Top non-Caitlin Clark storylines of the 2024 WNBA season so far

As the 2024 WNBA season enters its fourth week, most of the conversations surrounding the league have been hijacked by commenters outraged with Fever guard Caitlin Clark's harsh introduction.

But those conversations have pulled attention away from an incredible start to the season. Below are five non-Caitlin Clark WNBA storylines that deserve your attention.

1. A'ja Wilson's revenge tour

Over the past year, the Aces center won her second WNBA title in a row, was named Finals MVP and received her own signature Nike shoe. But the one thing she didn't get in the last year is what's fueling her magnificent start to 2024: the league MVP trophy.

Wilson finished third in MVP voting last year behind Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, the award's winner, and second-place finisher Alyssa Thomas.

So far this season, Wilson has been a one-woman wrecking crew, averaging career-highs in points (26.5), rebounds (12.5) and blocks (2.8) per game. Per Across The Timeline, Wilson is the first player in league history with at least 150 points and 75 rebounds in their first six games of the regular season

2. Diana Taurasi discovers the Fountain of Youth

The former UConn star and ageless wonder continues to wow in her 20th WNBA season. Taurasi, who turns 42 later this month, averages 3.4 made threes per game, her third-most through nine games in her career. Taurasi is shooting 40.8 percent from deep, her best percentage from long range through nine games since 2017 (42 percent) and fifth-best start overall.

In the Mercury's most recent game, an 87-68 win over the Sparks, Taurasi scored a season-high 31 points on 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Her 77.8 percent shooting from three-point range in that one was the highest of her career in a game where she attempted at least nine threes.

3. Connecticut Sun's gravitational pull

The Sun are off to their best start in franchise history, winning their first eight games by an average of 10.2 points per game. It should terrify the rest of the league that Connecticut is still finding its footing on the offensive end. The Sun ranks last in three-point shooting (27.9 percent) but is the league's best defensive team. Opponents are making a league-low 28.3 percent from deep against them and scoring 70.1 points per game, which is also the league's lowest.

With Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, DiJonai Carrington and Brionna Jones, who leads the team with 1.9 steals per game, Connecticut's perimeter defense is unrivaled in the association. Its main competition in the Eastern Conference is the high-flying New York Liberty, which beat Connecticut in the East Finals last season. The two squads represent a fascinating contrast in styles, and their four regular-season meetings, the first of which is this Saturday, will be must-see TV.

4. Arike Ogunbowale's a walking bucket

The former Notre Dame star is not only off to the best start of her six-year WNBA career but one of the hottest stretches the league has seen. Through seven games, Ogunbowale's 186 points are the fourth-most in WNBA history, trailing Elena Delle Donne's 221 points with the Sky in 2015, Maya Moore (193 points in 2014) and Cynthia Cooper-Dyke (188 points in 1999).

5. Can the Minnesota Lynx continue their hot shooting?

Minnesota is 6-2 to start the season thanks to its league-best three-point shooting. The Lynx are second in the league in scoring (86.4 points per game) and first in shooting from long distance (38.6 percent). Guard Kayla McBride and forward Alanna Smith are off to incredible starts and are on pace to shatter their records for best shooting seasons.

McBride is shooting 49.1 percent from beyond the arc on 6.9 attempts per game. Smith has taken fewer attempts but converts them at a higher clip, knocking down 50 percent of her threes on three attempts per game. The team's hot shooting has even rubbed off on guard Alissa Pili, who became the first rookie since September 2020 to shoot 100 percent from deep in a game on at least four three-point tries during the Lynx's 95-71 win on May 31 over the Mercury.