WNBA: Everything you need to know about the Commissioner’s Cup

June isn’t just another month on the WNBA calendar. It’s the start of the Commissioner’s Cup. The league’s in-season tournament, now in it’s fifth iteration, runs from June 1 to 17. Every team will compete within their conference, playing one game against each opponent.

For the Eastern Conference, each team will play five games, while every team in the Western Conference will play six due to the expansion Golden State Valkyries. Once all the games are completed, the top team in each conference will compete in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship on July 1.

The winning team will split a $5000,000 prize pool, $120,000 in cryptocurrency and hoist the trophy. The Seattle Storm one the inaugural Cup in 2021, followed by the Las Vegas Aces in 2022. In 2023, the New York Liberty claimed the crown. Last year, the Minnesota Lynx defeated the Liberty to take the trophy.

Mark your calendars ️

The race for the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup Championship presented by @Coinbase tips off TOMORROW! Teams will battle it out through June 17 for a shot at the Cup Finals on July 1.

Who will rise to the top and be crowned this year’s champion? pic.twitter.com/mg5ND4jsNo

— WNBA (@WNBA) May 31, 2025

This year’s tournament kicks off on Sunday, with every franchise that has won the Cup in prior seasons in action. The Liberty host the Connecticut Sun at 3 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, the Aces and Storm meet, while the Phoenix Mercury also visit the Los Angeles Sparks. The day concludes with the Lynx making their first trek to San Francisco to take on the Golden State Valkyries at 8:30 p.m. ET. All games are available on WNBA League Pass.

Will the Liberty keep rolling?

The New York Liberty are, once again, a top team in the WNBA. They are undefeated at 6-0 and averaging a league-high 90.5 points per game.

With Jonquel Jones averaging a double double, Breanna Stewart leading the team with 19 points per game and Sabrina Ionescu averaging 17.8 points, they are just as formidable in 2025 as they were in 2024.

Tonight, Jonquel Jones put up her 26th regular season double-double since joining the New York Liberty, finishing with 14 points and 18 rebounds. The Liberty are now a perfect 26-0 when Jones records a double-double.

— NYL Stats (@NYL_Stats) May 31, 2025

The Sun finally earned their first win of the year, defeating the Fever 85-83. For them to make it two victories in a row, they’ll have to play their best game of the year. That means the duo of Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey must be on their A-game.

Phoenix rising

The Mercury made numerous changes in the offseason, and early on, they have paid off.

They brought on Satou Sabally—and she’s been hotter than the Arizona desert, averaging 20.8 points and eight rebounds per game. Phoenix also imported Alyssa Thomas, and she has been equally stellar, averaging 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and eight assists per game. However, she will not be available for this game due to a calf injury.

Phoenix is 4-2 and will head to Los Angeles to take on the up-and-coming Sparks. LA is 2-5 and will try to snap a two-game losing streak against the Mercury.

Far and away, the best player on this Sparks team is Kelsey Plum. The guard is having a career year, averaging 24 points and five assists per game. If she can score 30-plus on Sunday, Los Angeles will have a good chance of pulling out a win.

Can the Storm again stomp the Aces?

When Seattle hosts Las Vegas, they’ll be aiming to go above .500 with a win. The Aces are coming off their best victory of the year. A’ja Wilson dominated against the Sparks with 35 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and three steals.

Wilson did everything except sell popcorn inside the Michelob ULTRA Arena to help her team win.

The Storm’s dynamic duo of Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike has fit like a glove. Both are scoring in double figures, while Ogwumike leads the team in rebounds and Diggins is the assists leader.

Despite the lopsided result last time Vegas visited Seattle, this is the Sunday matchup to watch.

Lynx look to remain undefeated

Just like the Liberty, the Lynx are 6-0 and undefeated. The biggest question for Minnesota is whether Napheesa Collier will play. She missed the Lynx’s last game against the Mercury due to a knee issue and is questionable for Sunday’s game.

Collier has gotten off to an MVP-like start, averaging 26.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

She’s not just an offensive juggernaut; she’s a defensive stalwart. Collier is leading the league in steals with 2.4 swipes per game and is in the top five in blocks with 1.4 rejections per contest. If she can’t play, then Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams will have to step up from the backcourt.

As an expansion team, the Valkyries are still very much a work in progress. Defeating even a potentially Collier-less Lynx will not be an easy task. A path to victory likely requires a big game from Kayla Thornton. She’s averaging 12.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 steals for Golden State.