I sounded excitement-wise, right. So let's go ahead and talk about the Golden State Valkyries because, like I said, ladies and gentlemen, they are number six. Right? So let's go ahead and talk about the Golden State Valkyries Because, like I said, ladies and gentlemen, they are number six. They're number six. That's ridiculous. Shout out Kayla Thornton, tiffany Hayes, veronica Burke. Like y'all have been doing, y'all, y'all been playing y'all asses off. I ain't gonna hold y'all Playoff contention.

Speaker 1:

Is it wrong for them to not aim for a top three pick? Like I can see this team needing rim protection, need elite level rebounding. Lauren Betts could fit that mold, but currently constructed you know, lauren Betts is supposed to go number one. Well, golden State Valkyrie, they're not going to be fighting for the number one pick at this rate, they're trying to win it all at this rate. That's what I'm saying. So I'm curious if the Golden State Valkyries are doing a disservice to themselves. You know, kayla Thornton, she, hooping her tail off the all-star caliber, selected Tiffany Hayes. He was playing well too. Like the team has good chemistry, they got a chip on their shoulder, so of course they're gonna play well, but again, ladies and gentlemen, I do wonder if they're doing a disservice to themselves.

Speaker 1:

But let's see what happens, because we got a lot more basketball to talk about. We got a lot more basketball to watch, but a team that I do have some questions about, the new york liberty. All right, hear me out, hear me out, hear me out because hear me out, hear me out because you know what I'm saying. These girls have been hooping and I've talked about them quite extensively.

Speaker 1:

Okay, my thing is this they've lost out of nine games, six like recently. They lost nine like you only win three games. Keep in mind they were undefeated for quite some time. So I expect them to lose. But damn, going three for six, three out of nine, that's tough. Also, you lose Phoebus she not returning, that's a major issue. She playing the Euro basketball Some major issue right there for me. Then you already have Benazulani hamilton not playing on the squad. That's why you got in the cop. That's why you got natasha cloud, which the liberty were on cloud nine prior to these change-ups.

Speaker 1:

Jonquil jones ankle injury. Well, now we got a question a is the bench deep enough? Also, I mean, I mean, look, I love Stewie. You know what I'm saying she doing. All right, sabrina, I would like to see a little bit better efficiency out of you. I'm just saying, like, from the three-point percentage it was down from like 37 to 32. We could uptick that a little bit.

Speaker 1:

If I'm talking about getting my worries for this Liberty squad down, because, again, brandon Stewart, sabrina Ionescu, they're arguably one of the best duos in the WNBA. I'm sorry, they're arguably the best duo in the WNBA. They're missing John Quayle Jones. They're losing a little bit of depth. I'm not jumping ship yet. I'm just saying, ladies and gentlemen, I got a little bit of worries. Okay, that's all, that's all. But they still out there as a contender for me. So you know I ain't going to say, but so much Now.

Speaker 1:

Another team that we got to talk about Doug, and this one we do have to talk about the Las Vegas Aces. Look, ladies and gentlemen, all the Las Vegas Aces. Look, ladies and gentlemen, all right, eighth seed, she looking a little grim. Now, keep in mind they did trade for Nelissa Smith, so you do start to add some depth. Right, they didn't have Cheyenne Parker, she out, get it Cool.

Speaker 1:

I'm curious what Nelissa's impact is going to be overall. I do think adding someone like her. That's the number two pick, I'd say about a double-double player, right, and if she gave the effort that I think she has defensive showcase or defensive stopper right there, I'm telling you right now. But maybe she pairs with the Aces plays with Asia, maybe she pairs with the aces plays with Asia. Something rubs off, we'll find out, but is there a fit with Asia? Again, I do think so. She can play the five or the four. Asia's versatile enough to play the four or the five, so you can do a nice little pairing.

Speaker 1:

My problem with this, though, is this my problem with the Melissa signing is this you gotta bring her off the bench. I think first season, because I'm pushing for Jewel Lloyd to her off the bench. I think first. First season because I'm pushing for jewel lloyd to come off the bench too, and if we can get a duo combo with jewel lloyd and alyssa smith, I do think that helps out for an alyssa smith, because it gets her paired with a former star, at least like somebody with some cash meanwhile. Hey, jewel, you get your own squad again. I would appreciate that.

Speaker 1:

I know you're trying to gel well with the Aces. I think you need to come off the bench. Sweetie, that's just me personally. The efficiency was always not there, and it's just the scoring ain't matching it either, like we need to see something better. So maybe against the second unit it'll work out nicely, and her pair with Melissa Smith Again a rebound and play A young double-double force. I project that's what I see out of Melissa Smith I think Jewel Lloyd could use that and the Aces and the Aces. But I mean they need something though, because again, ladies and gentlemen, they're like eighth right now. That's kind of crazy. Still contenders for me, still contenders. But I got to say, though, they got to turn it around real quick.

Speaker 1:

Now, another team that people were saying they need to turn around real quick is the Indiana Fever. Now, the Indiana Fever, ladies and gentlemen, they did win Commissioner Cup, like they did win the Commissioner Cup without Kaitlyn Clark. So let's not act like the team is trash. Let's not act like the team isn't good. The team can still be viewed as a contender. They just got to prove it. Still, that's what I've been saying, but they did take a jump in winning the Commissioner Cup. Here's the thing, though what happens I want to hear the narratives If the Fever lose early in the playoffs with Kaitlyn Clark, but they won the Commissioner Cup without her. Shout out Todd for winning the finals.

Speaker 1:

Mvp Aaliyah Boston was doing her thing. Kelsey Mitchell was looking like the stud that she is, like bro. This team looked solid. So I am curious what the narratives are going to be if Kaitlyn Clark comes back and they don't look as good. The cohesion don't seem the same. That's something we got to note.

Speaker 1:

Also, I think we got to start talking about Aaliyah Boston being the best player on the Indiana Fever and keep in mind you could put her in a Draymond Green role to pair with Kaitlyn Clark, and I think that could work out swimmingly. And again, again, if I'm saying she's the most dominant player on her team, she's the best player on her team. We got a double, double. She's also getting you with the assist as well too. Not turning the ball over too much. Defense could get a little uptick for me in terms of dominance, but like she has the capability and that's six, four, six, five. With the mobility and size that she is, that's going to be very helpful for the fever. So again, I think alia boston might be the best player on the indiana fever.

Speaker 1:

Ladies and gentlemen, I hear y'all, caitlin clark's the best one. I hear you, I hear you. Don't overlook alia boston at all. Honestly, kelsey mitchell too, because she's a perennial All-star. Now, again, I've mentioned they have a good team.

Speaker 1:

Them losing Dewana Bonner Is going to be interesting to note too, because, well, they won the Commissioner Cup without Dewana Bonner and it was seeming that. Well, you know, there was some friction between Dewana and the squad. So, dewana, you got some eyes on you. Sweetie, I ain't gonna hold you, you got some eyes on you. And matter of fact, matter of fact. Matter of fact speaking of Dewana, actually, let's just go ahead and talk about this squad right here. The phoenix mercury, okay, the phoenix mercury. Ladies and gentlemen, they got dewana bonner you know I'm saying recently signed. There was, that was the expectation. Um, this was my prediction slash wish for last year. Like I wanted dewana bonner and alissa thomas to both join the squad and they did. I wouldn't have been mad if they had parted ways, which they did, but I'm happy that they're able to join the same squad Again.

Speaker 1:

Imagine the lineup of Satu Sabali, kalia Copper, alyssa Thomas, dejuanna Bonner and pick anybody else. That's ridiculous on paper and if they hit him, that's three and d players surrounding alissa thomas. Oh my gosh, like this, this is about to be marvelous. And don't let, ladies and gentlemen, don't let the mercury go up against the fever, because we've already seen one dew. Dejuanna Bonner was just on the fever, so now she's going up against the fever again Because, remember, she put the clamps on Kaitlyn Clark and them last year. So you get a motivated DeJuanna Bonner and a really good Mercury team against this highly touted fever squad.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I think that could be a wonderful matchup. Fine, like like playoffs. Talk to me, we'll see what happens. And we're also putting a little bit of pressure on the commissioner cup. Uh, history, right, because the last two seasons at least, the commissioner cup, uh, participants go to the finals. I'm just saying, somebody do. But I would love to see, yeah, this phoenix squad, because yeah, that's gonna be, that's gonna be lovely, that's gonna be lovely. Man, somebody do. But I would love to see, yeah, this Phoenix squad, because yeah, that's going to be lovely, that's going to be lovely. Now I have to talk about my girls. I'm sorry. Y'all see my sparks. Y'all see I'm a sparks fan. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1:

All right, so for starters, we had Candace Parker her Jersey retirement. Shout out to Candace, one of my favorite players Actually, no, it's my favorite player of all time that I watched Until she swerved me, like when I watched her live, I ain't gonna hold you. I tried calling out to her. She didn't say nothing and she was on the sideline too. It's not like she was playing, ladies and gentlemen. So she swerved me a little bit, hurt. Nah, well, no, she did swerve me, but I'm just joking around. But I love candace park and I'm loving the fact that we played the chicago sky because of the. Those are the two teams that will you count the aces? Those are two teams that she played against or that she played on, and she was the driving force in winning a championship. Okay, so I love the fact that we were able to retire her jersey. Yes, hated the fact we lost, but you know, it is what it is.

Speaker 1:

Um, here's my issue with Sparks. Here's the issue with my Sparks we are below the wing. Well, we were below the wings when I had first taken a look at our standards. We above the wings now, but it's barely, and there's no disrespect to the wings. There's no disrespect to the wings. They can hoop a little bit. Here's my problem we traded the second pick for Kelsey Plum, right. Problem. We traded the second pick for Kelsey Plum, right. So at no point in time should we be right next to the number one pick from this season. I'm just saying, and there should be no reason why Kelsey Plum is not out playing the number one pick from this season I'm keep in mind.

Speaker 1:

I wanted Paige on my squad, so I'm pissed that we couldn't get her, but it is what it is, though, but also we have three all-star, caliber players, ladies and gentlemen. We got Kelsey Plum, De'Erica Hamby and Azrae Stephens on the squad, rekia Jackson too with Tom, and, if you want to talk about Cameron Brink, well, we still got to see what she pan out to be right, especially post-injury, but we have three caliber, all-star players on the squad, ladies and gentlemen, and you mean to tell me we really could not get? Like? We really could not. We really couldn't get higher than where we are, bro, it's tough, and I'm irritated so much because there is some pressure on our Sparks squad to make the playoffs, not win the final, not win the championship. We can make a playoff run, though, like we can make it at minimum to the first round, like just make the playoffs.

Speaker 1:

But right now it ain't looking that way. We're looking a little lackluster, but we got the talent to be better than that. At least better than average. Above average is all I'm asking for year one. If we can't do that, I don't know what we I don't know. Oh my God. And again I got called spade to spade. But, kelsey, you requested a trade. You got to come out and perform and you got to outclass the youngins. I'm sorry, you do do. And right now you're not just calling a spade a spade and and, and, if you are, if you're a sparks fan, you, you, you really should understand that. Hey, dog, I'm feeling the way I'm feeling because I anticipated having page on my squad and now we got this. Now we're looking to be potentially at the bottom of the barrel.

Speaker 1:

We were a number two seed from the bottom, like we were the 12th ranked team in the WNBA. That's tragic and we have that much talent. Pissed off, so pissed off. So again, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, if y'all following me, if, if, if yall following me, this is where I'm upset about the WNBA. Now again, you see my sparks. We tied with the wings. We could be below the sky. We really could, and when you think about where we were, we shouldn't be there. But a lot of other teams are doing pretty well. And keep in mind too, seedings aren't the most you know like, aren't the worst thing. Again, the Indiana Fever they won the Commissioner Cup as the seventh seed. The Golden State Valkyries just joined the WNBA to sixth seed. The Aces are the eighth seed, but could still win a championship, like that's what we're talking about.

Speaker 1:

So I'm not going to try to put too too too much pressure on this, but yeah, it's looking a little. I'm a little perturbed. I ain't going to hold y'all, but I mean I'm curious what y'all think about the WNBA season so far. Did I miss anything yet? And if so, sit tight, because I actually might be talking about some other stuff on another day, very, very soon. So if y'all not peeping, I did just conclude the show though. So I definitely thank y'all for listening. But I am curious, though, what y'all thought about the episode. Please make sure to comment like subscribe all that good stuff, but definitely make sure that you're watching WNBA, because it's a hoot and a half. It's a lot of entertainment and these girls be getting a bucket. But, ladies and gentlemen, that does conclude the end of the episode. Like I said, my name is Trey Wilder. I'm the host of Get a Bucket. Please make sure to hit that like and subscribe button. Comment. Tell anyone who's anyone about the show. Hope you all are having a good one. Take care, thank you.