Aces Still #1
Our WNBA power ratings remain built for one purpose: staying ahead of the market, not chasing what just happened.
That distinction matters. Most rankings are reaction pieces. A team wins by 20, it moves up. A team loses an ugly road game, it drops. A star has a hot night, the perception changes. That may be easy content, but it is not especially valuable from a betting perspective.
These ratings are based on future projections. They are meant to reflect what teams are likely to be going forward, not what they looked like in one isolated result. That is why our numbers do not swing wildly from game to game. We adjust, of course, but the adjustments are measured and rooted in roster strength, injuries, matchup sustainability, coaching, defensive structure, scoring profile, and market expectation.
These rankings are always criticized, but rarely by anyone winning at a higher percentage in the WNBA over the last 18 years. The point is not to win arguments online. The point is to beat the number.
The order is mostly unchanged from last week, with the key move being Washington flipping ahead of Chicago. That adjustment is based more on projection than recent noise, with the Rickea Jackson injury also impacting how we view the middle tier around the playoff bubble.
At the top, nothing dramatic has changed. Las Vegas remains No. 1 at 109.1, with New York holding steady at 107.5. Dallas remains third at 105.0, continuing to look like the team most likely to separate from the rest of the league beneath the Aces and Liberty.
Atlanta sits fourth at 104.5, while Minnesota checks in fifth at 104.2. Indiana, Phoenix, Golden State, and Los Angeles form the next tier, with Golden State continuing to trend upward and Los Angeles dipping to 99.2.
At the bottom, Connecticut continues to slide, while Portland has improved slightly but still remains the clear No. 15 team.
May 19 WNBA Power Ratings
Las Vegas Aces: 109.1
New York Liberty: 107.5
Dallas Wings: 105.0
Atlanta Dream: 104.5
Minnesota Lynx: 104.2
Indiana Fever: 102.9
Phoenix Mercury: 102.7
Golden State Valkyries: 101.9
Los Angeles Sparks: 99.2
Washington Mystics: 97.9
Chicago Sky: 97.4
Toronto Tempo: 94.9
Seattle Storm: 93.1
Connecticut Sun: 91.4
Portland Fire: 86.1
