Who Passed, Who Flunked: Grading the WNBA Season with Takeaways, Outlooks, and Hot Takes

The NCS crew came together and graded each franchise while providing some hot takes for the whenever there's ball again.

The receipts are in. Some franchises lived up to the hype, others fell flat, and a few left us with more questions than answers. Here’s every team’s grade, the biggest takeaways from their season, a look at what’s ahead—and the hot takes that might sting the most heading into next year.

The Grades

Atlanta Dream (30-14): A-

The Dream entered the season with high expectations after key free agency additions, including Brionna Jones and Brittney Griner. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard delivered strong performances all year, while Naz Hillmon had a breakout season of her own.

Despite the talent, Atlanta’s campaign ended in disappointment with a first-round loss to a shorthanded Indiana Fever. One of the season’s most noticeable issues was Griner’s decline in production as the year progressed, particularly in the postseason.

Looking ahead, it’s unclear exactly what’s next for the Dream, but addressing consistency and maximizing star performance will be critical if they want to contend in 2026.