Can Anyone Take the Crown from A’ja?

The 30th season of the WNBA officially tips off today, and Sabreena and Annie open the conversation by breaking down the latest roster changes across the league. They also discuss Napheesa Collier’s candid remarks on WNBA leadership and what they could mean moving forward. From there, the duo turns to their season preview, offering predictions for major awards including MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year, along with early championship outlooks. They also explore the idea of voter fatigue in MVP voting and highlight several potential dark horse candidates who could shake up the season. Plus, we tell you where to set your screens! No Offseason is a part of The Athletic Podcast Network: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/ 00:00 Intro 01:14 WNBA season tips off today 02:11 Golden State Valkyries waive Kate Martin 03:27 Iliana Rupert to miss the 2026 season 06:30 Phoenix Mercury add Marta Suarez 09:55 Connecticut Sun add Hailey Van Lith 12:46 Napheesa Collier hits reverse on leadership remark 19:09 Rookie of the Year 19:14 Annie’s pick: Olivia Miles 20:41 Sabreena’s pick: Olivia Miles 24:21 Most Value Player 24:29 Annie’s pick: Breanna Stewart 26:36 Sabreena’s pick: A’ja Wilson 31:07 Who could play their way into the MVP race? 32:45 Coach of the Year 33:44 Sabreena’s pick: Becky Hammon 34:50 Annie’s pick: Stephanie White 39:01 2026 WNBA champions 39:19 Sabreena’s pick: Las Vegas Aces 39:49 Annie’s pick: Las Vegas Aces 48:37 Fever open season vs. Wings 49:33 Aces open season vs. Mercury Related links and articles: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7258761/2026/05/07/wnba-rookie-of-year-predictions-olivia-miles/ Voters: Annie Costabile, Sabreena Merchant, Brian Hamilton, Chantel Jennings https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7258984/2026/05/08/preseason-wnba-mvp-aja-wilson-caitlin-clark/ Voters: Annie Costabile, Sabreena Merchant, Brian Hamilton, Chantel Jennings https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7259880/2026/05/07/las-vegas-aces-aja-wilson-contract-championship-repeat/ by: Sabreena Merchant  Follow and listen to the audio podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/no-offseason-the-athletic-womens-basketball-show/id1699815468 Get in touch! Leave a comment wherever you’re listening, or email us at NoOffseason@TheAthletic.com Show Links: -YouTube: @No-Offseason -Instagram: @tanooffseason [https://www.instagram.com/tanooffseason] -TikTok: @no_offseason [https://www.tiktok.com/@no_offseason] Credits: -Zena on BlueSky: @zenakeita -Sabreena on BlueSky: @sabreenajm -Chantel on BlueSky: @chanteljennings -Layshia on IG: @layshiac -Annie on X: @anniecostabile -Produced by Taneka Burrell -Executive Produced by Andrea B. Scott Visit the Yahoo Women's Sports Hub: https://sports.yahoo.com/womens-sports/?guccounter=1 Full Episodes Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm7txmok7cpMB3YlgkwrT2E0 Shorts Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UWQzuMYdm72uhBjsd24rsh5teZtgUpS Thumbnail: Sam Hodde / Stringer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images David Berding / Stringer / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images