2024 WNBA season

The 2024 WNBA season was the 28th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The regular season began on May 14, 2024, and ended on September 19. The 2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup was held from June 1 to 25. The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 20, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The playoffs began on September 22; the WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx began on October 10, with the Liberty winning the championship on October 20, for their first WNBA title.

The season saw a significant increase of attendance and television viewership across the league, with there being a 48% jump in attendance and compared to the 2023 season and a record 22 regular season games attracting over 1 million viewers.

Draft

The 2024 WNBA draft was held on April 15, 2024. The Indiana Fever won the first pick in the weighted draft lottery, held between the four teams that did not qualify for the 2023 WNBA Playoffs. It is the second consecutive year that Indiana has won the first pick in the draft. The remaining lottery picks went to the Los Angeles Sparks in second, Phoenix Mercury in third, and Seattle Storm in fourth; the remaining picks are based on the regular season record of teams who qualified for the playoffs, from worst to best.

Lottery picks

Transactions

Retirement

On December 13, 2023, Tiffany Hayes announced her retirement after eleven seasons in the WNBA. Hayes made the All-Rookie team in 2012, she was an All-Star in 2017 and was selected to the All-WNBA First Team in 2018. She spent ten of her eleven seasons with the Atlanta Dream. Hayes later signed with the Las Vegas Aces on May 31, 2024.
On January 17, 2024, Jasmine Thomas announced her retirement after thirteen seasons in the WNBA. Thomas was an All-Star in 2017 and made the All-Defensive team five times, three on the first team and twice on the second team. Thomas spent time with the Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Connecticut Sun, and Los Angeles Sparks.
On April 15, 2024, Tianna Hawkins announced her retirement. Her retirement ended a ten year career in which she spent time with the Seattle Storm, Atlanta Dream, and Washington Mystics. She was a part of the 2019 Mystics team that won the WNBA title.
On April 23, 2024, Epiphanny Prince announced her retirement via Instagram. Prince played for four teams over fourteen years. She was an All-Star in 2011 and 2013, and was named All-WNBA Second Team in 2015. She won a WNBA title while playing with the Seattle Storm.
On April 28, 2024, Candace Parker announced her retirement. Parker's career spanned sixteen years and three teams. She spent thirteen of those years with the Los Angeles Sparks, who drafted her first overall in 2008. She was a two-time MVP, seven-time All-Star, ten-time All-WNBA selection, and Rookie of the Year. She was the WNBA's rebounding leader three times and assist leader once. She won three WNBA Championships, one with each of the three teams she played with, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas.

Free agency

The free agency negotiation period began on January 21, 2024, and teams were able to officially sign players starting February 1.

Coaching changes

Regular season

All-Star Game

Standings

Schedule

! colspan=2 style="background:#094480; color:white" | 2024 WNBA regular season |-

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! colspan=2 style="background:#094480; color:white" | 2024 WNBA playoffs |-

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Notes:

Games highlighted in Ã¢ÂÂÃ¢ÂÂ represent Commissioner's Cup games.
Game highlighted in Ã¢ÂÂÃ¢ÂÂ represents the WNBA 2024 Canada game.

Statistical leaders

The following shows the leaders in each statistical category during the 2024 regular season.

Playoffs

Awards

Reference:

Individual

Team

Players of the Week

Players of the Month

Rookies of the Month

Coaches of the Month

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Notes:

Year with team does not include 2024 season.
Records are from time at current team and are through the end of the 2023 regular season.
Playoff appearances are from time at current team only.
WNBA Finals and Championships do not include time with other teams.
Coaches shown are the coaches who began the 2024 season as head coach of each team.

Attendance

Media coverage

National

This was the eighth year of a nine-year deal with ESPN, the second year of a three-year deal with Ion, and the first year of a two-year deal with CBS Sports and Amazon. Select games also aired on NBA TV through the WNBA and NBA's shared ownership.

ESPN aired 25 regular-season games across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2. Additionally, ESPN aired the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge, ABC aired the WNBA All-Star Game, and ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 exclusively aired the WNBA playoffs and WNBA Finals.
Ion Television aired 47 regular-season games, exclusively on Friday nights. Select games were showcased nationally with others only shown to regional audiences. This was the first season Ion aired a weekly WNBA studio show.
NBA TV aired 40 regular-season games.
Amazon Prime Video streamed 20 regular-season games, 18 of which aired on Thursday nights. It also exclusively aired the championship game of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup.
CBS Sports aired 20 regular-season games, with eight airing on CBS and 12 airing on CBS Sports Network.

During the league's Olympic break, the WNBA announced on July 24, 2024 that a new 11-year media rights extension was made with ESPN/ABC and Prime Video, as well as a new deal with NBC Sports. These new deals, which were announced in conjunction with the NBA's new media rights deal with the three parties, will take effect starting with the 2026 season.

Local

In February 2024, the Atlanta Dream announced a new agreement with Gray Television to air games locally on WPCH-TV and Peachtree Sports Network.
In March 2024, the New York Liberty announced a new agreement with Fox Television Stations to air games locally on WNYW or WWOR-TV.
In April 2024, the Indiana Fever announced a new agreement with Tegna Inc. to air games locally on WTHR or WALV-CD.